An effective blockchain-based system for tracking viral content origins in social media

Abstract

Tracking the origins of viral content in social media is crucial for identifying misinformation, ensuring accountability, and protecting intellectual property. By tracing content back to its source, platforms can curb the spread of false narratives, hold malicious actors responsible, and safeguard creators’ rights. In this work, “Effective blockchain based system for tracking viral content origins in social media-(BCTVCO)” is proposed. The BCTVCO is a blockchain-based content authentication platform that leverages interplanetary file system (IPFS), smart contracts, and cryptographic hashing to verify digital assets and detect unauthorized reuse. This decentralized application addresses the challenges of content authenticity, ownership verification, and intellectual property protection in the digital space. The system integrates Ethereum smart contracts (Solidity) to store immutable content records and uses SHA-256 hashing for secure file integrity verification. Content is uploaded to IPFS via Web3. Storage, ensuring distributed and tamper-resistant storage. The React-based frontend with MetaMask authentication allows users to seamlessly register, upload, and track their content. In implementation, BCTVCO outperformed existing methods and proved to be a scalable, transparent, and secure blockchain-based content verification system. Future enhancements of BCTVCO involve multi-chain support and AI-powered content analysis to strengthen security and usability.