What is DTube?
To understand DTube we must first talk about and understand Steemit, a blockchain-based social media platform that launched in July of 2016. Essentially it’s a Reddit-type service where anyone can earn rewards by posting, curating, and up-voting relevant content. Monetary rewards come via a cryptocurrency token named STEEM, and in US dollar-pegged tokens called Steem Dollars. So think of Reddit (i.e. users post links, and vote good content up, and bad content down) – but every user who participates gets a monetary reward.
Decentralized Tube (or DTube for short) is a YouTube-like video platform that is built as an application on top of Steemit. So it’s on the same platform utilising the same rules but specifically for video content. Essentially, users post videos and are rewarded for creating and uploading content.
So… that’s the basics, and in essence, it sounds much like YouTube – so how does DTube really differ?
Built on the Blockchain, Meaning Blockchain Benefits
Both Steemit and DTube are built on the blockchain. You’ve probably heard of the Blockchain by now – it’s what Bitcoin is built on. Essentially it allows for a secure, decentralised, list of record keeping. It’s inherently resistant to modifications, and the data is managed by a peer-to-peer network. By utilising the blockchain, DTube benefits in a number of ways which we will now elaborate on.
No Censorship
The beauty (and the beast) of the blockchain is that it’s decentralised – meaning no one entity controls what users upload and send. No video uploaded on Dtube can be blocked to viewers because of copyright or non-family-friendly content. Many users enjoy this aspect as it truly empowers their creativity without limits. Brands and media companies on the other hand will be shocked to learn that there is no way for them to pull down content that has been uploaded by other users.
No Ads
Another great feature of using the Steemit platform is that there are no advertisements. Viewers can enjoy a pure viewing experience without being disrupted with commercial messages.
You CANNOT Delete Content
A constant worry with DTube is that what goes on the blockchain, stays on the blockchain – which by design cannot be tampered with. You currently cannot delete a video from your channel. Once it’s uploaded, it stays online forever. This also means users need to be 100% confident in the content they upload because they cannot edit the video afterwards.
No View Counts
YouTube is primarily focused around popular uploads that drive high view counts. On DTube however, view counts are not even shown. Instead, how much money a video has generated for its uploader is displayed. Understanding the exact dollar value of this figure, however, is a lot more complicated. With Youtube, you get an overview of your different types of revenue streams. And because you are paid in a known currency (as opposed to a cryptocurrency), it’s much easier to understand what you have earnt.
