Content delivery systems that use blockchain to manage content

A method, comprising:

• specifying, by a content delivery network, access rights to a first copy of an item of content in a blockchain, each block of the blockchain implementing a cryptographic hash has associated with a prior block of the blockchain and a timestamp;
• tracking, by at least one processor of the content delivery network, storage of a second copy of the item of content locally via the blockchain;
• obtaining from a blockchain network a local copy of the blockchain;
• receiving, via a communication network, a request from a content access device to access the first copy of the item of content while the blockchain network is unavailable due to network failure;
• determining to allow the access using the local copy of the blockchain;
• determining, based at least in part of the local copy of the blockchain, that the second copy of the item of content can be provided in response to the request from the content access device;
• presenting information regarding the second copy of the item of content on a display and allowing a user to select the second copy of the item of content to be provided;
• determining to provide the second copy of the item of content using the at least one processor;
• providing, via the communication network, the second copy of the item of content to the content access device to satisfy the request;
• reconnecting to the blockchain network due to resolution of the network failure;
• and
• reconciling the local copy of the blockchain to the blockchain upon reconnection to the blockchain network, the reconciling comprising:
• determining that changes were made to the blockchain prior to the reconnection that impact the allowance of the access;
• and
• denying access to the first copy of the item of content and the second copy of the item of content until access rights in the blockchain are updated to reflect the allowance of the access.