In this day and age, the privacy of our data is paramount. We need to ensure that the intricate details that we post about our personal lives is kept under lock and key, and can only be accessed by the people that we approve to see it.

Big social media companies like Twitter and Facebook have made some moves to make sure our data is kept private, however, there are issues. Facebook especially has been caught out in the past for selling their users data to private companies without making this clear to users.

Since being exposed Facebook have had to explain their actions, their CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, has even been called into Congress to explain the companies connections to Cambridge Analytica. The Cambridge scandal is the largest example of misuse of data in online history.

People are now aware of this issue, nevertheless, not enough of us know about what really happened. There are lots of conspiracy theories about the Cambridge Analytica and how it links to lots of other mishappens in the industry.

We need to introduce a protocol where internet users do not even need to think twice about keeping their data secure. Imagine an internet protocol that utilizes smart data. Smart credit card numbers that you only use once per transaction. Similar to 2FA creating a random pass number every time you login to an encrypted system. Instead of using auto-fill everytime you need to use your card. Some people might find it annoying adding in this extra stage but in reality, it will stop your financial data from being stored on unsecured networks that can easily be hacked by attackers.

Well, let me introduce COVA, a project that is trying to start a revolution for internet users. So many of us use the internet every day. Some use it for pleasure; checking social media, contacting friends, etc. Some of use it for business; making transactions, cloud computing, business applications. We spend hours scouring the internet trying to find out new information, we really need an internet protocol that we can rely on to support us.

COVA has some great features which will reduce data abuses, spam and IP infringements. There are various use cases that will transform the internet into a safer place. These varied use cases include uploading images that cannot be copied or reshared by random users. Downloads that can only be redistributed a specific amount of times. Messages that expire after a certain time frame. GPS or location-related data that can't be used by companies for their benefit (e.g. shopping preferences). Search history that also can't be used by companies or individuals for research or business reasons without being explicitly granted permission to do so.

COVA is a really thought-provoking project that I am still trying to get to grips with. It has many complexities but this is what makes it an interesting project due to the research and development that goes into it. The technology the COVA team use is cutting edge and it could have a massive impact on internet users in the future.

To learn more check out the following links:

Telegram Group: https://t.me/covalentofficial

Twitter: https://twitter.com/@covatoken

Medium: https://medium.com/@covatoken

Website: https://covalent.ai

White Paper/Wiki: https://github.com/covalent-hq/wiki/wiki

