New Blockchain Program Aims to Counter Fake Viewer Data, Scam Ads

Blockchain-enabled video network Theta has partnered with Chainlink to help push back on video advertising scams, the likes of which often pop up promoting “cryptocurrency giveaway” dupes.

Announced on Friday, the solution to counter scam-ads uses video performance data from Theta’s network to assign a “reputation score” for each streamer based on their viewership. Generated using Google’s big data solution, BigQuery, the score is then broadcast onto the Ethereum network using Chainlink’s oracles where advertisers can examine it while deciding to whom to give ads.

• In a press statement emailed to CoinDesk, Theta said using this solution could help advertisers better identify which streams receive more unique human visitors and help filter out fake viewership data generated through the usage of click-farms and bots.
  
• Theta’s video sharing network is built on a model which rewards network participants for transmitting content to other users by using their spare bandwidth and computing resources. Earlier in May, Google announced it had signed-on as a network validator for Theta.
  
• According to the emailed statement, the data transmitted by Chainlink onto the Ethereum blockchain can also be used to automate contractual agreements between advertisers and content providers using smart contracts.
  
• Theta also said that the solution is currently live on the its testnet and the network is targeting a public roll out for the end of this year or Q1 2021.