Leveraging Distributed Ledger Technologies and Blockchain to Combat Fake News
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The rise of ubiquitous misinformation, disinformation, propaganda and post-truth, often referred to as fake news, raises some concerns over the role of Internet and social media in modern democratic societies. Due to its rapid and widespread diffusion, online fake news have not only an individual or societal cost (e.g., hamper the integrity of elections), but they can lead to significant economic losses (e.g., affect stock market performance) or risks to national security. Blockchain and other Distributed Ledger Technologies (DLTs) guarantee the provenance and traceability of the data by providing a transparent, immutable and verifiable record of transactions while creating a peer-to-peer platform for exchanging, storing and securing information. This article aims to explore the potential of DLTs and blockchain to combat fake news, reviewing initiatives that are currently under development and identifying their main current challenges. Moreover, some recommendations are enumerated to guide future researchers on issues that will have to be tackled to face fake news, as an integral part of strengthening the resilience against cyber-threats of today's online media.
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