What is a Deepfake?

We can define deepfake as a type of synthetic media that has been manipulated or generated using artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms. In other words, deepfakes use machine learning to create or alter audio, video, or images to depict events that did not occur or to portray individuals saying or doing things that they did not actually do.

If you have seen videos of Mark Zuckerberg boasting about his total control of billions of people’s stolen data, Barack Obama using offensive words to describe Donald Trump, or Kit Harrington delivering a heartfelt apology for the disappointing finale of Game of Thrones, then you already have an idea about deepfakes. Deepfakes are the modern-day equivalent of photoshopping. These altered and manipulated digital media like videos, audio, and images can cause harm to both individuals and organizations, just like computer viruses. Identifying good deepfake videos can be exceptionally challenging; however, in contrast to computer viruses, anyone can produce good deep fakes.

Did you know that neural networks can create realistic people who have never existed before? By visiting the website this person does not exist or Generated.Photos, you can see a vast array of faces generated by AI. In fact, none of the people you see on this website is real. You can find more of such AI wizardry in this x does not exist website.

Experts have identified the three most perilous deepfake types or methods. The first one is deepfake voices or audio deepfake. This is an AI-generated voice that closely mimics a real person’s voice. Deepfake audio is currently the most lucrative technique employed by scammers for deep fake voice fishing. For instance, in 2019, criminals used cloned voice technology to extort $243,000 from the CEO of a British Energy company.

The second method is deepfake videos, which can be used to manipulate public opinion and brainwash people by convincingly presenting false information. The infamous videos featuring Barack Obama and President Trump are examples of such videos. They can also be used to create fake videos of ordinary people, especially to create revenge pornography.

This AI technology can also produce deep fake text that convincingly mimics the writings of real people as well as genuine social media posts. These fake accounts may look authentic and even attract followers over time. A group of these accounts can be easily used to slander a company or a product. The only way to differentiate such AI-generated text is to identify patterns in the language used, such as word choice and sentence structure, and detect inconsistencies.

Dangers of Deepfake Technology

In today’s world of fake news and disinformation, people use deep fake technology to spread misinformation, create false narratives, create a specific public image, censor or mock people, and create pornographic content.

Deep fakes often target celebrities. Their fame and availability in media make them perfect for memes, and AI technology can easily create convincing deep fakes of them. A few years ago, TikTok was flooded with videos featuring actor Tom Cruise engaging in activities that were unusual for him, such as fooling around in an expensive men’s fashion store, exhibiting a coin trick, and playfully growling while singing a brief version of “Crash Into Me” by the Dave Matthews Band. Another example is the video of Yong Mei, a famous Chinese celebrity that went viral a few years ago. In this video, she was inserted into a 1983 Hong Kong TV series. The video got 240 million views before it was eventually removed by Chinese authorities. However, the creator, who was a fan of Young Mei, apologized publicly on Weibo and said he made the video to raise awareness about deepfake technology.

In politics, deepfakes can be used to create fake videos or images of political figures saying or doing things that they did not actually say or do. This can be done to spread misinformation or damage someone’s reputation. In 2019, a video of Nancy Pelosi was edited to make it seem like she was speaking oddly and looking drunk. It was shared globally, but Facebook did not remove it after being proven fake. Videos on Donald Trump’s story about a reindeer and Barack Obama’s public service announcement are other examples of this type of fake video.

Did you know that 96% of deep fakes are pornographic? A significant majority (99%) of the faces used in these manipulated videos belong to real women, including non-celebrities. The use of deep fakes can allow a person to effortlessly superimpose the image of an ex-girlfriend onto that of a porn actor and circulate it within their social circle. As a result, the victim may face the negative effects of being falsely accused of a taboo act, even if it never happened.

Deepfakes are also increasingly being used in financial scams. These scams typically involve scammers creating deepfakes of important people like CEOs or politicians and then using them to trick people into transferring money or sensitive information. For example, a deepfake video of a CEO might be used to persuade an employee to transfer money to a fraudulent account. In 2019, a group of scammers used the voice of a CEO of a UK-based energy company to impersonate him and trick an employee into transferring $243,000 to a fraudulent account.

Another dangerous aspect of deep fakes is that there are many simple tools available online to create deep fakes. According to Ben Coleman from Reality Defender, any junior high school student can create a deep fake using a five-year-old iPhone.

