Using computers in business does not exactly echo "breaking news". For as long as they have been available, entrepreneurs have put their faith into programming and data mining over hard-copy paperwork. And fortunately, implementing software into modern operations of accounting, finance, mergers & acquisitions, marketing, and any other segment, has yielded nothing but increased efficiency and respectable effectiveness. Now, it might be time to put these tools to work in one of the world's most volatile industries, Hollywood.
Well, to some extent at least. Creators in every field who have explicit contracts with certain outlets that promote their work. Music tends to be "protected" by membership-based streaming outlets while movies are generally illegal to stream without authorization. The problem? More people neglect these rules than actually obey them. Yes, a decent part of the public will purchase a Spotify membership to listen to their songs or buy a movie ticket to see the latest movie, yet not everyone is of that mindstate. The internet has made it possible to stream videos, music, and tv shows without having to go through an authorized point of sale. Mark Polelle, an expert on the matter of blockchain technology, believes that it might be time to implement some of the new principles to artists' protection.
Just like this technology has made it possible to operate cryptocurrencies under very minimum risks of theft, there might be ways to put it to work in Hollywood. It is based on a series of blocks, hence the name, which record data in the so-called hash functions. Those also implement timestamps, thus making any possible tampering with the information very impractical. Moreover, due to its ability to act as a shield against online threats, even entities like the U.S. military and Pentagon might benefit from it in the future. So, if those two organizations, which are notorious for the sensitive nature of their work, can find a way to employ blockchain, it seems obvious that Hollywood could do the same.
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As Mark Polelle denotes, blockchain has an unmatched ability to keep the uninvited guests out while the access is only given to those with proper credentials. Well, in Hollywood, most intellectual property thefts do not exactly occur through faulty access. Rather, one person indeed pays a membership to listen to a song, finds a way to download it, and then uploads it elsewhere so that people can have access without paying anything. Movies are slightly different as thieves have done everything from using pirate websites to actually recording in the cinemas and then posting the movie online. That cuts into the profits that actors are entitled to from things like late DVD or Blu-ray releases.
Well, one way to minimize the impact of online breaches of the copyright laws could be viewed in blockchain enforcements of the defensive mechanisms. If the entire industry moved to a database system where changes made are immediately sent to all users, there would be a better chance of having checks and balances. This is because attempts of theft could be viewed in real time and, in turn, prevented by people like Mark Polelle or anyone trained to battle hackers. Though it is still a work in progress, there are several reasons why one might look forward to a world of blockchain-based defensive systems that will undermine the efficiency of cyber attacks.
