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Odysee is an American decentralized video hosting platform built on the LBRY blockchain.[1][2][3] It positions itself as an alternative to mainstream services like YouTube with a focus on free speech and decentralization.[4]
 | |
| Type of business | Video Hosting Website |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2020 |
| Headquarters | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States |
| Founder(s) | Julian Chandra |
| URL | odysee |
The platform enables users to upload, share, and monetize videos through crypto currency, while maintaining content persistence through a peer-to-peer network.[5]
History
editOdysee was founded in 2020 by Julian Chandra.[5]
In June 2024, Odysee was acquired by Forward Research. The acquisition took place after Odysee's former parent company LBRY lost a lawsuit from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in July 2023.[6]
Technology
editOdysee is driven by blockchain, a decentralized protocol that allows digital content to be distributed and stored without a central authority. This blockchain network supports a peer-to-peer infrastructure, which allows users to upload and share videos. The metadata of uploaded content is stored on the blockchain, while the videos themselves are hosted across a distributed network of users, referred to as nodes.[7]
Criticism
editSince its launch in September 2020, Odysee has been at the center of several controversies, primarily due to its content moderation policies and decentralized structure, which critics argue have allowed harmful content to flourish. The platform's approach to content moderation, which is significantly less restrictive compared to mainstream platforms like YouTube, has attracted a range of users, including far-right groups, conspiracy theorists, and individuals banned from other platforms.[5][8]
In addition to allegations of facilitating hate speech, Odysee has also been criticized for hosting disinformation, particularly around topics such as the COVID-19 pandemic, vaccines, and political issues. The platform's decentralized nature makes it difficult for content to be effectively moderated or removed, allowing misinformation and disinformation to spread without significant resistance. This has raised concerns about the proliferation of conspiracy theories related to elections, public health, and other widely debunked claims.[5]
Odysee has faced geo-blocking restrictions in regions such as the European Union, where governments have raised concerns about harmful content and disinformation.[9]
Arweave
editArweave is a decentralized network for permanent data storage, meant to ensure long-term availability of data.[10][11] It uses a Proof of Access mechanism providing an incentive to store the data that has been uploaded to the network.[12][13] The native cryptocurrency of the Arweave network is called AR, which is used to pay for data storage.[14]
Forward Research, the company developing Arweave acquired Odysee in 2024.[15][16][17] Odysee is in the process of transitioning to Arweave's technology.[18]
Blockweave
editThe Arweave network utilizes a blockchain-like technology called the "blockweave", focusing on data storage.[19][20]
SmartWeave
editSmartWeave is a smart contract protocol that operates on Arweave. Contract state is computed on-demand by the caller, reducing network load.[21][22]
Permaweb
editThe Permaweb is Arweave's decentralized, permanent web of webpages, apps, and files stored on top of the Arweave network.[23]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Carless, Will. "It looks like a regular video-streaming site. It's fundraising for white supremacists, report says". USA TODAY.
- ^ "A website that provides a platform for neo-Nazis got its seed funding from Boston elites". GBH. September 30, 2024.
- ^ "Blockchain-based Odysee keeps your social media content online". ZDNET.
- ^ Ha, Anthony (2020-12-07). "Odysee aims to build a more independent video platform". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2024-09-28.
- ^ a b c d "Extremist-friendly tech company closes after legal fine". theguardian.com. Retrieved 28 September 2024.
- ^ Wilson, Jason (2023-07-16). "Extremist-friendly tech company closes after legal fine". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-10-16.
- ^ "Digital Threat Report: Odysee". Southern Poverty Law Center. Retrieved 2024-09-28.
- ^ "On Odysee: The Role of Blockchain Technology for Monetisation in the Far-Right Online Milieu". ISD. Retrieved 2024-09-28.
- ^ "Odysee: list of geo-blocking requests shows the EU and EU Member States are far from doing enough to enforce the law". EU DisinfoLab. Retrieved 2024-09-28.
- ^ "What is Arweave? Your Essential Guide | Bitcompare". bitcompare.net. Retrieved 2024-10-23.
- ^ "Arweave: A Protocol for Economically Sustainable Information Permanence" (PDF).
- ^ "Crypto Exchange | Bitcoin Exchange | Bitcoin Trading | KuCoin". www.kucoin.com. Retrieved 2024-10-23.
- ^ 0xPhillan (2022-06-28). "Arweave: Permanent Decentralized Cloud Storage". Web3edge. Retrieved 2024-10-23.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "Arweave (AR) - TokenTimes". 2024-07-24. Retrieved 2024-10-23.
- ^ "Arweave Adds Over 7M Users As Forward Research Acquires Odysee and Solarplex".
- ^ "Decentralized YouTube alternative Odysee acquired by Forward Research despite content concerns".
- ^ "Arweave acquires crypto social media app Odysee: 'We haven't won until it replaces Twitter'". DL News. Retrieved 2024-11-08.
- ^ VIDEO: The Future of Odysee. 2024-07-10. Retrieved 2024-11-08 – via odysee.com.
- ^ "What is Blockweave?".
- ^ "Blockweave ■ Crypto Glossary". 2024-02-06. Retrieved 2024-10-23.
- ^ Wojciechowski, Jakub (2023-07-19). "EVM vs SmartWeave: A comprehensive guide for consenting developers (Part 1)". CryptoSlate. Retrieved 2024-10-23.
- ^ Wojciechowski, Jakub (2023-07-23). "EVM vs SmartWeave: A comprehensive guide for consenting developers (Part 2)". CryptoSlate. Retrieved 2024-10-23.
- ^ Inc, Permanent Data Solutions (2023-11-24). "What is the permaweb?". ar.io. Retrieved 2024-10-23.
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