Some Ethical Applications of Deep Fakes

It is essential to remember that deep fake technology can have ethical applications in today’s world. One such example is enhancing the image quality of old or low-resolution videos. Instead of using the traditional upscale method, this technology redraws the image, allowing for changes in image quality. Additionally, deep fake technology can synchronize speech with lip movements, known as lip syncing. Perfecting lip movements to match any linguistic articulation would be a significant advancement in the field of film and TV dubbing. A practical example of this is the PSA featuring David Beckham aimed at combating malaria. As Beckham speaks nine languages, deep fake technology was used to adjust his lip movements to each language.

The potential of deep fake also extends to reviving deceased artists such as Salvador Dali at the Salvador Dali Museum in Florida. Additionally, a unique application of this technology is to animate art. For example, Samsung’s AI research laboratory has enabled the Mona Lisa to exhibit movements in her head, eyes, and mouth. In the future, this technology could save the film industry both time and money.

How to Identify Deepfakes

Look for Inconsistencies in the Video

Deepfakes often have subtle inconsistencies that give them away. For example, the lighting, shadows, and reflections may not match the surroundings, or the movements of the person may look slightly unnatural.

A common warning sign of a deepfake video or image is unnatural eyes, especially if a person’s eyes look strange or if they don’t blink. Blinking and natural eye movements are hard to fake, so if someone appears to be staring without blinking or their eye movements look weird, it might be a sign that the video has been manipulated. Additionally, when people talk to each other, their eyes usually move naturally, and it’s hard to imitate that accurately in a fake video.

An unpropotional face and body is another sign of a deepfake. This is because the AI algorithms that create deepfakes can struggle to replicate the proportions of a person’s face and body accurately, which results in a distorted or exaggerated appearance. If a person looks strange or weird when they turn their head to the side, or if their movements seem disconnected or unnatural from one moment to the next, it might be a sign that a video has been changed. Mismatched skin tones and oddly placed shadows are two other important clues.

Check the Audio Quality

Deepfakes may have audio that doesn’t match the movement of the person’s lips or the tone of their voice. Listen carefully to see if the audio sounds natural and matches the context of the video. When making deepfakes, creators often pay more attention to the visuals than the audio. Signs of fake audio could include lip movements that don’t match the spoken words, robotic-sounding voices, strange word pronunciation, digital background noise, or even a complete absence of audio.

Use Technology to Identify Deep Fakes

The advancements in deep fake technology have led to the development of protection tools. The University of Buffalo has created a tool that automatically identifies deep fake photos. This tool examines the light reflection in the eyes to distinguish between real and fake photos. Generally, when we look at something, the image we look at is reflected in our eyes, so in genuine photos, both eyes show the same shape and color of reflection. However, computers cannot generate identical reflections in the eyes since they combine multiple photos to generate one.

Moreover, Intel has introduced an AI tool named FakeCatcher that can identify whether a video has been altered using deepfake technology in real-time. This technology claims to achieve a 96% accuracy rate and detect deepfakes within milliseconds. Unlike other deepfake detectors that rely on deep learning to analyze a video’s raw data for manipulation signs, FakeCatcher looks for human-like indicators, such as subtle changes in blood flow in the pixels of a video.

There are also other tools to analyze the digital noise and photos. The structure of natural and computer-generated noise can vary considerably, helping us to differentiate between genuine and fake photos.

The Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity, led by Adobe, Microsoft, Intel, and the BBC, has also developed a standard to differentiate between computer-generated content and real content. Until it is widely adopted, deepfakes’ potential for malicious use is significant.

How to Stay Safe from Deepfakes

You should always exercise caution when consuming information online, especially when it comes to sensitive topics that can cause conflict or provoke intense emotions. Be alert to possible manipulations or distortions of facts that can be used to push a particular agenda or influence public opinion. Always seek out multiple independent sources of information to verify the accuracy of online content. Don’t rely only on video, photographs, or audio on someone’s profile, as these may be deep fakes or altered. It’s important to do your research and cross-check information from different sources to ensure its authenticity. Finally, stay away from synthetic social networks and fake social media accounts.

To avoid being a victim of deepfakes, make sure not to post personal information about yourself online as it can be used for identity theft or other malicious purposes. Be cautious about the type of information you share and with whom you share it, and always take steps to protect your privacy and security online.

It is crucial to educate individuals on the dangers of deep fakes and to develop new technologies to detect and combat their use. The creation and distribution of deep fakes must be regulated, and there should be legal consequences for those who use deep fakes maliciously.

Conclusion

Deepfakes are a technology that can have severe impacts on people all over the globe, including damage to reputation, financial loss, and identity theft. The only way to stay safe from deepfakes is by understanding the technology behind deepfakes and using deepfake detection tools; we must always remain vigilant, verify information sources, and stay up-to-date about the latest developments in technology. Ultimately, the key to prevent the spread of deepfakes is through education and awareness, so let’s all stay informed and stay safe in this digital age.

