Hyperledger in Business - Discussion

Exercise

Public video sharing platforms like YouTube are centralized; they are controlled by someone. That person or group has the power to remove any videos that they deem inappropriate. Certain conservative businesses and organizations have been banned from YouTube simply because they share beliefs contrary to what many believe today.

A decentralized video platform, on the other hand, is not controlled by anyone. However, users who post videos to the platform are required to remove their videos after a short period of time because the videos eat up space.

Probably the part of a video platform that I would put on a blockchain would be the direct link to a video. I would choose to put it on the Bitcoin, Ethereum, or EOS blockchains, likely the most well-known blockchains out there.

The part of a video platform that I would not put on a blockchain would be the video player itself. Anyone who wants to view a certain video needs it! This would be the case if the blockchain were private rather than public.

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I think a good solution for making a decentralized video streaming platform like Youtube could be to have it set up possibly through proof of storage. Creators and users could all profit from the platform by providing storage. You could create consensus group of validators holding the most of the platforms tokens that would vote on allowed content and any bans.

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  1. If on a video sharing platform your income depends on the likes then blockchain is a solution, because if the income is calculated on the likes nobody should ban you & prevent you receiving income you must receive. Transaction are automated and paid out to your wallet.

  2. Data privacy can be protected with ZKE (zero knowledge encryption), so if we want just selected people to see our content or keep it for us only, we do not earn on it, blockchain is the solution.

  3. If slow upload & processing of videos is a problem than this part can be stored in other databases, not on the blockchain, but how can we prevent it then to not be censored?
    I have a remaining open question how to divide part on the blockchain (likes, income based transactions) & storage in computiation exectution.

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Use a private blockchain like hyperledger to govern the whole system, implement rules and policies.
Anyone who partecipates can take decisions in the runnning of the platform. Partecipants can be content creators, advertisers and users. A token can be created to monetize the publishing and incentivate the developing of the platform.
The videos are not going to be on hte blockchain as they would be too heavy so they can be stored in a central database that is run by the majority governors who as well would be paid for servicing the network.

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I would decentralise everything and I would use a proof-of-space mechanisms, where everyone gets incentivised by storing the videos.

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I think what can be done is to start small and test it, if it succeeds then scale it. My proposal would be to start with addressing censorship / the issue of shadow banning content. I will not try to compete with YouTube for the time being but instead, build a sub-group/community within Youtube that has its own governing (decentralized) body.

  • This group/community can be anything, from LGBTQ+ communities to Opinions and conspiracies regarding political issues, it can also be an educational group for a specific school or subject, a music group, a sports group.

  • Membership and permissions would be granted to have access to these uncensored videos still stored on Youtube, based on what sub-group you belong to (This will use the Hyperledger technology for memberships and permissions)

  • Each group can have its own token/cryptocurrency, which can be used for voting, donation to content-creators and censorship within its group.

  • Youtube will still have the decision on censorship for videos created outside of this group, but videos created by members and uploaded strictly to their own group only, Youtube will not be able to ban or censor.

  • Also there would be a formal agreement between Youtube and its subgroups regarding liabilities and other things accompanied by having no censorship within their sub-group. (YouTube will also take some profits here for storing content in their storage)

Hope I made sense :sweat_smile:, I do not have any experience in this field, but I do accept suggestions/critics/opinions that can help me improve my way of thinking in this subject matter :v:

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Video storage is costly and takes up a lot of space.
we need to link a token to anything that is uploaded, maybe as a NFT
the token will contain a smart contract that lays claim to the video, blog, podcast or what ever medium that the content supplier is using.
The platform will then reimbust the content supplier depending on what the contract says.
if the content is shared on other platforms the contract will be passed to the other platforms too, so that they need to pay the content supplier.
The other option is that the content providers create there own platform and run it as a cooperative running it like a traditional platform, but in the background have a smart contract running, where depending on the amount of content your suppling or how popular it is, you the supplier get paid at the end of the quarter or year based on the shared profits from the platform.

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Issue

  • content creators (educators) have no easy way to keep control (meaning ownership or earning power) of their projects once their creations are posted or distributed digitally

  • creators are reliant on one time sales of their content

  • creators are reliant on advertising revenue from existing platforms that allow them to post their content

  • creators are subservient to the platforms on which they display their creations

Solution

  • SRNFT- Shared Royalty Non Fungible Tokens

  • similar to the Bootleg app system.

    • Educators (teachers, coaches, instructors, accreditors, etc) can record their seminars, lesson plans, workouts, etc, edit their videos

    • creators can then market and distribute their creations using SRNFTs. The videos can not be played without the purchase of a SRNFT.

