ARA FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ)
What is Ara?
Ara is a new content protocol with decentralized rewards and distribution.
The Ara platform uses a peer to peer file system to deliver content through a distributed network, the blockchain to store license transactions for each file, and a decentralized identity for each user and piece of content in the network to ensure all data is secure and not owned by any central authority.
Ara enables any device in the world to become part of a global supercomputer, database, and delivery network all at once by utilizing its unused processing, storage, and bandwidth capacity.
What problems does Ara solve?
Ara is solving a couple of key components in the current media business.
Publishers and content creators are able to gain back control of their content and distribution. They are able to set the costs at launch followed by basic distribution terms around a single piece of content. Publishers are able to get paid directly in micropayments at the point of purchase, with future features including revenue splits that are able to be managed directly in a smart contract.
Businesses are able to integrate Ara’s technology to power their content delivery and significantly reduce their content delivery costs.
Finally, consumers are able to “rent” their unused compute power like they would their apartment on Airbnb in exchange for rewards. Within Ara, consumers are able to decide how their data is shared with other organizations, and can rest assured that they will be able to prove ownership to content they have purchased even if the central authority goes away.
What is the relationship between Littlstar and Ara?
Ara is a subsidiary of Little Star Media Inc. and started as a project built by the talented team inside the Littlstar organization. Ara powers all of the platform and distribution technology for Littlstar’s consumer apps, and Littlstar will work to create tools and opportunities to make the Ara network more accessible and robust.
How does Ara use the blockchain?
Every time a new piece of content is added to the network, Ara generates a smart contract associated with that AFS through its decentralized identity. For a creator putting content into the system, that initial smart contract will have a price with initial terms around distribution following in a later release. For a consumer buying that content, the smart contract will act as proof of ownership. At launch, Ara will use the Ethereum blockchain, however the Ara File System is blockchain agnostic.
What are Ara’s use cases?
Ara can be used for any application that requires the sale of media, however it is powerful enough to handle the delivery of any content around the web whether it be movies, video, photos, pdf’s, webpages, software updates…etc. We see some of the early use cases of Ara to be games studios, film or video, music, and individual creators. Ara will also be able to support the completion of arbitrary jobs that require a user’s compute power and/or storage.
How do I discover content on the Ara network?
Any developer or business will be able to build a discovery application on top of the Ara network. Littlstar will put out the first feed of new content that comes into the Ara platform. Littlstar is also working on a browser that would surface some of the best content within the Ara ecosystem. If you are a developer or business and interested in integrating Ara’s technology into your application, email us at: hello@arablocks.io
How secure is my content on the ARA network? Is it more or less secure than DRM/other forms of media protection?
The Ara protocol is simply a form of content delivery with a ownership ledger. The system is not designed to replace traditional DRM solutions, but rather compliment them. Any company can use their current DRM solution and put that content into the Ara network with their DRM baked into the content. Ara provides security of the data as it’s being transferred over the network using a public and private key, and a ledger of everyone who has ever purchased the file.
What are the assets that I need in order to publish on the ARA platform?
A publisher will need a piece of content (or group of content — a tv series, for example) and Ara tokens in order to publish content into the system, and a small amount of Ethereum to cover the gas fees.
Who needs Ara tokens to use the platform?
The Ara token is used by publishers, consumers, and users delivering content in the system in exchange for rewards (similar to mining). Publishers use tokens to publish content on to the Ara network. Consumers use them to purchase that content. Peers or Nodes in the network use Ara as a “deposit” to make themselves discoverable and earn more tokens for their work.
What is a P2P file sharing network?
A P2P (peer to peer) file sharing network is a collection of computers which all share content with each other instead of having one main server sending content to clients. This way, the process of transferring files becomes more efficient and cost effective.
How do I get rewarded with Ara?
To start earning Ara tokens through the platform, a user only needs to download an Ara-enabled application and make their device open as a peer in the network. There are two ways to get your device started delivering content for the system — 1. Purchase one or more pieces of content 2. Allocate a portion of your storage and bandwidth to be used for content delivery.
Where do I find out more about Ara?
Website
Whitepaper
Telegram
Github
Twitter
Facebook
Instagram
Reddit
Token details coming soon.
Any other questions about the Ara network, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at hello@arablocks.io