If you enjoyed this article then you may also like to read our comprehensive guide to ChatGPT.

The Founders of Stoicism and Buddhism

Stoicism and Buddhism originated on other sides of the globe centuries apart. Stoicism was founded by Zeno of Citium in Athens around 300 BCE, while Buddhism was founded by Siddhartha Gautama in modern-day Nepal around 600 BCE.

Zeno of Citium

Zeno, a wealthy merchant, lost his fortune in a shipwreck that left him stranded in Athens, Greece. Despite his misfortune, he is quoted to have remarked, “I made a prosperous voyage when I was shipwrecked.” With no material possessions, he stumbled upon a bookstore and discovered Xenophon’s Memorabilia, which introduced him to the philosophers of Greece. Zeno was greatly inspired by Socrates and inquired with a bookseller about the whereabouts of otherwise individuals like him. The bookseller directed him to the cynic philosopher Crates of Thebes. After a decade of learning, Zeno diverged from cynicism and eventually founded his own school of Stoicism.

The Buddha

Siddhartha Gautama, the founder of Buddhism, was also born into a wealthy family as the son of a king and queen. His birth was accompanied by prophecies of his greatness; some believed he would become a powerful emperor, while others saw him as a potential spiritual leader, provided he left the palace. However, his parents decided to keep him sheltered from the outside world, so they locked him inside the palace. To ensure their son was never exposed to any form of suffering, the king ordered that he be kept away from anything that withered or died. The young prince grew up in a world where all his desires were fulfilled, completely unaware of the existence of pain and suffering.

As time passed, Siddhartha began to hear stories of the world beyond the palace walls. One day, a musician came to the palace and sang about all the wonders of the world, inspiring Siddhartha to embark on a journey to see the kingdom he would one day rule. At the age of 29, he ventured into the world on a chariot accompanied by his charioteer Channa.

According to different versions of the story, Siddhartha’s journey consisted of either four separate journeys or one long journey. Regardless, all versions agree that the young prince underwent a profound transformation after seeing what are called “the foresights.” The first sight was that of an old man, which made Siddhartha realize that all beings eventually age. The second sight was that of a sick person, shocking him, but he soon realized that all beings are subject to sickness and suffering. The third sight was that of a dead body, which overwhelmed Siddhartha with sorrow and sadness. Chana explained to him that death is inevitable and that all living things eventually pass away.

The fourth sight was that of an ascetic who had dedicated himself to finding the cause of human suffering. This gave Siddhartha hope that there was a way out of suffering and a means to be reborn. He embarked on a life of asceticism, depriving himself of all Earthly pleasures.

In his pursuit of enlightenment, Siddhartha Gautama practiced extreme asceticism, which included minimal food intake, different forms of breath control, and forceful mind control. The early texts describe how he became so emaciated that his bones became visible through his skin. However, Siddhartha eventually realized that this extreme form of self-denial was not helping him reach enlightenment.

It was then that he remembered a previous meditative experience he had as a child, sitting under a tree while his father worked. In other versions of the story, he recalls seeing a homeless man meditating. This memory led him to understand that meditation was the path to enlightenment. According to the texts, the Buddha achieved all four meditations, followed by the three higher knowledge, culminating in his enlightenment.

The Magic of Four: The Four Stoic Virtues vs The Four Noble Truths

The Stoics formulated a set of values that embodied the essence of their philosophy, which aimed to help individuals lead meaningful life. These values included four cardinal virtues that served as a guide for living a virtuous life.

1. Wisdom – acting rationally and seeing the world with objectivity.
2. Justice – treating others with fairness and kindness.
3. Courage – being brave when confronted with adversity and understanding that fear can often cause more harm than the thing we are afraid of.
4. Temperance – resisting temptations and choosing virtuous actions over vice.

The Stoics believed that living in accordance with these values was equivalent to living in accordance with nature. Just as nature is rational and well-ordered, so are human beings. Therefore, living a virtuous life meant living in harmony with the natural order of the universe.

Epictetus, a prominent Stoic philosopher, emphasized the importance of distinguishing between things we can control and things we cannot. According to him, focusing on the former and letting go of the latter is the key to living a good life.

On the other hand, Buddhists sought to achieve enlightenment or Nirvana by letting go of all attachments and living in the present moment. Unlike the four cardinal virtues of Stoicism, Buddhism promoted the Four Noble Truths developed by the Buddha.

