# Towards a New Business Model for Streaming Platforms Using Blockchain Technology
## 3 Understanding the Business Model of Video Streaming Platforms  
As part of our study, we conducted interviews with content creators to understand the business model adopted by companies in this area and identify the challenges and opportunities for improvement. Our criteria for selecting participants were content creators with over 50,000 subscribers and a channel with monetization features. We interviewed ten creators who met these criteria to gain insight into their daily challenges in the dynamic landscape of digital content creation and gather feedback on the solution developed in our work. By adhering to a stringent ethical protocol, we ensured that our interviews were conducted fairly and safely. By selecting creators with a substantial impact, we aimed to gain a comprehensive understanding of the challenges faced by those at the forefront of content generation on video streaming platforms. We conducted two distinct stages during our interviews with content creators. In the first stage, we asked the participants about monetization rules and whether they had access to resources that could help them analyze information about their audience and payment sources. We aimed to understand how well the video streaming platforms provided clear guidelines on monetization and whether content creators had the tools to make informed decisions. Participants in a study were asked about the monetization rules of video streaming platforms. The responses indicated that there is a lack of clear rules for monetization. One participant said, \"There is no clear and easily accessible specification on the platform for how values are calculated and how much is paid for viewing or not viewing an ad\". Another participant added, \"And that amount is very arbitrary. I don't know how much I get paid specifically for what I produce\". This pattern was observed in other participants' responses as well. Moving on to analyzing the audience and origin of payments received, interviewees reported a lack of transparency mechanisms. For example, one participant said, \"We do not have access to the details of why one video received more money than the other\". Another participant reported, \"The platform does not provide any means to verify the origin of the available metrics\". Additionally, some participants mentioned the cost per mile (CPM) metric provided by the platform, which is directly related to the value received by the content creator for each thousand views. Some participants report that the platform providesa control panel with metrics and content information, but there is no clarification on the origin of these metrics or any auditing feature. The lack of detailed information makes it challenging to request monetization, as refusals are communicated without explanation. Additionally, participants are not clear about the value generated by their content. Considering the adversities identified by content creators, a question was created to collect their opinions on possible improvements to the platform where they work. The responses highlighted the suggestion of implementing new features that provided greater control over the ads served before and during the content. It was suggested that functionality should be created to allow creators to list unwanted companies and avoid displaying advertisements incompatible with their materials. Other content creators mentioned the need for new security mechanisms to prevent the loss of hacked accounts. Finally, it was observed that most responses emphasized transparency in information and the specification of clear rules regarding the content produced. The interviews with the content creators provided important insights into the current business model adopted by video streaming platform companies. This understanding guided us in designing the architecture of the proposed solution and specifying the functional requirements.