How recent events point to the greater importance of decentralised media...

The viral video entitled "This is what mind control looks like" got me thinking about my hobby of writing on Steemit. It started out as something to do with my spare time that was more productive than passing the time on Facebook with the added bonus of a little supplementary income.

Of course, making a little money doing something that is a hobby is great, even if it's just a couple bucks here and there. But recent events have reminded me that Steemit, with its mission to decentralise media, is about so much more than just money.

The viral video consists of clips from news stations owned by the Sinclair broadcast group. Sinclair broadcast group is the largest owner of TV stations in the United States. This statement against purported "fake news" was a "must-run" - that is - it was required by all the Sinclair-owned TV stations to be run across the country. It was not just run on a particular network - it was shown on multiple networks to audiences of a broad range of backgrounds - a direct message from the political soapbox of the Sinclair broadcast group.

Now, I don't care if you're conservative, liberal, socialist or libertarian - this is indicative of a big problem if you believe in democracy. Economic philosophies aside, if the media is controlled by a few powerful interest groups, we are at the mercy of a propaganda machine that is antithetical to the basic precepts of democracy, particularly the constitutional right to freedom of the press and freedom of expression.

This is where platforms like Steemit become way more important than just a way to make money by speculating or by blogging as a hobby. Blockchain platforms like Steemit can be instrumental in preserving freedom in ways that traditional media, owned by a few powerful oligarchs, simply can not be. It has become more apparent over time that even non-traditional forms of media, when centrally controlled, will not preserve freedom in the way many first imagined.

Take the example of Youtube. Youtube has for years been a way to access media that was not available in traditional channels. Over time, however, it has been tremendously successful and has grown into a massive corporation, owned by Google, that, in order to continue growth, must appeal to its advertisers. As Youtube's owners have a vested interest in pleasing their corporate sponsors, it can not really fulfil the need for an alternative source of media in the long term. It is simply not in its own best interests to do so. It is a private company, after all, and has every right to decide what should and shouldn't be consumed on its platform.

But as private entities, when only a few companies begin to monopolise your sources of information, we run into problems. For example, cryptocurrency ads are being removed from numerous forms of media, such as Twitter. Why? Is it really to "protect consumers"? It's true, there are some pretty scammy ICO's out there. But if that is truly the case, why are other products that serve no beneficial purpose and can be equally harmful openly permitted to advertise via these media? Perhaps, it is to try to stifle growth in a technological and economic field that could shift power from the few elite to a broader base.

Under the guise of safety, freedom can slowly be eroded when the masses accept these false messages from centrally-controlled media. We tend to accept these controls because it feels safer due to the messages invoking fear that are inundating us from all directions. This is where Steemit, Dtube and other decentralised media platforms become much more important as tools for preserving freedoms. It's true, there is plenty of garbage that can be consumed on decentralised media. But without the freedom to have open discourse and to debunk lies, corporations and governments can decide what truth is, to their benefit.

Steemit is still in its infancy. It's true, it does have flaws. One could point to the fact that Steemit itself is monopolised by a few whales who got in early and therefore control most of the ecosystem. It has some growth and changing to do. But it points to a solution that can be worked toward. Decentralisation of media needs to continue, as gradual and slow as it may be. It's not just about money. It's about freedom.

sources:
Youtube

*This is not professional trading advice - it's just my opinion!

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