Blockchain and journalism: applications and dilemmas

Keywords: blockchain, journalism, applications, constraints

Abstract:

As a "distributed ledger", blockchain has the characteristics of decentralization, information traceability and difficult to tamper with, which makes it an underlying technology used in multiple areas. Specific to journalism, the application of blockchain technology to create a "crowdfunding" news production model, while powerfully protecting news copyright, through traceability and content audit to combat fake news. However, the blockchain itself is technically unstable, the market is limited, the technology lacks regulation, the blockchain-based news production model also has certain disadvantages, which makes the future development of the blockchain news platform is still full of challenges.

Published in China Newspaper Industry Issue 05,2020

Author.

Kuang Wenbo, Professor and PhD supervisor, School of Journalism and Communication, Renmin University of China, and researcher, Research Center for Journalism and Social Development, Renmin University of China

Huang Qixiang, Lecturer, School of Journalism and Communication, Guangdong University of Foreign Studies

Guo Yi, a graduate student at the School of Journalism and Communication, Renmin University of China.