The New York Times will start using blockchain technology to fight fake news which has crippled the media in recent past. The technology will verify the provenance of digital files. The publication plans to run their experiment from July 2019 until the end of the year.

For now, the publication will use blockchain to verify the authenticity of photographs in its stories and other news. The blockchain authentication system will store image identification information including shot location, photographer, and editing information. This identifying information would travel with the photograph and allow an organization to track usage online and in social media.

Though the application has not yet expanded to the actual content it is an encouraging first step towards the widespread use of blockchain. It will create a safer environment for consumers and a more efficient process for businesses and organizations.

If the use of blockchain to fight fake news becomes a success it will affect both the news industry and the blockchain sector. The technology could potentially eliminate the unauthorized usage of images or misleading news stories. This would be a change for the news industry allowing media to protect both their assets and the public. For blockchain, it will mean more publications and other organizations will explore the ways that it might help them.