Methods, devices and systems for managing group membership and record verification using blockchain

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, embodiments include receiving first user-generated input from a recruiter device. The recruiter device is associated with a manager of a group. Further embodiments include generating a first smart contract between an applicant and the manager according to the first user-generated input. The generating of the first smart contract comprises generating the first smart contract on a blockchain. Additional embodiments can include providing the applicant access to the group according to the first smart contract, receiving second user-generated input from the recruiter device, and generating a second smart contract between a record keeper and the manager according to the second user-generated input. The generating of the second smart contract comprises generating the second smart contract on the blockchain. Also, embodiments can include providing the record keeper access to the group according to the second smart contract. Other embodiments are disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A device, comprising:
 a processing system including a processor; and   a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processing system, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising:
 receiving first user-generated input from a recruiter device, wherein the recruiter device is associated with a manager of a group; 
 generating a first smart contract between an applicant and the manager according to the first user-generated input, wherein the generating of the first smart contract comprises generating the first smart contract on a blockchain; 
 providing the applicant access to the group according to the first smart contract; 
 receiving second user-generated input from the recruiter device; 
 generating a second smart contract between a record keeper and the manager according to the second user-generated input, wherein the generating of the second smart contract comprises 
 generating the second smart contract on the blockchain; and 
 providing the record keeper access to the group according to the second smart contract; 
 receiving applicant records from a record keeper device; 
 publishing a hashed portion of the applicant records to the blockchain; 
 signing the hashed portion of the applicant records on the blockchain according to a third user-generated input from an applicant device; 
 obtaining the hashed portion of the applicant records in response to receiving a fourth user-generated input from the applicant device, wherein the fourth user-generated input comprises an approval to provide the hashed portion of the applicant records; and 
 providing the hashed portion of the applicant records to the recruiter device. 
   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the providing the applicant access to the group comprises performing a first transaction on the blockchain, wherein providing the record keeper access to the group comprises performing a second transaction on the blockchain. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the publishing of the hashed portion of the applicant records to the blockchain comprises performing a third transaction on the blockchain, wherein the signing of the hashed portion of the applicant records on the blockchain comprises performing a fourth transaction on the blockchain. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the applicant records comprise attributes, wherein the attributes comprise one or more of a full name of the applicant, an applicant identifier, a university name, a type of degree, a department identifier, and a graduation year, wherein the hashed portion of the applicant records comprises an attribute. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising hashing a portion of the applicant records resulting in the hashed portion of the applicant records and storing the hashed portion of the applicant records in a database. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 5  wherein the hashing a portion of the applicant records comprises encrypting the portion of the applicant records. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the blockchain comprises one of a Bitcoin blockchain, a Hyperledger blockchain, or an Ethereum blockchain. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving a recruiter input from the recruiter device, wherein the recruiter input comprises a request for the hashed portion of the application records.   
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 responsive to receiving the recruiter input, sending a notification to the applicant device, wherein the notification informs the applicant about the request.   
     
     
         10 . A non-transitory machine-readable medium, comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processing system including a processor, facilitate performance of operations, the operations comprising:
 receiving a first user-generated input from a first user device associated with a first user, wherein the first user is associated with a group of users;   generating a first smart contract between a second user and the first user according to the first user-generated input, wherein the generating of the first smart contract comprises generating the first smart contract on a blockchain;   providing the second user access to the group of users according to the first smart contract;   receiving second user-generated input from the first user device;   generating a second smart contract between a third user and the first user according to the second user-generated input, wherein the generating of the second smart contract comprises generating the second smart contract on the blockchain;   providing the third user access to the group of users according to the second smart contract;   receiving, from a third user device, a portion of second user records comprising information corresponding to the second user;   publishing a hashed portion of the second user records to the blockchain;   signing the hashed portion of the second user records on the blockchain according to a third user-generated input from a second user device;   obtaining the hashed portion of the second user records in response to receiving a fourth user-generated input from the second user device, wherein the fourth user-generated input comprises an approval to provide the hashed portion of the second user records; and   providing the hashed portion of the second user records to the first user device.   
     
     
         11 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 10 , wherein the providing the second user access to the group of users comprises performing a first transaction on the blockchain, wherein providing the third user access to the group of users comprises performing a second transaction on the blockchain. 
     
     
         12 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 11 , wherein the publishing the hashed portion of the second user records to the blockchain comprises performing a third transaction on the blockchain, wherein the signing of the hashed portion of the second user records on the blockchain comprises performing a fourth transaction on the blockchain. 
     
     
         13 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 10 , wherein the second user records comprise attributes, wherein the attributes comprise a full name of the second user, an identifier of the second user, an institution name, and wherein the hashed portion of the second user records comprises an attribute. 
     
     
         14 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 receiving fifth user-generated input from the first user device, wherein the fifth user-generated input comprises a request for the hashed portion of the second user records; and   sending a notification to the second user device, wherein the notification informs the second user about the request.   
     
     
         15 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 10 , further comprising hashing the portion of the second user records. 
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein hashing the portion of second user records comprises encrypting the portion of the second user records. 
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 10 , wherein the blockchain comprises one of a Bitcoin blockchain, a Hyperledger blockchain, or an Ethereum blockchain. 
     
     
         18 . A method, comprising:
 receiving, by a processing system including a processor, first user-generated input from a group manager device of a group manager of a group;   generating, by the processing system, a first smart contract on a blockchain, the first smart contract being defined between an applicant and the group manager according to the first user-generated input;   providing, by the processing system, the applicant access to the group according to the first smart contract;   receiving, by the processing system, second user-generated input from the group manager device;   generating, by the processing system, a second smart contract on the blockchain, the second smart contract being defined between a record keeper and the group manager according to the second user-generated input;   providing, by the processing system, the record keeper access to the group according to the second smart contract;   receiving, by the processing system, a portion of applicant records from a record keeper device of the record keeper, wherein the portion of applicant records comprise information corresponding to the applicant;   publishing, by the processing system, the portion of the applicant records to the blockchain;   signing, by the processing system, the portion of the applicant records on the blockchain according to a third user-generated input;   receiving, by the processing system, a request for the portion of the applicant records in a fourth user-generated input from the group manager device;   informing, by the processing system, the applicant of the request;   obtaining, by the processing system, the portion of the applicant records from the portion of the applicant records from a database in response to receiving, by the processing system, an approval to provide the portion of the applicant records; and   providing, by the processing system, the portion of the applicant records to the group manager device.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the publishing the portion of the applicant records comprises hashing, by the processing system, the portion of the applicant records resulting in a hashed portion of the applicant records, and wherein hashing the portion of the applicant records comprises encrypting, by the processing system, the portion of the applicant records. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the hashing the portion of the applicant records comprises hashing the portion of the applicant records using a cryptographic hash function SHA-256, wherein the hashed portion of the applicant records are anonymized by using the cryptographic hash function SHA-256.