Many view Google as the "evil empire". It is hard to argue this point since it is the epitome of the centralized system.
Google made tremendous headway by creating an assortment of products that it gave away from free. They expanded into so many different areas that it seemed they came out of nowhere. Making the name in search, Google quickly arrived on the tip of everyone's tongue. It also took control of the email market, surpassing the Yahoo and Microsoft alternatives.
Another area that it excelled was in the creation of areas where people could post their content. For videos, YouTube became one of the most visited sites in the world. Each day, millions of hours of video are posted. What started out as a place for people to put up cute cat videos became a lot more. We now have "YouTube" stars who rival those on television in terms of following and recognition.
One of the earlier projects on the Steem blockchain was DTube. Positioned as an alternative to the Google behemoth, this site has steadily grown over the past two years. Like most in the blockchain world, growth is slow but steady
I came across an article that discussed alternatives to some of the Google products. Lately, the antics of this company along with Facebook are starting to wake some people up. Both campaigns are engaging in acts of censorship by closing down accounts that do not meet a certain criteria. We also know the way they treat data is coming under fire.
Both of these situations create an opportunity.
Blockchain brings the idea of decentralization to the table. While most do not care about it at this time, it is becoming a viable alternative in many situations. The essence of the article I just mentioned is to provide decentralized alternatives to Google's centralized control.
The most appealing feature of DTube is the lack of censorship. While Google is running around closing accounts, DTube is not. In fact, an account on the Steem blockchain cannot be closed. Individuals applications have the ability to remove them from the application but the account is still on Steem.
We know that the reward pool is another appealing aspect of DTube. Being on the Steem blockchain, this application shares in the same pool of STEEM that is available on a weekly basis. Upvotes on DTube earn people STEEM that is paid out after 7 days. While YouTube offers a payout system, from what I heard is that it is on a fraction of the traffic. Also, Google is apt to change the payout system whenever it feels like.
On Steem, the payout system is coded in the blockchain. What it is today will be the same a week from now.
Here is the article that covers DTube.
https://en.softonic.com/articles/decentralized-apps
This is an important piece in my opinion. Many ask what is the use case for blockchain. We know that adoption is slow at this point with growth rates that are unimpressive overall considering how big the Internet is.
DTube, along with the other sites listed, provides one major function for now. Having DTube around offers an alternative to the centralized control that exists out there. We are providing a place for the displaced to go and enable their voices to be heard. This is crucial in a world, at least technologically, that seems to be moving towards more centralization.
Video is an enormous market today. With YouTube having a near monopoly means that it can control the message that is put forth. Censorship is becoming a larger problem across the Internet. DTube offers a use case solution for all those who suffer at the hands of the "evil empire".
DTube is a mammoth undertaking. It is one of the more difficult applications to move forward. While video is wonderful for transmitting ideas, it is very expensive since it creates enormous files. This tends to slow progress down. One of the drawbacks the article cited was the fact video only remain up 60 days. As was noted, money dictates that since it is a limited quantity.
It is nice to see DTube getting some attention even if it is not from one of the larger cryptocurrency sites. The truth is, for now, any publicity is of help. As the ecosystem grows, hopefully we will see the financial situation of many applications improving. The bear market affected a lot of people who were depending upon payouts for funding.
Steemit Inc turned to advertising as a means of generating some revenue. Is this something DTube could adopt also? I know they are ad-free which is a definite selling point. However, if expansion could be quicken, perhaps the community would accept the ads for 6-9 months.
Nevertheless, DTube is a present alternative to the antics taking place on YouTube. Anyone who seeks to have their voice heard and feel that they are being shut down by Google can post and link the video without fear.
By the way, check out a could of the other decentralized projects on there. It looks like there is a nice suite as an alternative to the Google offering.
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