> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://un2c.gitbook.io/un2c-wp/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://un2c.gitbook.io/un2c-wp/about-un2c/digital-counterfeits-and-the-blockchain.md).
# Digital Counterfeits & The Blockchain
The concept of property ownership in the real world is completely different than in the digital universe. in real life, the problems regarding thefts, fraudulent acquisitions or counterfeits are more solvable than those same problems in the digital environments.
On the internet, a public service accessible to EVERYONE, the possibility to fraudulently duplicate, disseminate and even take profit of any digital content, is endless. Limitations and safeguards are ineffective and easily breached and render “ownership” extremely verisimilar, less demonstrable and does not guarantee any control over a content.
Unfortunately, the legal tools do not have the resources and the flexibility to fight against the phenomenon of counterfeiting in the digital world.
Only an appropriate technological response can be considered and that is where the Blockchain has been introduced, a peer-to-peer network to allow digital information to be distributed but NOT altered or stolen.
As a result come the first created asset, The NFT (non-fungible token) backed by the blockchain, allowing the 'marking' of a content in time and digital space. It “guarantees” the uniqueness of the content and its ownership.
**HOWEVER, a digital content, although 'tokenized' does NOT prevent plagiarism or counterfeits.**
**Smart contracts**, acting as “secured” sales agreements in NFTs, **do not** prevent the Asset’s content (image, video music etc.) from being reutilized & retokenized under a different smart contract and remarketed.
The NFT, simply fulfills a digital signature role independently of the content itself. The token is non-fungible, but the **content** remains so.
As a result, since the beginning of the Blockchain, began an endless wave of digital counterfeits and plagiarism costing a whopping 3 billion dollars’ worth of stolen assets in 2022 ONLY and Web3 marketplace contain **more than 80% of fake assets!**
We believe that this drift constitutes a major obstacle to the sustainable development of digital content exchanges and the future of the Blockchain. Frauds are exponentially growing, and this gradually degrades the confidence of content creators, consumers and marketplaces in the NFT world.