1. Dukkha – Life is suffering
2. Samudaya – Suffering is caused by attachment and desire
3. Nirodha – It is possible to escape the cycle of suffering
4. Marga – The Noble Eightfold Path is the way to end suffering

The Eightfold Path is not a straight linear line but rather a middle way, which refers to the way of life between excess and deficiency, also known as moderation. The Noble Eightfold Path includes the following steps:

• Right View: Understanding the Four Noble Truths and the nature of reality.
• Right Intention/Resolve: Developing the intention of non-harming and goodwill towards all beings.
• Right Speech: Speaking truthfully and kindly, avoiding lies, slander, and harmful speech.
• Right Action/Conduct: Acting ethically and avoiding actions that cause harm to oneself or others.
• Right Livelihood: Earning a living in a way that is not harmful to oneself or others.
• Right Effort: Cultivating wholesome states of mind and abandoning unwholesome ones.
• Right Mindfulness: Cultivating awareness and attention to the present moment and avoiding distraction.
• Right Concentration/Samadhi: Developing the ability to concentrate the mind through meditation, leading to deeper insight and understanding.

Nirvana is the ultimate state one reaches when following the Noble Eightfold Path. Nirvana is the state of having no desires and the cessation of suffering. In Sanskrit, Nirvana means “the blowing out,” and it refers to the extinguishing of the flame of personal desire and the quenching of the fire of life. Nirvana is considered the ultimate refuge, providing safety, emancipation, peace, and freedom.

Similarities Between Buddhism and Stoicism

The quest to alleviate suffering lies at the heart of both philosophies, given the harshness of life in the ancient world due to war, famine, and lack of technology. Consequently, ancient thinkers sought ways to reduce suffering and attain a state of calmness and stability. While the Stoics aimed to be like resilient rocks standing firm against the waves of life’s ordeals, Buddha taught resisting carnal desires and pursuing Nirvana, where attachments are severed and suffering extinguished.

After alleviating suffering, how does one attain happiness? Both schools advocate for moderation as the path to happiness. By eliminating excess and focusing on the essential aspects of life, one can experience true satisfaction and harmony.

Buddha expressed this idea by saying, “Temperance is a tree which has for its root very little contentment, and for its fruit calm and peace.”

Both philosophies recognize that happiness is not dependent on pleasure or material possessions. Anxiety, a common source of suffering, is often caused by our obsession with the past or fear of the future. The stoics encourage us to stay in the present moment and tame our minds, while the Buddhists recommend meditation as a way to stay grounded in the present and avoid anxiety. As a famous stoic saying goes, “We suffer more in imagination than in reality.” By letting go of our attachments and focusing on the present, we can find inner calm and peace.

Differences Between Stoicism and Buddhism

At first glance, it may appear that Stoicism and Buddhism share many practical teachings and a similar understanding of the human mind. However, one notable difference is that Buddhism is widely recognized as a religion, while Stoicism is regarded as a philosophy. Around 8% of the world’s population practices Buddhism, but it doesn’t conform to the traditional definition of a religion or a philosophy. Buddhism is non-dogmatic and doesn’t require its followers to worship any supreme deity or creator. Its primary aim is to seek the truth. Unlike Christianity, Buddhism doesn’t have a savior figure, and individuals must find their own path and use the Buddha as a guide rather than blindly following him. Unlike Buddhism, Stoicism is not an organized religion but a philosophical school of thought that anyone can adopt and apply to their own lives. Stoics do not gather in shrines to pray or participate in communal worship, but instead, they share a common bond of spirit and ideology.

Stoicism is widely taught and studied as a philosophy in many universities across the West, while Buddhism has a stronger presence in the East, particularly in countries like India, Japan, China, Myanmar, and others. However, it’s worth noting that many Buddhists also reside in the West, just as stoic ideas are becoming increasingly popular in the East. Despite this, Stoicism remains primarily a Western philosophy, while Buddhism is an Eastern teaching.

Benefits of Living According to Buddhist and Stoic Principles

Living according to either Buddhist or Stoic principles can result in significant psychological benefits. Both practices can lead to a calmer and more serene state of mind and promote spiritual refinement and inner peace.

Stoicism, in particular, emphasizes the importance of personal well-being and a harmonious relationship with society. The philosophy encourages individuals to do the right thing for themselves and for the world at large without expecting any external rewards or validation. Stoics believe that true satisfaction cannot come from external sources and that wisdom and self-improvement are their own rewards. This honest and truthful approach to living can make Stoicism more appealing and attainable in contemporary society. As the world becomes increasingly materialistic and focused on external rewards, the stoic philosophy offers a refreshing alternative that focuses on inner peace and self-improvement.

