Blockchain

Protect your intellectual property

This optional module enables you to protect the intellectual property of content generated on your platform thanks to the Blockchain.

Collaborative innovation platforms offer a rich environment for the creation and exchange of ideas, which can however lead to difficulties in terms of intellectual property protection. When an organizer runs such a platform, clear identification and claiming of ideas generated in his or her name becomes crucial.

For the organizer of a collaborative innovation platform, it may therefore be essential to put in place robust mechanisms to protect shared contributions, ideas and content.

Managing exchanges on GPT

Blockchain can also play a key role in protecting the intellectual property of data exchanged on a GPT-powered platform.

GPT's generative nature means that it can create original content based on the data it has been trained to process. However, this can raise issues relating to the intellectual property of data exchanged on the platform. The risk is that data submitted by members may be transferred to OpenAI, the company that manages GPT.

Indeed, when users interact with GPT, they provide input data that is used by the model to generate responses or outputs. This data can include ideas, concepts or specific information that can be considered intellectual assets.

OpenAI states publicly that they do not use the data shared via their API (which is what we use) and promptly remove it from their systems:

Even so, it's legitimate for an organization to want additional protection. That's why MARYLINK offers automatic time-stamping on the Ethereum blockchain of content shared on the platform. Blockchain is a distributed ledger technology that enables information to be stored transparently, securely and immutably.

Thanks to this system, you have tangible evidence that can be used in court in the event of OpenAI infringing intellectual property rights.

How does it work?

Blockchain technology to create unique fingerprints (hashes) of contributions, guaranteeing their integrity and immutability, and providing irrefutable proof of the content's existence at any given time. This module operates automatically and in real time.

Here's a more detailed version of the process:

1. Publishing or updating content : The content is published or updated on your MARYLINK platform, in one of the following ways publications. This content can represent a variety of ideas, concepts, designs, or other forms of intellectual property created and shared on your platform by your members.
2. Transforming content into a digital hash : A mathematical algorithm (known as a hash function) is used to transform the content into a unique fingerprint, called a hash, for any content added or modified.
3. Adding the hash to the blockchain : This unique fingerprint is then added to a blockchain, a technology for storing and transmitting information without any controlling body. Once a hash has been added to this blockchain, it cannot be deleted or modified by anyone, guaranteeing data integrity and immutability.
4. Preparing the blockchain certificate for download : Once the hash has been added to the blockchain, a certificate is automatically generated. It proves the existence of the content at a given point in time. It includes the entry that led to the creation of the hash (the content in text, as well as the URL of the page where the content is located, i.e. the URL of the publication), a link to the blockchain transaction, and other relevant information. You can easily download this certificate as a PDF from your MARYLINK platform.

Benefits

In the context of a collaborative innovation platform, the advantages of this device for protecting your intellectual property relating to the content generated are manifold:

• Proof of existence : The blockchain certificate provides indisputable proof that the content existed at a specific point in time. This is essential for establishing authorship and priority in intellectual property matters.
• Integrity and immutability: Adding the hash to the blockchain ensures that the content cannot be altered or deleted without leaving a trace. This protects the integrity of the content and provides protection against any attempts at tampering.
• Transparency and traceability: All transactions on the blockchain are transparent and traceable, meaning that every change in content can be tracked and verified.
• Decentralization : Because blockchain is decentralized, no single entity controls the information, making it difficult to manipulate or unilaterally delete information.

An example of use

In the context of a hackathon, an organizer can use this module to protect and claim ownership of all original ideas and content published during the event. 

Let's assume that the organizer of the hackathon is a technology company, let's call it TechInnov. Before the hackathon begins, TechInnov informs all participants that all ideas and content created during the event will be the property of TechInnov. This is a prerequisite for participating in the event.

During the hackathon, teams work on different projects and innovate. They publish their work on a special platform provided by TechInnov Inc. and operated by MARYLINK.

Each time a participant publishes or updates content, the platform generates a unique hash of that content and adds it to the blockchain. TechInnov, as owner of the platform and organizer of the event, holds the keys to accessing and controlling this blockchain data.

At the end of the hackathon, TechInnov can download blockchain certificates for all content created during the event. These certificates provide proof of existence, integrity and ownership of all original content generated during the hackathon.

Thus, in the event of a dispute concerning intellectual property, TechInnov can use these certificates as legal proof of their claim to ownership of the ideas and content generated during the hackathon.

It should be noted that while this method protects the organizer's intellectual property rights, it can raise ethical issues regarding the ownership of ideas generated by participants. It is therefore crucial that participants are fully informed and consent to these conditions prior to their participation.