The transparency of blockchain might just be the salvation of Microsoft in the war against piracy.
Microsoft has always had a reputation for standing strong against piracy, both on Windows and Office. Therefore, remaining true to their dedication to anti-piracy protocols is no surprise.
A blockchain system aimed at strengthening anti-piracy measures has been jointly researched and studied by the Microsoft Research Department with the contribution of Alibaba and Carnegie Mellon University.
Per the research paper, the crux of the anti-piracy system is reliant on blockchain technology and its transparency. Argus- the new Microsoft system is established on the basis of Ethereum blockchain and anticipates creating a distrustful enticement system while safeguarding data obtained from the vast piracy reporter unknown population.
In the paper it is emphasized that irrespective of total transparency, security will be ensured through conquering a multitude of inevitable challenges in the implementation phase. The contents of the research elaborate excessively on the watermark algorithm that will allow for tracing content obtained from piracy directly to the source. The watermark algorithm makes it possible for no two watermarked copies being available for reporting apart from the owner, due to the information-hiding process that has rightfully assigned Argus the proof-of-leakage moniker.
The hope is that Argus will accelerate the transparency through the incentive mechanism so that its effectiveness will be noted through its safety and feasibility. Safeguard measures are put in place for blocking pirates in broadcasting leaked content through other pseudonyms.
As far as Ethereum (ETH) transaction costs are concerned, according to the paper, the fees for privacy reporting would be equivalent to sending off 14 Ethereum (ETH) on the public network. This will amount to hundreds and thousands of piracy reporting transactions.
With digitalization progressing rapidly, tech companies are globally concerned with protecting digital privacy, and blockchain technology seem to be the safe haven that will effectively protect intellectual property against piracy.
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