POP Network, an introduction

We’re building the new streaming economy powered by blockchain & artificial intelligence

To read the POP Network whitepaper, visit https://thepopnetwork.org

Background

How many online videos did you watch today? How many songs have you streaming this week? Most likely, the answer is “a lot”.

The internet likes animals doing funny stuff.

The internet has evolved into a huge streaming media platform.

The $312 billion streaming economy accounts for over 80% of all internet traffic and touches every aspect of modern society. No matter the language or geography, streaming media is critical human infrastructure. It reflects who we are and shapes who we will become.

This is the function of “pop culture”.

From Beethoven to Beyoncé, mankind has used technology to share the human experience. The printing press, phonograph, radio, television, and so many more revolutionary technologies have changed how we view ourselves and the world around us.

The pop culture technology of our time is streaming.

Problems

Curiously, as the world gets bigger it seems control of streaming gets smaller. Massive centralized corporations like Google, Facebook, and Amazon control the lion’s share of global streaming infrastructure. Because of that, they practically print billions of dollars every year simply sharing the media that others create.

Live look at Google executive counting streaming profits.

Near monopoly power allows dominant platforms to squeeze creators for an ever-increasing share of profits leaving those creators increasingly marginalized. At the same time, opaque and arbitrary platform rules around monetization make it so many creators, even if they have millions of fans, are not able to generate profits at all.

Consumers continue to express their frustration with the status quo as well. The viral growth of ad blockers is a direct rejection of the advertising-supported revenue model. And, the biggest television shows and movies are always available on illegal file sharing sites as consumers seek alternatives to costly subscriptions and arcane territorial restrictions.

It seems the only winners in the current system are the centralized platforms themselves. But, with the invention of blockchain technology, everything is changing…fast.

Opportunities

The traditional streaming media value chain is being disrupted as power shifts from aggregators & platforms to content creators & their social networks.

For incumbents, blockchain is a threat. For insurgents, blockchain is a once-in-a-generation opportunity.

POP Network is a decentralized ecosystem of blockchain & artificial intelligence applications built to create and capture value from this radical transformation.