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Blockchain: The Ultimate Resource Guide for Publishers

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If you’re in finance or business, chances are you’ll have already heard about blockchain. Over the past year or so, the meteoric rise of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin have catapulted the technology into the public consciousness. But what is blockchain technology, and how is it relevant to the world of publishing?

In this resource guide we take a look at how blockchain is already impacting publishing and what we can expect in the near horizon. It will also act as a ‘live’ feed (with all the latest blockchain stories of interest to publishers) and will be updated on an ongoing basis – Click here for the latest Blockchain publishing news feed

What is blockchain?

Although you’ve probably heard of blockchain, chances are you might not fully understand how it works. Don’t worry – most people don’t, and that’s because most of the explanations are full of jargon and focused around high-level cryptography, networking, and authentication concepts.

At its most basic level, blockchain technology is what’s called a ‘distributed ledger’. It’s a publicly accessible record of transactions, the security of which stems from the fact that it’s verified by mass consensus. Bitcoin is the easiest example to demonstrate how the technology works in practice.

When a transaction is made with bitcoin, the authenticity of that transaction is confirmed by other computers on the bitcoin network (using all kinds of methods that are too complex to go into here). Once a certain number of those transactions are made, they are grouped together into a block of information, validated and added to all of the other existing blocks of records, thus forming a blockchain.

These blocks cannot be tampered with – when one computer tries to propose a new block, the rest of the network has to confirm that all of the previous records match the records that they have. If there’s any discrepancy at all, the new block is rejected and the blockchain remains unchanged.

Here’s what that all boils down to: blockchains are a secure, tamper-proof record of transactions which require no human input.

What publishers need to know

So unless they’re planning to launch their own cryptocurrency, why should publishers care about blockchain? Well, while bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are by far the most well-known application for blockchain technology, they’re by no means the only use. Blockchains serve as a record of transactions, but that doesn’t have to be limited to monetary ones. Smart contracts, for example, are generating significant interest from the publishing sector. Smart contracts use blockchain technology to create an indelible legal document, the authenticity of which is independently verified by the network as a whole. This means that the information within the contract is equally controlled by both parties, with a level of transparency that benefits all involved.

More importantly, these contracts can function as part of a wider system – for example, smart contracts can be configured so that when a contributor submits a piece of commissioned content, the commissioning editor marks it as received, and payment is automatically dispatched. This can be extended to any element of the publishing supply chain; whether that’s photographers, writers, art editors or equipment vendors. It makes bookkeeping and accounting much easier too, as it automatically creates a full and complete history of all contract payments.

The editorial angle

It’s not just the business side of publishing that can benefit from blockchain technology. It could prove to be an excellent tool for editorial staff, too. While blockchain’s unchangeable, fraud-proof records are a logical choice for financial transactions, they also allow the creation of a definitive document history. This allows editors to track changes made to a piece, as well as indicating who made them and when.

Blockchain can protect publishers from fraud

Another potential benefit for publishers is the prevention of ad fraud. Sometimes known as click fraud, this is a pervasive problem in online publishing. Fraudsters use bots and other digital trickery to artificially inflate the amount of impressions a particular ad has received, generating false charges for advertisers and skewing the statistics.

There are a number of companies attempting to solve this issue using blockchain. Some are focussing on verifying the authenticity of individual impressions to create an uncorrupted record, while others want to strengthen connections between publishers, advertisers, ad tech providers, and consumers to get a clearer picture of which ad impressions are genuine. IBM, for example, has already launched a pilot programme with Salon which uses blockchain to undo the damage of click fraud by building a shared ledger that creates indisputable transparency on behalf of both the brand and the publisher. Meanwhile, travel media brand Ink have teamed up with AdEx to reduce the impact of click fraud on their business. The partnership has also introduced the first ever blockchain based advertising auction, selling off ad space on one million boarding passes.

Data protection compliance

Publishers could also use blockchain to ensure regulatory compliance – especially with regards to GDPR. One of the requirements of the new data protection laws is that you have to be able to track down and destroy an individual’s data upon request, which could be difficult if you aren’t entirely sure where it’s gone and who’s had access to it. Using a blockchain framework to track the use of personal data records ensures that publishers know exactly where an individual’s data is being stored, what it has been used for, and who has had access to it. This allows them to greatly speed up the processes they will need to have in place to meet compliance standards.