Marcus Aurelius, the last of the Five Good Emperors of the Roman Empire (Aurelius column), was a Stoic philosopher whose teachings have endured for centuries. His personal diary later published as ‘The Meditations‘ is considered one of the most influential works of philosophy and spirituality. He wrote these personal notes to himself during battles against germanic armies while also suffering from a deadly plague. In these writings, Aurelius offers his stoic views on how to live a good and meaningful life no matter what life throws at you.

If you are distressed by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself, but to your estimate of it; and this you have the power to revoke at any moment.

Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

The central concept of all Buddhist teachings is Dharma, which can be translated as truth, reality, or law. The ultimate goal of life is to achieve nobility of the spirit, a form of purity that stems not from a God but from oneself. Dharma exists both in the minds of individuals and as a universal law of righteousness imbued in every aspect of the universe, from the tides of the seas to the changing of the seasons.

Living in accordance with Dharma allows individuals to escape mystery and reach Nirvana, the ultimate release from all suffering. Buddhists believe that through meditation, yoga, and concentration, individuals can train their memory to see their rebirth as a succession of links, even gaining insight into their previous lives.

Furthermore, Buddhism teaches that through enlightenment and true wisdom, individuals can attain Nirvana in this life and eventually arrive at the end of the chain of rebirths.

The Mauryan Emperor Ashoka is one of the most iconic rulers of India’s ancient past. A powerful and ambitious ruler, Ashoka was also a great patron of Buddhism. He converted to the religion following his conquest of Kalinga and went on to become one of its most influential supporters. Ashoka is remembered today for his reforms and the patronage he showed towards Buddhism and its spread across India and beyond. His legacy of peaceful rule stands as an example to the world.

I have enforced the law against killing certain animals and many others, but the greatest progress of righteousness among men comes from the exhortation in favor of non-injury to life and abstention from killing living beings.

Ashoka The Great

Conclusion

Although separated by continents and through Time, Buddhism and Stoicism are remarkably similar as much as they are different. As one Japanese anecdote narrates, Nan-in, a Japanese master during the Meiji era (1868-1912), once welcomed a Western university professor to his temple. The guest was interested in learning about Buddhist practices and sharing his views on the matter. Nan-in served tea to the professor and as he poured, he continued well after the cup was full. The professor grew puzzled at first and then frustrated as he watched the overflow; unable to contain himself any longer, he yelled, “But the cup is overfull and cannot take any more tea!” Nan-in replied, “Like this cup, you too are full of your own opinions and speculations. How can I teach you Buddhism unless you first empty your own cup?” The professor fell silent, and thus his training began.

This story highlights the importance of emptying one’s mind of prejudices and opinions when learning a philosophy, whether from the East or West. It emphasizes the need to focus on the essentials and cultivate dedication to the teachings to become a master of philosophy. However, it also reminds us that everything in life is impermanent, and we should keep this in mind even as we strive to deepen our understanding of philosophy.

Blockchain is a decentralised system of storing information that preserves the provenance of original data. The name “Blockchain” is a combination of the words “Block” and “Chain”. A blockchain consists of packages of information known as “Blocks” that are each linked to the one before, thus creating the Blockchain illusion.

These blocks can hold a myriad of information in digital forms such as financial transactions, property records, legal contracts, medical information, and many others. Each complete block is tied to its nonce, a 32-bit arbitrary number randomly generated when the block is created, and its hash, a 256-bit identification number generated by the nonce. This hash can be described as the digital equivalent of a human fingerprint, due to its uniqueness.

The history of Blockchain technology can be traced back to the early 1990s when cryptographers Stuart Haber and W. Scott Stornetta tried to establish a system with tamperproof document timestamps. However, the first practical utilization of blockchains did not occur until January 2009, when Satoshi Nakamoto, the pseudonymous creator(s) of Bitcoin, launched the now-infamous cryptocurrency.

One of the prominent properties of blockchain technology is its ability to be used as a distributed ledger, as demonstrated by bitcoin. In this model, bitcoin is managed by a peer-to-peer network of devices (known as “nodes”) geographically spread all over the world. These nodes are operated by separate, independent individuals or groups, as opposed to a distributed database with a central administration or authority. This decentralization allows the blockchain to be resistant to any altercations to its previously recorded information, meaning the data recorded in the blockchain (in bitcoin’s case, transaction history) is irreversible.

