Exploring blockchain video streaming platforms

The landscape of video streaming has evolved significantly, especially accelerated by the pandemic, with popular platforms like Hulu, Disney+, and HBO Max thriving, while others like Quibi and CNN+ have failed. The industry is divided into ads-based platforms, like YouTube, and subscription-based ones, such as Netflix. Amidst rising competition and challenges like algorithmic censorship, a new wave of decentralized platforms is emerging, aiming to provide a censorship-free, community-owned ecosystem using blockchain technology. These decentralized platforms face several technical challenges, including file storage, rights management, and creating a trustless ecosystem. Solutions are being explored through projects like Arweave, Filecoin, IPFS, BitTorrent, and Theta, which offer various decentralized storage and content protection mechanisms. Monetization remains a complex issue, with platforms experimenting with different models such as Chainflix's ads-based approach, LBRY's pay-per-view model, and Steemit's content rewards system. Despite the potential for innovation, decentralized video streaming platforms struggle to match the reliability and scalability of centralized giants, highlighting the ongoing challenge of achieving a truly decentralized and viable video streaming service.