Can blockchain be used to combat fake news?

The New York Times recently launched a Proof of Concept (POC) centered around blockchain technology to combat fake news. The New York Times aims to utilize the mechanisms of blockchain to enable different entities to share information and establish the origin and integrity of digital files. This blockchain will record metadata of images or videos, and due to the tamper-proof nature of data on the chain and the ability for database copies to be held by various organizations, anyone can trace back to the most original version of this information.

Can Blockchain Really Combat Fake News?

From a technological perspective, blockchain alone cannot solve the issue of fake news. Blockchain is essentially a decentralized database where content uploaded onto the blockchain becomes immutable, allowing individuals to use it as evidence to verify the authenticity of others' content. However...

What about the concern that the initial upload might be fake news?

The answer is yes, there is that concern. While blockchain ensures that your data cannot be tampered with, it does not verify whether your content is true or false. Therefore, the notion that blockchain can combat fake news is, in the author's opinion, unachievable. In simple terms, if the initial upload is fake news, blockchain will not automatically verify the authenticity of the message but record it on the chain as usual. Blockchain is merely a database and not a magical solution to all problems.

Additional Information: How Does Blockchain Achieve Immutability?

Assuming that most participants in the blockchain network are self-serving and only make decisions that benefit themselves. One blockchain miner, for example, is only concerned with economic rewards and not with safeguarding the security of the blockchain. If falsifying records brings rewards, they will certainly do so.

It is this kind of thinking that has established a "reduced trust" on the blockchain, where miners are only interested in making money, unrelated to network security. However, inadvertently, they maintain network security and create immutability.

Blockchain does not require trust in any participant, yet it still generates overall trust, which is one of the most distinctive features of blockchain - Byzantine Fault Tolerance.

How to Prove the Authenticity and Integrity of Video Files on the Blockchain?

Authenticity

Embedding a watermark into the original video through techniques like LSB (Least Significant Bit) provides a method to verify the authenticity of videos. Even if there are counterfeit videos, analyzing the watermark in the video can confirm its accuracy. Even when resolving through IPFS, the original watermark should still be visible.

In terms of current technological feasibility, LSB is a more traditional approach. There are now better and more reliable methods, which will be introduced gradually in the future.

Cracking Image Data Disguise.

Integrity

Currently, most video uploads on the blockchain utilize IPFS (for a detailed explanation, refer to this article). IPFS splits files (e.g., images, videos, etc.) into many segments for storage. For example, if an original file is split into 1000 segments for storage, the absence of just one segment renders the original file completely inaccessible. In other words, any missing segment compromises the integrity of the file.

How to Utilize Blockchain to Combat Fake News?

According to the New York Times QA, the primary purpose of choosing blockchain is for immutability and the ability to have multiple copies stored in a decentralized database. To use data within the blockchain to verify the authenticity of "news," Black Duck's article also mentions that DeepFake uses A.I. to create fake news or videos that are indistinguishable to the naked eye. On the blockchain, one can only determine if other news or articles use the same content or methods for modification, but it cannot truly solve the problem of fake news at its source.

Deep Fake

The above also mentions that A.I. can create fake news, but can A.I. verify fake news?

Looking at some common examples like LineBot's "Mei Yu Yi" and "True or False," the current verification method involves collaborative efforts. "By actively fact-checking rumors and adding your findings to the database, you can help more people." Based on this concept, LineBot verifies whether a piece of information is a rumor or a fact through the relevance between articles.

AI + Blockchain?

Initially addressing the issue of fake news, our team at ASMOND proposed a POC — WhiteBox, utilizing a trained artificial intelligence model to verify the credibility of a piece of news and then uploading it to the blockchain. The critical aspect here lies in determining whether the news is true or false.

Conclusion

Blockchain currently lacks many killer applications. The author believes that blockchain is just one form of decentralized ledger application, and not all industries are reliant on blockchain. However, as of now, there are fewer practical commercial applications, with more emphasis on cryptocurrency speculation and fraud. To see more substantial blockchain applications (Dapps), more individuals with a deep understanding of blockchain knowledge need to collaborate and strive together.

This article is from our partner Blockore, written by Weijei

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