Blockchain at the service of quality journalism: the Civil case

Abstract

We are in an era marked by misinformation, fake news, and a journalistic crisis. To the economic crisis that has resulted in the disappearance of jobs and numerous conventional media, especially in the printed press sector, one must add an intense crisis of trust. Among the options to escape from this situation, several communication theorists and some companies believe that blockchain technology offers new opportunities for high-quality journalism. Blockchain has its origin in electronic currencies, but it is increasingly being used in digital communication and journalism. This article is dedicated to the case of Civil, the first blockchain platform for journalism, which hosted tens of media, all accepting the commitment to respect the ethical standards imposed by the organization. This case study focuses on the following aspects: the mission and objectives of the Civil project, its origin and history, the structure and governance system of the organization, the role of the cryptocurrency itself, and the ethical principles and professional standards that govern the so-called Civil Community. In order to study Civil, we not only looked at the documents on its website and existing literature, but also carried out interviews with project members, some of them at its headquarters in New York. Likewise, we interviewed the person in charge of the first media that adopted blockchain technology through this platform.