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Hello :slight_smile: Since this issue has already been explored for some time and through multiple angles, furthermore, since we already have Verasity, BAT etc… I won’t spend too much time on it,

But basically, the trend we see is further fractionalization of platforms. SImilarly to how we have multiple TV channels, we now have multiple video platforms in addition to YouTube (Nebula, CuriosityStream, Viki, perhaps we could even include Netflix, HBO as well).

Each of these platforms has its own set of rules, guidelines, practices, agreements, norms and audiences which provides more options to both consumers and advertisers.

Where Blockchan could be introduced is for example through governance. Videos, algorithms etc can be stored on classical infrastructure, but governance could run on a blockchain, supposing this is the direction the platform wants to take (YouTube apparently doesn’t for example).

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Hyperleder in Business Proposal.

I would remove the videos from the blockchain, and store them in a centralized database. The data relating to the transaction of uploading the video (i.e. “video id”, creator address, and other pertinent metadata) I would keep on-chain. We could use events to get important stats related to the content and its creator (i.e. subscriber count, likes, views, and comments etc). This would allow creators to retain as well as monetize all of their key metrics on the platform. In the event of removal of certain content due to unforeseen scenarios. Since anyone is free to contribute to the platform, removal of offending content shall be the only tool for any central authority, and interference with any creator’s ability to directly engage with the platform outside of that scope prohibited.

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I like the idea of it, however the glossing over of the removal of offending content from centralised parties is a big omission. It seems to be a bigger problem than the average person realises and this trend is (to some degree) scripting society.

Protocols such as Filecoin alongside theta network etc. are in some part a way to get around the lack of censorship resistance. But the cost of these currently makes it tricky to be feasible at scale (as far as I can tell).

It’s an interesting space, and I think that over the next decade we’ll be able to achieve the best of both worlds.

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In the design of the video sharing platform, I would include the name address and other contact information of the you-tuber and his followers in the block chain. I would also include tracking information regarding the viewers of the content and any communication going back and forth between the viewers and you-tubers within the block chain. It think it would be valuable to decentralize just about everything that does not take up to much storage space, because decentralizing will protect you-tubers and their viewers from censorship or interference from a central authority. Because storage space is limited, I would put the video and audio content on a centralized platform because it would be more efficient than having it on the blockchain.

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You raise a very valid point. I didn’t necessarily gloss over the removal of offending content, since we’re using a private blockchain I’m assuming the platform itself is a centralized entity and as such would have to answer to some higher authority at some point, this is an attempt to be somewhat compliant retaining the ability to remove flagged content. I do like your train of thought and agree with your position. Filecoin is an interesting proposal to reach some sort of a resolution on the issue. I’m not sure if this would solve or add to the issue at least where store large video files on the blockchain are concerned.

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That’s an interesting thought - having a centralised platform where certain data is placed on the blockchain. In this case you could also have the ability to configure suggestion algorithms; for better or for worse. From a UX standpoint, it’s obviously better.

But the idea that absolute power corrupts absolutely combined with governmental pressures/legal requirements would push the platform toward just another copy of YouTube without the characteristics of network effects.

Is the decentralised data enough of a value proposition for users to make it feasible?
In a perfect world it definitely would, but I don’t think it’s enough to dethrone the king or even come close.

Until many popular content creators bound together to revolt, it’s going to take something momentous to create this shift.

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I have many buisness ideas where i think blockchain tech would be of a great benifical usecase. I have the intententions of hopefully working to implemplent some of these ideas in the near future as i progress with my education here. One example though, of a potential solution to blockchain in buisness that i’d like to submit as my idea, is targeted towards the real estate sector and how blockchain infrastructure both, private hyperledger and a decentrailised public company blockchain/tokenemocis would greatly benifit the tenent or house buyer, as well as the real eastate company/landord providing such potential capabilitys.

Over here in the UK, to secure a tennancy agreement to rent a property for a set period of time, a tennent would sign a contract outlining personal details, agreed rent pm, duration of tennancy, property itinery of fixtures and furnisings if furnished stating condition, terms and conditions of tenent/landlord responsibilities and company policy. Also, it is usualy the norm to provide four weeks rent in advance and a security deposit of at least a months rent, to cover any damages or unreasonable wear & tear or if rent falls into unegotiable arrears. If there have been no problems and all conditions are met at the end of the tennancy, then the deposit is returned in full. This deposit is sometimes held privatey by the company/landlord, but often by a third party which ‘aledgedly’ keeps the deposit legally secure. So, two examples of potential use case’s with regards to utilising blockchain tech, that being a private hyperledger in these circumstances, would first of all be the secure storage and managment of a clients data, tennancy aggrement and outling contract as agreed. The second potential use case could be the safe and secure storage of given deposit, which removes the risk of being held privately and at a potentual dispute or the need for an acting third party, which still has aspects of being centrailised and in the trust of the provider. If the deposit was held on a private company ledger, then a sidechain (smart contract) could be intergrated to act on if all condonditions are met at the end of tenanncy. Then, the deposit would be returned to tennent as agreed. A potential incentive that could be wriiten in to the contact would be the benifits of an internal defi protocol that could be attatched to the deposit given, which could generate an intrest on given deposit. This could be say, for example used as a safeguarding mechenasim, both for the tennant and landlord, whereby if the tennent, happend to get into arrears, then a daily/weekly stream at a set intrest payback could be filtered into a tennents main account to recuperated arrears while problem was resolved, if hits zero, then legal action or enquiys could take place. The gaining intrest on given deposit could also be seen as an extra buffer if considerable damages/emergancys needed to be addressed at a somepoint. However, at the opposite side of the spectrum and at a massive bonus and incentive to the tennent. If the the tennat reaches expiary of aggrement and is vacating the premesis. Then providing all conditions are met and everyone is happy, the deposit would be relaesed back to the tennant, with any accrued interest on top, providing a welcome bonus for being a good tennant and using the company as thier home provider. Happy tennant, with a bit extra in the back pocket to go into thier next home with. yey… A certain degree of the interest accruing on deposits could be filtered back to the company/landlord, which would further benifit company buisness revenue. yey, Happy, landords!!

