DICT promises truth through Blockchain, but delivers false information instead

DECODED: TECH, TRUTH, AND THREATS

By Art Samaniego

The DICT’s infographics attempt to simplify Blockchain, but in doing so, the agency crosses into misleading territory that can distort public understanding of how the technology actually works.

Government agencies have a responsibility to communicate accurately, especially when discussing complex systems that can shape policy, procurement, and public trust. Several issues stand out.

The “digital notebook” analogy is incomplete.

Describing Blockchain as a “digital notebook visible to everyone” is an oversimplification that skips crucial details.

Not all blockchains are public. Many foreign government systems use permissioned blockchains where only authorized parties can view or write entries. Visibility varies depending on governance decisions, consensus models, and access controls. Presenting it as universally public creates a false expectation.

“Verified and cannot be erased” ignores real technical nuance.

Blocks are designed to be tamper-resistant, but not magically immutable. Immutability depends on decentralization, cryptographic integrity, and the absence of a controlling authority that can rewrite history.

In permissioned or poorly designed chains, entries can be altered by whoever controls the nodes. Even public chains can experience reorganizations under certain conditions. Immutability is a property that must be earned, not assumed.

Claiming blockchain guarantees “secure, transparent, and walang daya” is misleading.

Blockchain does not prevent fraud by default. It prevents a specific kind of tampering: altering recorded data without detection. But it cannot stop garbage records from being entered in the first place.

If someone uploads fraudulent data, the Blockchain will preserve the fraud with perfect integrity. Transparency and security depend entirely on governance, auditing, and implementation, not on Blockchain alone.

“Sa blockchain, walang fake news ang data” is factually wrong.

Blockchains do not validate truth. They only ensure that once data is stored, it is difficult to modify without consensus. A blockchain can store fake news, manipulated datasets, padded budgets, ghost transactions, or fabricated documents.

The technology guarantees the integrity of storage, not the accuracy of content. This line promotes a false sense of reliability and borders on propaganda. Former DICT Undersecretary Jeff Dy, in a comment, said that this part of the infographics is dangerous.

The explanation ignores decentralization, the core of blockchain value.

The entire point of Blockchain is distributed trust. Without explaining consensus, multi-node replication, or the elimination of a single point of failure, the explanation reduces Blockchain to a glorified database.

If the government is running the only node, or contracting a vendor that centrally controls the chain, then it is not meaningfully different from a traditional database. Transparency claims collapse without decentralization.

Risk of overhyping technology in public communication

Government agencies should avoid turning Blockchain into a marketing slogan. Overstatements such as “no fake data” or “walang daya” create unrealistic expectations and can be used to justify expensive procurements that fail to deliver genuine accountability. Misleading descriptions can also weaken public trust when promises do not match reality.

The DICT infographics aim to make Blockchain understandable to the general public, but it end up promoting false information. Blockchain does not magically ensure truth, transparency, or security.

Proper governance, decentralization, audits, and public oversight do. If the DICT wants citizens to understand emerging technology, explanations must be accurate instead of promotional.