Copyright administration via blockchain: Perfect, but which blockchain? [Video]

Professor Peter K. Yu from Texas A&M University recently published a research paper titled Deploying Blockchain Technology in the Copyright Office. Prof. Yu concludes that copyright offices could benefit tremendously by implementing blockchain solutions—however, he also identified challenges.

The benefits of a blockchain-based copyright administration are evident and explained in detail by Prof. Yu:

1. Immutability or strong tamper resistance
2. Traceability of copyright data
3. Blockchain transparency
4. Disintermediation

Specifically, Prof. Yu mentioned registering copyright, storing ownership data, and licensing records. The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) launched its WIPO Proof in 2020, but without a blockchain.

Digital fingerprints and secured copyright data

Prof. Yu states:

“By providing a time-stamped digital fingerprint, WIPO Proof was designed to show the existence of each submitted file at a specific point in time. Although the service did not utilize blockchain technology and has since …