CryptoSpace, Blockchains, De-Centralised versus Centralised, Lower need for Authorities, Anonymity. Seems all good, right?
What about abuse of Copyright Laws? Hollywood Movies; Blockbusters?
Recently, I've been zooming in a bit on events at Steemit that may harm the service, maybe even the company - Steemit INC - that launched the blockchain and cryptocoin Steem, as well as the 'owner' of the user interface most of us are using 'Steemit'.
De-Centralised Video Platforms
Now a bit more than one year after the berth of Steemit, de-centralised video platforms are emerging. Outside Steemit, but also several new ones from inside the community. How cool is this, right? No need for YouTube or Vimeo anymore to host our video files, but new de-centralised operated and managed video platforms. No dependences of centralised defined policies.
But something scary is happening as we speak. Whilst the de-centralisation is trying to take the middle man out of the game for artists to offer and sell their work and allow the artist being paid for their content and work directly by the consumer, It doesn't mean the artists content shall not be protected under copyright laws.
The recently launched DTube (here) is a YouTube look alike video platform allowing uploads, storage, and viewing within the DTube platform and direct sharing of these video files directly on Steemit. It is a well integrated service with the Steem Blockchain and the Steemit User Interface. All good, when the videos we upload is original content or carry some indication that it is free to use for commercial application (under the Creative Comms licenses for instance). But what when people start to upload Hollywood movies and series, and share this on the Steem blockchain?
Hollywood Takes De-centralised platform down
Unlike the music industry, the movie industry is fierce with regard to abuse of copyright laws for their products. The fight against piracy is one with lots of powers behind it and has the ability to take down de-centralised networks like the many torrent networks it already took down in varies places of the world. I do not think this will be different to de-centralised networks like Steem with its users interface like Steemit, Busy.org and more.
Uploading and Spreading copyrighted Hollywood movies can become very harmful for the future of Steemit and Steem as a currency! That is my firm believe! And I think we shall prevent this from happening. How de-centralised Steem is; How anonymous we as users may seem to be; The authorities showed in the past they are able to find them, and take them down!
Blockbusters Uploaded to DTube and Published on Steem/Steemit
5 Days ago an Steemit account was create with the name "ipfs-movies" and an initial Hollywood movie was uploaded at DTube and shared as a post on Steemit. Within 30 minutes this account was flagged to a REP below zero, by @dan, the former CTO of Steemit Inc. It is not clear to me what the exact reason was for @dan to flag this post 1) was it the pending rewards that was already at more than 160$, 2) was it the spreading of copyright material on Steemit? No activities on this account anymore.
BUT...
Within 24 hours, a new account was created on the Steem Blockchain with the name "chainflix". Since then, this account is posting more than 5 Hollywood blockbusters per day. Surely, some of those movies are very good ones, but I think this account is bringing the future of Steem and Steemit Inc in danger, in big danger! We do not want the authorities, Hollywood producers and all to come after Steem and Steemit because the platform is actively contributing to violate copyright laws.
Am I Wrong?
Maybe I'm wrong here, therefore I first of all like to get your opinion on uploading copyright materials to platforms like DTube, and sharing that content on the Steem blockchain.
- Do you think DTube and Steem/Steemit can get away with such practises?
- Do you think DTube and Steem/Steemit shall prevent such practises?
@ned? @zurvanic? @andrarchy? @sneak?
And what is your opinion @dan?