Innnnapaaaaraaabolicismmmmmm.

With regards to a said real estate copampany having its own public chain or token. Then i feel the token could be a great incententive and advantage to attract house buyers as well as reward tennants that present no issues. if the company say had its it own token publicly available, the a potential house buyer could either pay in fiat, and recive a complimentary airdrop of said token or if a buyer was to purchase company token prior and opt to pay for the property using the company token, then the property could come at a discount over paying with fiat. Again there could be more incentives by tokens used to purchase a property or as complimantary airdrop where by tokens are staked back to the company, which would secure the company token as well as provide further interest paid back to the customer as rewards, whilst at the same time increasing the value of the token, providing houses are being sold and propertys being rented. The company token could also be disributed to renting tennents on a monthy bonus basis according to rent paid on on time, which would provide tennents with further rewards and potential incententives to be a good tennent. The company token would also be available on public exchanges if people find it attractive to support and invest in. basically if customers and tennants are happy, then everybody is happy. Overall, if tokenemics was set up correctly then it could potential safeguard everyone from financial pressures surrounding having a home and in fact generate wealth and income for all participants helping contribute a fairer set up in society for all… yeyeyey…

innnnnnAAAAApaaaaaraBOlicintrafundaaaapaaampamtals!!! Inside, hold Tiiiiight!

if anyone would like to elaborate or add thier ideas to this, or better yet, instigate developing this idea then shout, init!!

Asher

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Hi all,

I would do something similar to brave with their ecosystem. Use a smart contract to create tokens. That would be on a public blockchain.

Than you use blockchain technology to record all “uploads” and when it was uploaded (timestamp) to a centralized database.

This would be censorship resistant since the transactions
of the “uploads” can still be done a public blockchain. The SQL database can be governed by a dao controlled with the tokens. Problem is, you can’t really deal with illegal content this way…

As for Hyperledger, you can have all content creators run nodes… That’s all I got :neutral_face:

Thanks for reading!
Chris

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Very well put, I agree.

General thoughts

Having done the course so far I can say that one should divide YouTube’s web service into two parts: 1) server that hosts all user’s info and videos and 2) the client web app that interacts with the server through an API.
Experience shows that using blockchain features for the server side would lead to problems in the functionality and speed of the interaction between client web app and database on the server. Therefore a more hybrid version would be suitable.

Problem research

I decided to first do a small research on what problems on YouTube users could be facing and came across this video from 2019 about suspending accounts of users that just attended a live stream of a famous you-tuber and were making comments.

Example problem
Consensus about the rules between different users of YouTube, e.g. suspension of users with unclear explanation.

Suggestion for solution

In order to adapt the rules between the users so that they express their needs and not the central one’s of Google a voting system could be integrated. One public blockchain that uses this type of consensus mechanism is Cardano, where all owners of coins have the right to vote for different decisions. I guess this could be partially not acceptable by YouTube/Google as after all they own the web app. Therefore a test could be done by using as example one of the rules that are currently active and trying to propose and vote change in the rules.

I think a key part of YouTube that should be decentralised is the algorithm that distributes content. No individuals should be allowed to change this algorithm and ‘shadow ban’ a content creator because they do not agree with their content. Which features of a video mean it gets shared to new viewers (ie watch time, click through rate etc.) should be decided by the community and the same rules should apply to everyone.

I think it would be wise to keep the videos on centralized servers, to keep the ease & speed of access. I would then decentralized everything else on to blockchain to ensure content creators and advertisers get paid in a transparent manner. Also, can creators/advertisers/users can not be blocked or deleted from the network. I do not have a Youtube channel so I really don’t know the ins and outs. I am sure if I was I would have a lot more to say!

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