Jakarta, Pintu News – The term attention economy refers to a new paradigm in the digital world, where human attention is the most valuable commodity. In an era where information is abundant, user attention is a limited resource.
Digital platforms such as social media, search engines and news sites are vying to “buy” user attention with ads, notifications and algorithms designed to increase engagement.
However, in these systems, users are often objects rather than active participants. Personal data is used without compensation, and users are inundated with often irrelevant advertisements. This is where Basic Attention Token and Brave browser come in as an innovative blockchain-based solution.
What is Basic Attention Token (BAT)?
Basic Attention Token (BAT) is a crypto token designed to change the way the digital advertising industry works. Created by Brendan Eich, founder of JavaScript and former CEO of Mozilla Firefox, BAT is built on the Ethereum blockchain and serves as a digital currency within the Brave Browser ecosystem.
The ultimate goal is to create a fairer and more transparent system for users, advertisers, and content publishers.
How does BAT Work?
BAT operates within the Brave ecosystem, a privacy-based browser that by default blocks ads, trackers and malware. Instead of displaying random ads, Brave allows users to choose to see relevant ads. In return, they receive BAT as a form of compensation for their attention.
BAT mechanism:
Advertisers pay with BAT to display ads.
Users who watch ads voluntarily earn a share of BAT.
Publishers receive BAT based on the attention they generate from users.
All these interactions are recorded anonymously and securely using blockchain technology and protocols such as Zero-Knowledge Proof (ZKP).
BAT’s Impact on the Advertising Industry
BAT tries to solve some of the major problems in digital advertising:
User Privacy: No third-party data tracking.
Ad Relevance: Only show ads that the user approves of.
Efficiency: Reducing the role of intermediaries like Google or Facebook.
Fair Compensation: Users and publishers get a share of the economic value created.
BAT in Indonesia and its Potential Implementation
Indonesia, with its large digital population and high internet adoption rate, has great potential to adopt a system like BAT. Some possible implementations include:
Local online media that wants to implement an attention-based model.
Content creators who want to monetize their work without relying on annoying ads.
An educational program that teaches digital literacy and privacy protection.
However, challenges remain, such as:
Low public understanding of blockchain technology.
There is a need for regulations that support this new economic model.
Conclusion
Basic Attention Token (BAT) brings a new approach to digital advertising, where users are not only the object of monetization but also compensated for their attention. By utilizing blockchain, BAT offers a transparent, efficient, and fairer ecosystem than traditional advertising systems.
In an increasingly complex digital age, models like BAT and Brave could be the first step towards an ethical, sustainable and more humane attention economy .
