From Twitter it went to Gettr, from Whatsapp to Telegram. And now it’s YouTube’s turn. The corona skeptics have discovered another video platform for themselves. Her name: Odyssey. Because conspiracy theories can be spread better there – and without major censorship or other controls such as on YouTube. perfect conditions.
No wonder Odyssey has now become the new home for Corona skeptics. Daniel Stricker has meanwhile left. WDCHUR for a long time. And since this week Daniele Ganser too.
However, the success is still extremely modest: while Ganser’s videos easily get 40,000 views per month on YouTube, the new platform usually has less than 50 clicks. Similarly with Stricker: Within a month he reaches 10,000 to 20,000 people on YouTube – on Odyssey there are also 50 clicks here.
Videos can no longer be deleted
The platform, which seems to be particularly popular in right-wing extremist circles, has existed since the end of 2020. Users can upload, comment or like videos. The posts are sorted by topic and trend. All features that are also available on Youtube. In any case, at first glance the platform appears to be just another copy of the world-famous Google company, and the layout is also very similar.
But under the surface things are different. The US platform Odysee is based on blockchain technology and was invented by the creators of the file sharing and payment network LBRY.
The principle is fundamentally different from that of YouTube and other major video platforms: contributions are not uploaded to the servers of the tech giants, but are stored in a decentralized manner in the blockchain – the technology on which, among other things, the cryptocurrency Bitcoin is based. Means: Videos that end up there can no longer be deleted.
“Try not to openly insult others”
Accordingly, there is hardly any censorship on Odyssey. Moderators are missing, as is an adult filter. If posts violate the guidelines – for example, pornography is prohibited – the videos can only be removed from search engines. However, they continue to exist and can also be shared.
And in any case, these guidelines are more of a signpost than strict specifications. The operators also write: “This is the Internet, we understand that. Try not to openly insult and hurt other users.”
The idea works. According to the website tracker “Similarweb.com”, the site had a total of 32 million visitors as of December 2021. A proud number for a platform that only started a year earlier.
Hitler and the Corona conspiracy
Even if many so-called content creators offer normal content, there are also various users who have very extreme views. The most popular videos deal with Corona conspiracy theories, others glorify Adolf Hitler or stream meetings of extremist groups. There are also Swiss people. For example, the right-wing extremist Ignaz Bearth or corona skeptics like Stricker, none of whom need fear censorship.
But maybe they’re on Odyssey for another reason: The platform offers innovative, untraceable ways to make money. Because it has its own cryptocurrency (LBC).
Users can have others pay them to distribute their streams or watch videos. In spring 2021, Odyssey announced that an influencer on the platform earns “very differently, it can be $100, but also $5,000”.