Nicholas Zaldastani, former Oracle director, reflects on the explosive rise in data’s value since the late 1980s, when he recognized its strategic power and how blockchain technology can change the landscape.
In an era where digital information increasingly shapes our daily lives, data ownership, privacy and security questions have taken on new urgency. This episode of Hashing It Out, hosted by Elisha Owusu Akyaw, explored these pressing issues with Nicholas Zaldastani, chairman and co-founder of CESS, a decentralized data storage network. The conversation explored the changing landscape of data sovereignty, the importance of decentralized storage, and how blockchain may transform data security.
“Data has always been valuable,” Zaldastani said, reflecting on his years at Oracle in the late 1980s, where he first recognized the strategic significance of data management. Since then, he said, the value of data has grown exponentially. Today, the global economy relies heavily on data as a fundamental asset, influencing everything from targeted advertising to the advancement of artificial intelligence. As the world becomes more data-driven, the importance of ensuring data privacy and security has never been greater.
Zaldastani outlined how CESS, short for “Community Enhanced Storage Solutions,” is taking steps to secure data in a decentralized ecosystem. Founded in 2019, the platform aims to give data owners control over their information by addressing issues inherent in centralized data storage models, which often require users to relinquish ownership in exchange for convenience.
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