The final word

Blockchain has a myriad of potential uses; in many ways, the possibilities are endless. However, as with a lot of new technological developments, many of these cases are more theory than product at this point. While there are companies working on solutions and products designed to address the challenges presented, for the most part they are still in the very early stages and largely untested.

Still, the technology is rapidly advancing, and early adopters are beginning to launch pilot programmes to try and sound out whether these offerings will work in practice. While blockchain technologies may not be mature enough to tempt more risk-averse publishers just yet, it’s an intriguing and vibrant space, and one which forward-looking publishers would be wise to keep a close eye on.

Latest Updates

Nov 26th: Leading blockchain conference will cut through the hype and focus on real-case uses of blockchain technology

At a glance: The Blockchain Africa Conference is Africa’s leading blockchain conference and will focus on moving Africa forward and enabling the continent to adopt blockchain technology to improve lives and transform industries. The event will explore a range of topics which include embracing blockchain technology, its benefits and opportunities, insight into current blockchain use cases, the regulatory environment and concerns around performance, adoption, scalability and blockchain infrastructure.

Nov 23rd: Why blockchain is growing faster than the internet

At a glance: Sooner than you might think, blockchain will be used widely in healthcare, finance, travel, insurance, and a raft of other industries. In only 10 years of existence, blockchain is at the level that the internet was after 35 or so years. It is a technology worth watching.

Nov 9th: J.P. Morgan sees three potential long-term stock winners from blockchain

At a glance: Blockchain technology, made famous by cryptocurrencies, is still relatively new and not easy to get exposure to as an investor. J.P. Morgan listed three public companies that could benefit long-term from the emerging tech and have nothing to do with bitcoin.

Nov 8th: Seagate Is Using IBM Blockchain To Fend Off Computer Counterfeiters

At a glance: The Cupertino, California, firm has devised a plan aimed at cutting off the $100 billion counterfeit hardware industry from every angle. To ensure the supply chain itself—the actual process by which every part of every product is accounted for when it is moved—is safe, Seagate has been quietly working with IBM for the past two months to move that process to a blockchain.

Oct 25th: Democratizing Media In The Era Of Blockchain

At a glance: With the emergence of cryptocurrency-powered decentralized applications, we are now seeing entrants who are taking on other sectors of media. What happens when publishers are in more control of their content? When the publisher and the consumer are able to connect directly with one another, without industry intermediaries with dated business models getting underfoot? We learn more about how blockchain can democratize our online media experience.

Oct 24th: Heart Media taps into the wealth of cryptocurrencies

At a glance: Through its new platform, Aditus.net, publisher Heart Media in Singapore brings a world of luxury goods and services to so-called ‘crypto-affluents’. Powered by blockchain technology it offers access to luxury merchants and high-end services globally for users to transact privately in the cryptocurrency of choice. 

Oct 12th: TokenPost launches PUBLISH Alliance to help media industry fight fake news using blockchain

At a glance: PUBLISH aims to create a global blockchain-powered news publishing platform that fairly rewards all of its participants and serve as a realistic and economically viable model for publishers to adopt and build on. Based on NEM blockchain, it seeks to significantly enhance the existing media structure to make it more self-sustaining.

Oct 9th: Forbes is trying out the blockchain

At a glance: Forbes, the century-old business publisher, is joining forces with Civil, a journalism blockchain network, to become the first major media company to experiment with publishing stories to the blockchain.

Oct 3rd: Scenarex launches Bookchain, a blockchain book publishing platform

At a glance: Bookchain® is described as, “an innovative solution, built on blockchain, that allows authors and publishers to configure the security, traceability, attribution, and distribution settings (including lending and reselling) of a digital document.”

Oct 1st: TokenPost launches PUBLISH Alliance to help media industry fight fake news using blockchain technology

At a glance: Hot on the heels of the launch of the PUBLISH Protocol, TokenPost, a leading blockchain and cryptocurrency media outlet, has taken a step forward and announced a new initiative to bring blockchain benefits to the media industry. The team has launched “PUBLISH Alliance” – a decentralized non-profit enterprise media consortium which aims to connect media enterprises, technology start-ups, and academic institutions to PUBLISH-related initiatives.