On a public blockchain like bitcoin, the decision to add new information is made by consensus. When a majority of nodes on the blockchain verifies that the information is valid, it is added to the chain in the form of a block. Each block’s position on the blockchain is based on the chronological order of creation. Therefore, each block contains the exact timestamp of its creation, its hash, as well as the hash of its predecessor. If any changes are made to the information in a block, its hash and the timestamp also change automatically. This makes it impossible to tamper with the data on the blockchain. If a user alters their copy of the blockchain, other nodes on the chain could easily cross-reference their copies and identify the node responsible as well as correct the change. This fault-tolerance mechanism builds trust in each block in the history of the blockchain and gives the users the platform to interact with the data in real-time without relying on intermediary third-parties such as banks, lawyers, brokers, etc.

The whole point of using a blockchain is to let people – in particular, people who don’t trust one another – share valuable data in a secure, tamperproof way.

MIT Technology Review

Due to this transparent, decentralized nature of a blockchain network, any adjustment to the system operation or the data it contains requires consensus, which ensures these changes are made in the best interests of the majority (Blockchain distributed consensus model). Moreover each and every online transaction involving digital assets, past and present, can be verified at any time in the future. This brings us to the first point in our list of how blockchain technology can immensely underpin the way we do online activities in coming years.

How blockchain technology can break current big-tech monopolies

We are currently witnessing the incessant rise and unparalleled dominance of big-tech giants. In 2019, Apple, Alphabet, Amazon, Facebook, and Microsoft generated combined revenue of $899.2 billion. For reference, if those 5 big-tech companies were to aggregate into a single country, it would be the 18th largest country in the world by GDP^[1]. With the majority of the population now believing the tech companies should have their powers limited^[2]. it has become evident that a technological solution to break up the tech giants stronghold on our society is just as needed as government-imposed regulations. This is where blockchain technology comes into play. Steem is a new kind of social media platform that’s powered by Blockchain tech and the competition in this space is heating up!

Protecting Privacy

If there was a competition for the world’s worst kept secret, social media companies and search engines accessing our private data would be the odds-on-favorite to bring the trophy home! Everything from personal conversations to search queries we enter to advertisements we click on is tracked, recorded, and stored. A blockchain-based system could prove to be a fine antidote to this treacherous predicament. As cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, and IOTA have demonstrated, combining cryptography and economic incentives can establish an unbreachable way of storing and accessing the private information of anonymous users. Blockchain networks with special cryptographic functions can enable the protection of information and manage who can access it by allowing varying degrees of confidentiality. Blocksurvey.io is an example of such a network. It implements a blockchain system that prevents your personal information from being shared when you’re answering a third-party survey.

Fighting Fake News

Fake news and clickbait have infested our orthodox social media feeds. A survey held in spring 2020 showed that 60% of 16-to-24-year-olds in the UK had recently used social media for information about the coronavirus, and 59% had come across fake news on the subject^[3]. The situation across the globe is not any better. A Reuters Institute report for the University of Oxford’s Study of Journalism accounts that 55% of readers are concerned about online misinformation. The related YouGov survey which featured 75,000 people from 38 countries across all continents has uncovered the disquieting fact that less than half of people (49%) trust the news media they use themselves^[4].

So why aren’t these social media powerhouses not taking sufficient measures to tackle this? Is it because they are not equipped with a technique capable enough to mitigate and verify millions of pieces of information posted within mere minutes? Or is it because fake news and clickbait drive up engagement and more engagement equals more money? Well, it’s a bit of both. Here, the transparent nature of a blockchain ledger becomes the wildcard.

According to Avivah Litan, the co-author of the “Predicts 2020: Blockchain Technology” report, By 2023, up to 30% of world news and video content will be authenticated as real by blockchain ledgers, countering Deep Fake technology^[5]. As blockchains continue to make swift and palpable moves through the world of technology, we might be heading towards a fake news-free social media networks.

Combating censorship

Big tech oligarchs have been under increasing scrutiny lately regarding their enforcement of rigorous online censorship and demonetization. While the global conversation regarding the threat to free speech from big-tech monopolies gets heated, Chinese internet users have already deployed blockchains to resist the heavy censorship implemented by the governing Chinese Communist Party. Several blocked letters and reports have been published on the Ethereum blockchain by anonymous users. Since Ethereum transactions are permanent and distributed among many computers in public decentralized networks, anyone could read the materials, and the CCP was unable to tamper with the information or force ISPs to remove them^[6]. While it must be noted that the Chinese state-led censorship vastly differentiates from the big-tech companies’ censorship, the principle of utilizing blockchains to fight online censorship can be adopted by any platform wishing to supersede current social media heavyweights.

Paving new avenues for getting paid

Social media content producers have long been resigned to losing well-earned money to media platforms acting as the middle-man. A blockchain network that features a goal-based financial incentive system can eliminate this problem and allow individual creators themselves to gain agency over their content as opposed to a central media platform. A blockchain-based video sharing platform could rival YouTube in the future by adopting this theory.

