Comparative Analysis and Reputation Improvement Mechanism of Blockchain in Social Networks

Due to the distribution and immutability, research on blockchain-based social networks has attracted extensive attention. To further discover the impact of blockchain on social networks, Steemit and Tumblr, the first social network based on blockchain and a traditional and popular social network, are chosen to compare and analyze from the viewpoint of content and users. In particular, a total of 20000 pieces of data classified as trending or ordinary are obtained from Steemit and Tumblr. The content is analyzed by publishing and dissemination. Moreover, the relationship among users is analyzed in terms of degree centrality, closeness centrality, and eigenvector centrality. The results show that the introduction of blockchain technology and economic incentive mechanisms make users in Steemit more willing to publish and disseminate content and strengthen the social interaction among users. However, Steemit only encourages users to create attractive content, but there is no way to ensure that users create honest content. Thus, a corresponding reputation improvement mechanism is proposed to ensure the authenticity of content on social networks. Finally, the theoretical analysis based on game proves the effectiveness of the improved algorithm.