Sept 25th: In blockchain we trust … or will someday

At a glance: While Bitcoin racks up headlines and controversy, blockchain is gradually building credibility in the business world. Gartner recently forecast that this technology will add more than $3.1 trillion in annual business value by 2030, and that’s a prediction that warrants taking a serious look at blockchain.

Sept 18th: Is blockchain the answer for increasing trust in digital advertising?

At a glance: One project making significant progress is Brave, a web browser that rewards users with its native cryptocurrency, the Basic Attention Tokens (BAT), for viewing ads. Users can also ‘buy’ ad-free browsing experiences with BAT. The company surpassed 4 million active users over the last month and are on track to reach 5 million by the end of this year.

Sept 14th: Could what’s brewing out of China’s tech hubs rattle dynamics in surprising, new ways?

At a glance: Chinese innovators are creating intriguing, new levels of approach to blockchain and powering ahead of the US in terms of applications – including publishing. Bitgene, in particular, looks a very promising content-protection (copyright) application.

Sept 10th: Is blockchain the answer for increasing trust in digital advertising?

At a glance:  It is clear that the value proposition for blockchain technology in both upstream and downstream areas of digital advertising is catching on. With trends toward programmatic ad buying, issues around reconciliation auditing and fraud prevention can be mitigated by blockchain implementation. But the current issue is how to implement blockchain at scale, and with speed.

Sept 7th: Twitter turns to blockchain technology to prevent scams

At a glance: Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey has presented a possible solution to the issue of Twitter fraud at a Congressional committee on Wednesday, stating that the social media platform is currently investigating the application of blockchain technology to create decentralized trust and enforcement mechanisms.

Sept 3rd: What advertisers need to know about blockchain now

At a glance: A public blockchain would enable advertisers and agencies to source a verifiable truth on the number of impressions delivered in a campaign, who they were delivered to, and where. With blockchain, all impressions could run through a smart contract that’s updated every day with the latest delivery, impression, or click data. Daily payments for publishers could reduce financial strain and fuel company growth.

Aug 29th: The Associated Press signs on with journalism blockchain startup Civil

At a glance: AP will license its content to the newsrooms in the Civil network (there are 14, and they include startups like ZigZag and Block Club Chicago), as it does with other news outlets. The other part of the story involves AP and Civil working together on a blockchain based-technology that will let Civil newsrooms track the flow of their content and enforce licensing rights.

Aug 24th: Blockchain tech has the power to fight censorship — but it can help fake news stay forever

At a glance: Thanks to new ways of using blockchain technology in publishing, authors can bypass authorities when reporting uncomfortable truth. But the absence of fact-checkers can take disinformation to a whole new level.

Aug 21st: Are cryptocurrencies a solution publishers have been waiting for?

At a glance: Cryptocurrencies could be a way to get publishers paid immediately, at the moment the ad is served. Publishers could then either trade that currency on various exchanges to advertise themselves, invest it or, perhaps, trade it in for good, old-fashioned money.

Aug 17th: Morgan James publishes books on the blockchain with Publica and drives print sales to local bookstores

At a glance: Morgan James Publishing announces plan to make titles available for sale with cryptocurrency, utilizing the power of blockchain technology and the Publica platform. Morgan James will make its first Book Initial Coin Offering (BICO) through Publica this fall, systematically leveraging the Ethereum blockchain’s capabilities in service of books, authors, and the publishing industry at large.

Aug 10th: The role of blockchain and micropayments in publishing

At a glance: Micropayments based on existing payment models have a lot of inefficiencies, making it a non-viable option for monetizing content. For publishers, the associated fees for digital payment transactions also make it expensive to scale. Blockchain is an ideal solution to address this and cut out the middleman.

Aug 8th: More than 1,000 U.S. news sites are still unavailable in Europe, two months after GDPR took effect

At a glance: Websites had two years to get ready for the GDPR. But rather than comply, about a third of the 100 largest U.S. newspapers have instead chosen to block European visitors to their sites.

August 6th: How Blockchain technology is used to get past Chinese censors

At a glance: Chinese internet users have found a way to get around government suppression of news by using blockchain technology. A Chinese drug maker was recently found to have produced poor quality vaccines meant for young babies – the news spread across social media but the story was quickly censored by the Chinese government. Members of China’s blockchain community subsequently got involved to keep the story alive and…..succeeded.

