The document discusses how blockchain technology can provide ownership and copyright solutions for digital art and content. It presents the concept of a secure, public ledger that allows creators to register their work, ensuring authenticity and traceability while addressing the challenges of digital ownership. The conclusion emphasizes the potential of big data and blockchains to establish a robust digital ownership framework on the internet.

2. Blockchain & Big Data
Trent McConaghy, CTO
trent@ascribe.io

3. doge
(wow.)

4. When you share your stuff on the net,
do you know where it goes?

7. When you share your stuff on the net,
now you know where it goes.
But do you how it spreads?

8. Oct 2014.
≈0 copies

9. techpowerup.com
≈400 copies

10. sc2tv.ru

11. Now.
≈2200
copies

13. taringa.net shentucao.com

14. What does this have to do with
Big Data or Blockchains?
Let’s start at the

15. Jonathan Monaghan
Escape Pod
2015, 3 editions
How do you
collect digital
art?

16. Jonathan Monaghan
Escape Pod
2015, 3 editions
How do you
collect digital
art?
?

17. http://www.theverge.com/2013/10/17/4844814/would-you-pay-2000-for-a-
"the question of
ownership
[of digital art]
… is still unsolved
... the elephant in the
room”
-the Verge, 2013

18. We asked:
Can you own digital art,
the way you own Bitcoin?

19. Blockchain 101
A blockchain is a spreadsheet in
the sky, in which:
• anyone can add to it,
• and it gets auto-synced,
• nothing can be deleted, and
• it’s public
The Bitcoin blockchain is a spreadsheet where
you can buy and sell e-money called “Bitcoin”.

20. • Easy legals via terms of service: “I
claim copyright rights” (creator) and “I
transfer [beneficial-use] copyright
rights” (sale).
• Copyright in a box!
• Secure legals by time-stamping
evidence of ownership actions onto a
blockchain.
• Special “SPOOL” protocol for ownership:
unique editions, consign, loan ..
• Time-stamp = evidence for court in case of
Q: Can you own digital art the way you own Bitcoin?
A: Yes! Via framework of easy, secure legals

21. ascribed digital
art at world-
class gallery
(bitforms NYC)
Jonathan Monaghan
Escape Pod
2015, 3 editions
ID:
1P1EumqcJoxMMGf79WwdkFn7uCRBeNaCR8
http://ascri.be/1KfMJt0

22. Cryptographic
Certificate of
Authenticity

23. 152-year old art museum
MAK Vienna bought
ascribed digital art to its
collection
http://ascri.be/1datNR

24. We asked: does this generalize?
Can it solve other problems?

27. Creators register content via
ascribe, then license it to
ikonoTV
(300M TV viewers, 100K+ app
users, top app)
Q: Does this generalize? A: Yes

28. Creative
Commons FR
With CC licenses of
course!

29. Case study: film & TV trust network 1/2
Discover,
consume
content
Your TV &
Film
content
Intake
content
Others’
content
1
Broadcast
TV
PC
internet
Cable TV
Retail
(eg DVD
rental)
Mobile
internet
Others’
content
2
Others’
content
3

30. Case study: film & TV trust network 2/2
ascribe licensing API
Discover,
consume
content
ascribe registration API
Your TV &
Film
content
Intake
content
Others’
content
1
Broadcast
TV
PC
internet
Cable TV
Retail
(eg DVD
rental)
Mobile
internet
Others’
content
2
Others’
content
3
blockchain

31. France
Q: Does this generalize? A: Yes

32. BUT…

33. “my conclusion is that whatever you
put on the internet you lose it. Maybe
keep the rights, but lose the power over
it.”
-user on Shapeways blog
http://www.shapeways.com/blog/archives/19789-copyright-3d-printing-and-you-what-does-it-all-

34. “my conclusion is that whatever you
put on the internet you lose it. Maybe
keep the rights, but lose the power over
it.”
-user on Shapeways blog
http://www.shapeways.com/blog/archives/19789-copyright-3d-printing-and-you-what-does-it-all-
Creators were apprehensive
about sharing on the net

35. Where’s my stuff?
A new framework…

36. Where’s my stuff?
Easy, secure
legals

37. Where’s my stuff?
Easy, secure
legals
Lock it
down?

38. Where’s my stuff?
Easy, secure
legals
Lock it
down?

39. Where’s my stuff?
Easy, secure
legals
Visibility?

40. We asked: why not crawl the
web? It’s not that big…

41. Visibility: How
• Crawl the web (220 Tb text)
• Index each image, 3d design etc found
(10G+ images) with a special machine
learning feature vector, indexable in DB
• Cast any input search as a DB-lookup
problem to filter to highest-likelihood
images. Follow with more detailed filtering
• Look backwards in time too, for copies-vs-
time

43. knowyour
meme.com
quick
meme .co
m

44. Where’s my stuff?
Easy, secure
legals
Visibility

45. REST API
REST API interface
For content providers, and
marketplaces of digital
goods (art, photography, 3d,
..)

46. WEB APP
Webapp interface
For individual creators (artists,
graphic designers,
photographers, writers, ..) who
want to register, consign, and
archive their work directly.
E.g. securely submit content to
big distributors

47. Where’s my stuff?
Easy, secure
legals
Visibility
Conclusion
Big data & blockchains are key to building
an ownership layer for the internet.
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