Verified Views: How Blockchain-enabled Digital Identity Verification Can Combat Fake Accounts and Disinformation on Social Media

Abstract

The study was conducted to unravel the ways through which digital identity verification offered in form of blockchain technology can help combat fake accounts and disinformation across social media platforms. The researchers relied on the survey research and elicited quantitative data from respondents. The purposive sampling technique was utilised to select respondents and online link to questionnaires shared with them to complete the survey. Findings of the study showed that users have realised the importance of blockchain technology and have accepted its capacity to ensure security across online spaces. Furthermore, the researchers found that watermarking, content hashing, smart contracts, distributed ledger technology, blockchain-based content management systems, public key cryptography consensus mechanism and data encryption are some of the essential strategies and protocols utilised by media organisations to bolster information reliability. Blockchain technology was also found to be essential in curtailing the spread of disinformation and also enhancing confidence in digital content. The researcher concluded that blockchain technology holds the capacity to improve the integrity of digital identities in contemporary digitised world. Among others, the researchers recommended that media organisations and other stakeholders embark on sensitisation to enlighten the public about the strength of blockchain technology.