July 31st: Blockchain journalism startup Civil launches a $1 million pot to support media startups in Asia

At a glance: Civil, the earnestly hopeful, promise-filled blockchain-crypto journalism startup that’s managed to attract about a dozen new publications and hoping to kick off a public sale of its own CVL tokens, is partnering with Splice Newsroom to distribute a $1 million pool of money to “help create 100 media startups in Asia over the next three years.”

July 24th: Google wants to bring blockchain technology to its cloud services

At a glance: Google has announced a partnership with the New York-based startup Digital Asset, which makes tools to build blockchain-based apps. The partnership adds to one Google already has with BlockApps, another startup that helps people make decentralized apps. Google wrote in a blog post that its Cloud customers can “now explore ways they might use distributed ledger technology (DLT) frameworks” by using Digital Asset and BlockApps.

July 19th: Academic publishing is big business, and how blockchain can make a difference

At a glance: Scientific publishing is a robust business sector. In 2015, the global STM (Scientific, Technical and Medical) publishing market alone was estimated to be worth over $25 billion USD, and that represents just a portion of the market. Through the utilization of smart contracts, decentralized storage solutions, big data analytics, and cloud computing, blockchain technology can be harnessed to greatly accelerate the peer review process and usher in a new era of transparency and efficiency for the sector.

July 18th: Startup thinks blockchain can help fix the media’s business woes

At a glance: Civil represents one of the most ambitious efforts to date to apply the tenets of cryptoeconomics — the practice of powering online marketplaces with digital currency logged on encrypted ledgers — to the financial challenges facing the news industry. Mr. Iles is aiming to create a network of stakeholders united under the banner of supporting and sustaining quality journalism.

July 12th: HTC is building a blockchain smartphone – here’s what you need to know

At a glance: Taiwanese-based smartphone manufacturer HTC is building the first-ever blockchain smartphone, named HTC Exodus. The company wants to expand the blockchain ecosystem with the new smartphone, which will be dedicated to decentralised applications and security. HTC’s chief crypto officer, Phil Chen, said the phone was an opportunity to empower people to start owning their digital identities.

July 6th: Here’s a great example of a company using Blockchain to solve a real problem

At a glance: Superb article about how blockchain can, and is, being used to disrupt existing business models. Whilst not completely publisher-relevant, the piece focuses on HelloTickets and how it achieved a major milestone by rolling out its blockchain ticketing solution to a festival in the UK attended by 9,000 people. It worked perfectly.

July 2nd: Blockchain publishing can end corporate dominance of science

At a glance: Founded by a group of scientists with experience in working at some of the world’s largest and most prestigious research institutions, including CERN and NASA, Orvium is planning to use blockchain technology to effectively put all academic and scientific publishing in the public domain, making it instantly available to the community to read and assess.

June 29th: Startups push blockchain beyond cryptocurrency

At a glance: Blockchain technology is spreading beyond cryptocurrency, in sectors closer to consumers, making use of its ability to ensure the authenticity of products or information.

June 17th: Former Denver Post staffers plan to launch a blockchain-powered news outlet in Colorado

At a glance: A group of former Denver Post journalists and editors plan to launch The Colorado Sun, which will use blockchain technology to store data and address the issues of an ad-driven media economy.

June 17th: Adblock Plus announce extension that uses blockchain to verify news articles

At a glance: The creators of AdBlock Plus will launch a new browser extension that uses blockchain to classify the integrity of information online.

June 16th: SoundCloud plan to incorporate blockchain technology into their service

At a glance: Music streaming service SoundCloud are plotting a collaboration with MaestroProject to use blockchain to ensure greater financial security and stronger networks for artists.

June 15th: Oxford professors plan launch of world’s first blockchain-based university

At a glance: A group of Oxford professors are seeking full degree granting powers for a proposed blockchain-based university, suggesting the technology could democratise higher education.

June 5th: Springer Nature, Taylor & Francis Group, and Cambridge University Press have signed up to test Blockchain for Peer Review

At a glance: The Blockchain for Peer Review project will seek to group peer review activities into a blockchain, resolving issues of research reproduction and recognition.