Ranidu Lankage’s blockchain-based music streaming service Audius has already incorporated this idea to its core. The innovative Sri Lankan DJ’s platform will allow users to spend tokens to listen to songs as it seeks to cut out the middle-man in streaming and pay up-and-coming artists their fair share. Wordproof and Open Music Initiative are organisations that use blockchain tech as a way to protect copyrights of web content creators.

Furthermore, businesses could have the opportunity to streamline their transactions and payment processes using “smart contracts”, a series of programs that are stored on a blockchain and can be used to automatically exchange rewards based on certain conditions and criteria.

Conclusion

With big-tech titans continuing to tread on wafer-thin ice using their unmitigated power, blockchain developers’ mission to disrupt and cripple these monopolies and establish a more decentralized web would certainly be one to keep an eye on for the next decade. Cue the avalanche effect.

Let’s now look at applications of Blockchain technology

Blockchain tech can be useful in many sectors. Here we have listed some of the common applications.

Applications in the Government sector

1. Implementing an entrusted voting system for democratic elections

With the hotly-contested 2020 US Presidential Election reigniting the age-old public discourse regarding voter-fraud, there has probably never been a better time to look into permanently applying blockchain technology to create a secure voting system. The immutable nature of the blockchain would guarantee the eradication of ballot-tampering as well as eliminate the need for manual counting, thus delivering faster election results. Moreover, the ability to cast your vote digitally in the form of a cryptographic unit or token would void the need to be physically present in order to vote. This will help boost voter turnout. Additionally, the transparency and traceability that blockchain offers will widely decrease public distrust related to the validity of the ballots and election results in general, and prevent the need for further audits. Needless to say, all things considered, a blockchain-based voting system would be a significant overhaul to the currently outdated traditional voting systems. Voatz is one such company that’s researching on this area.

2. Storing Public Data

Government databases are almost always the largest single record of information on its citizens. They record, store and manage individual’s data on a plethora of different factors from birth to death. This makes them very attractive targets for hackers and other bad-faith actors. A blockchain network can help reduce this threat significantly. The decentralization will not only provide resistance to a potential breach or data remodification, but it will also add better transparency to the database. Furthermore, a blockchain structure would help the general public navigates these databases more smoothly and efficiently.

Applications in Finance

3. Reducing Cross-border transaction Costs

Cross-border transactions typically prove to be expensive and time-consuming. This is mostly due to having to pass through security clearances and make stops at multiple banks along the way. A blockchain-inspired method like Bitcoin would accelerate this process and help reduce transaction costs and fees. This means no more reliance on PayPal!

4. Verifying digital identities

With 91 percent of banks, worldwide have started to invest in blockchain-inspired solutions, it won’t be long before they will be able to authenticate the identity of a unique customer using blockchain IDs. This will allow them to protect their institution as well as their customer from scammers and other fraudulent personnel. Hydrogen Platform is a great example of an online source that uses blockchain properties to facilitate digital identification, among other financial services. Evernym is another company that provide similar service.

5. Crowdfunding

A blockchain system that deploys smart-contracts will be able to eliminate the third-party platforms that currently run crowdfunding programs. This will allow the donors and recipients to deal directly with each other as well as save the intermediary fee.

6. Equity trading

Due to blockchain networks’ ability to verify and confirm transactions swiftly, it has the potential to overtake current equity trading platforms by offering a much faster trading experience for their clients.

Applications in Healthcare

7. Protecting Medical Data and Patient Privacy

With a staggering 176 million+ personal health records being accessed by intruders between 2009-2017,^[7] it’s fair to say that data security has become a major concern within the healthcare industry. Blockchain networks’ version of an immutable, decentralized patient detail log would be able to facilitate a significantly better and more secure healthcare database. BurstIQ is one of the companies that heavily research in this area.

8. Advancing Genomics

Genomics is a branch of molecular biology that studies the structure, function, evolution, and mapping of genomes. As scientists continue to achieve crucial breakthroughs in this remarkable field, blockchain systems can help them by providing the digital infrastructure to store billions of genetic data. It can also provide open-source markets where people can sell their encrypted genetic information to researchers.

Applications in the manufacturing industry

9. Monitoring Supply Chains

The decentralized ledger format can be utilized to track containers during the shipping process. Every crew member in the supply chain has access to the information and they can perform their job accordingly. If used properly in a similar logistical function, this technology can drastically reduce the human effort and paperwork required to complete the task. IBM recently concluded an initial test of the application with favorable results. ShipChain is a company that operate in this space.

