Briefing: Court to accept blockchain evidence as Douyin files lawsuit against Baidu-backed Huopai

Blockchain data accepted as evidence in legal complaint filed by short video app Douyin – SCMP

What happened: In a first for the country’s entertainment industry, short video platform Douyin has filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against Baidu’s Huopai Video, with evidence being stored on the blockchain. Douyin is seeking RMB 1 million for unauthorized operation and downloads of a video in May.

Why it’s important: China’s supreme court recently ruled that verified digital information, such as digital signatures, timestamps, and records held on the blockchain, could be accepted as evidence. These sorts of evidence are now admissible in the country’s internet courts, the first of which was set up in Hangzhou last year. Lawsuits like this, particularly between big tech companies, will further highlight the use cases of new technologies in judicial matters. Additionally, experts believe that the use of blockchain evidence in China’s courts could also lead to a surge in the number of startups providing blockchain storage solutions.