In a bid to protect the intellectual rights of images, Chinese search giant Baidu on Wednesday launched a blockchain-based stock photography platform called Totem.
Using the properties of blockchain technology, the platform will timestamp the original submission of the photograph. The users also have to authenticate their personal information, so that all images can be linked with the profiles on the distributed network. This will also prevent any misuse by creating multiple profiles.
Moreover, Baidu is claiming that using existing technology such as internet data scraping and Artificial Intelligence, the blockchain-based platform can trace circulated digital copies of images over the internet and in case of misuse, it can substantiate allegations of intellectual property infringement.
According to CoinDesk, many existing stock photography services in China have already moved to Baidu’s blockchain platform. Among them is Visual China Group, the local Chinese partner of the stock photography website Getty Images.
Baidu, however, did not reveal further technical details of the new platform. It is not clear whether the platform is using a public blockchain or if search giant has developed a private blockchain for the service.
After conquering the field of Artificial Intelligence, Baidu is now betting big on the emerging blockchain technology. Earlier this year, Baidu launched its own blockchain-as-a-service platform, which was designed to provide a user-friendly blockchain experience by offering services like digital currency, digital billing, bank credit management, insurance management financial auditing, and many more.
Moreover, in February, Baidu launched a Chinese version of the viral Ethereum’s blockchain-based game CryptoKitties.
Considering all this, it is sure that the Chinese search giant is following the same path for blockchain as it did for Artificial Intelligence.
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