10. Internet of Things

Internet of Things (IoT) refers to a network of wirelessly connected physical objects that can share data through the internet. The idea of a blockchain application to verify the integrity of both data and the devices in such a network is quite promising.

11. 3D printing

3D printing is an intriguing innovation by itself, however, using a blockchain method to manage its supply chain simply takes it to the next level. The blockchain facilitates every function in the process with no middle-man. From encrypting the design to negotiating a printing deal via smart contracts to final product information and ownership details.

Applications in education

12. Facilitating an advanced student registry

Unsurprisingly, blockchain’s components can be harnessed for educational purposes as well. Using the immutable distributed ledger, administrators can establish and manage a database that consists of invaluable academic information on each student. This information can be accessed to identify the problems students experience, and put forth necessary actions or teaching techniques required accordingly. Even further, by using the decentralized structure of the blockchain, this data can be shared among parents, educators, and even multiple schools or universities. Apart from this, student data can be easily verified to ensure the accuracy of each student’s credentials and achievements.

13. Motivating students through a token-based reward system

Tokenized digital credits or even cryptocurrencies can be used as incentives for both students and teachers to improve morale and advance their academic potential. Teachers can present the best performers with extra (digital) credit as a form of encouragement and cultivate an enthusiastic learning environment.

14. Creating an educational achievement portfolio

A blockchain network that stores students’ academic accomplishments and merits can help them build a transparent digital CV, which, when presented to a future employer, can be verified by checking with the school or university administrator. APPII is a blockchain-based recruitment platform that allows students to create their portfolios. Once the student enters his or her academic details and milestones, a blockchain network verifies the accuracy of the input credentials, and machine learning is occupied to match the data in the CV to relevant job opportunities.

Applications in the legal industry

15. Notary function

Blockchains are a great way to keep track of things over time while preserving original data and transparency, right? So, it is undoubtedly the perfect digital notary. Recording legal documents related to intangible assets like intellectual property, royalties, wills, art, copyright agreements, and patents on a blockchain network would make it extremely easy to confirm and verify the validity of those documents whenever necessary. Stampd.io is a website that allows you to add documents to a crypto blockchain, setting up the chance in the future to prove that it was added by you with an exact timestamp. A non-fungible token (NFT) is one of those modern investment asset class that’s popular among crypto traders these days. Most NFTs are part of the Ethereum blockchain so you need to have some Ethereum in order to get into this kind of investments.

16. Managing Real estate transactions

The information regarding tangible property registration and transfer of ownership rights can be efficiently managed through a blockchain ledger. Since the data stored on the blockchain is fully transparent and immutable, any conflict related to these “smart properties” can quickly be resolved. Propy is a company that utlize blockchain tech in this space.

17. Upholding workers’ rights

According to the International Labor Organization, almost 25 million people work in forced labor around the industry globe. This may soon change for the better, thanks to a bit of help from blockchain technology. The US State Department and Coca-Cola have joined forces to form a blockchain consisting of protocols and smart contracts to verify unacceptable working situations and pressure their respective employers to honor the contracts of those workers^[8].

Applications in various Other industries

18. Facilitating Energy trading

Energy microgrids built on blockchains can decentralize the production process and ultimately bring down the price of energy drastically. The first real-world experiment was recently conducted in Brooklyn, NY by LO3 energy in collaboration with Siemens^[9].

19. Preventing odometer fraud

Odometer fraud has been a long-standing issue in the automotive industry. This is when fraudulent dealers mechanically tamper with a car’s odometer and reduce its mileage to make it appear less used, resulting in the customer overpaying for the vehicle. A blockchain-based smart odometer can counter this by consistently recording the vehicle’s mileage in the form of blocks. This would make it impossible to alter the mileage information and give digital quality assurance of the vehicle. This theory has now been adopted by Bosch’s IoT lab, and they have experimented with it on 100 cars across Germany and Switzerland.

20. Ensuring food safety

According to World Health Organization, roughly 420,000 people die each year due to food-borne diseases^[10]. This mostly comes down to the difficulty of isolating harmful food. Blockchain method can be implemented to track food from raw materials or harvest to final production, with verified data regarding its whereabouts and condition from farm or factory to kitchen.

21. Facilitating Digital Storage

Cloud storage is currently the most used form of data storage. However, the centralized setup of these software makes them vulnerable to hackers. A decentralized host that runs on a blockchain server can be proposed as a viable solution to this problem.

Summary

Blockchain – Ascending beyond cryptocurrency: the irreversible, unalterable, unhackable, uncheatable digital revolution of our generation; a pragmatic technology that’s reshaping tomorrow – one block at a time. The future is now.