Numbers Archive
Preserving Digital History:
The Web3 Archive Initiative
The Web3 Archive Initiative
In the digital age, preserving history goes beyond physical artifacts; it extends to digital media, which is susceptible to loss, alteration, and obsolescence. Numbers Protocol aims to build a digital media library and indexing system and stands at the forefront of this preservation effort. Utilizing a unique identifier known as Numbers ID (Nid), Numbers Protocol ensures that every piece of digital media registered is traceable, secure, and accessible on decentralized storage, with detailed information archived on the blockchain. The introduction of the web3 archive initiative marks a significant step towards safeguarding our digital heritage, ensuring that crucial events and information are preserved for future generations.
The Importance of Web3 Archive
Web3 technologies, characterized by their decentralized nature, introduce a new paradigm for archiving. They replace traditional, centralized systems, which are prone to manipulation and loss, with a distributed ledger that is transparent and enduring. This shift is critical for archiving, as it ensures that digital media remains authentic and unaltered over time, providing a trustworthy source of historical data. The Web3 archive not only enhances security and transparency but also makes digital archives more accessible, enabling a broader audience to verify and utilize the information.
Impact and Future Implications
This initiative is more than just an archival project; it's a commitment to the integrity of our digital legacy. By creating a secure, transparent, and accessible record of significant events, Numbers is ensuring that future historians, researchers, and the public have a reliable source of information. The implications extend beyond academia; they touch on governance, accountability, and the very way we perceive history. As blockchain technology evolves, its potential to revolutionize archiving grows, promising a future where digital media's authenticity and provenance are unquestionable. As we move forward, the intersection of blockchain and digital archiving will undoubtedly continue to evolve, shaping a future where digital provenance is clear, ensuring that the digital media of today remains an authentic, trusted resource tomorrow.
How to Check the Numbers Archive
Each archived item includes three files: a profile, a news article (in .pdf format), an image (in .jpg or .png format), and a video (in .mp4 format). Each profile contains the original source link, a decentralized archive link (IPFS), and a Numbers Asset Profile to allow the reader to check the full archive history.
Starting from 2023, the images displayed on the archive showcase page will feature a "Capture Eye" icon at the top-left corner. When readers click on the Eye icon, it will display the provenance on-chain proof without requiring them to leave the page.
*As technology continues to improve, the format may vary each year (2022). The framework is based on the starting year. The archive showcase page may vary depending on tool improvements.
Background
Numbers Protocol is not just a digital repository; it's an ecosystem designed to authenticate, track, and secure digital media. At its core, the Numbers ID (Nid) provides a tamper-evident, transparent record of each media item's history, making it an invaluable tool for digital provenance. In leveraging blockchain technology, Numbers Protocol offers an immutable, decentralized platform where each piece of media's origin, journey, and modifications are indelibly recorded, fostering a new level of trust and reliability in digital content.
Collaboration with Starling Lab
The collaboration between Numbers Protocol and Starling Lab over 78 days to document pivotal events like the 2020 U.S. presidential election, war crimes in Ukraine, and climate change effects in Brazil underscores the protocol's potential. These projects not only demonstrate the protocol's capacity to handle diverse and dynamic content but also its role in creating a verifiable historical record. By capturing these events on the blockchain, they provide a permanent, unalterable account that stands as a testament to the truth, invaluable for future research, education, and accountability.
Declaration
All content archived in the yearly archive project is sourced from public domains, with copyrights retained by the original creators. This non-profit initiative, aimed at decentralized archival for cultural and historical preservation, ensures the integrity and accessibility of digital media for future reference. The content produced and shared by the Numbers Foundation about this project is designed to uphold transparency, accuracy, and respect for intellectual property, reinforcing our commitment to safeguarding digital heritage. If you have any questions or suggestions regarding our archival project or any related matters, please feel free to reach out to us at hi@numbersprotocol.io. We value your input and are here to assist with any inquiries you may have.