Identifying copyrighted material using embedded timestamped copyright information

A computer-implemented method for embedding copyright information in textual content, the method comprising:

• generating, by one or more computing devices, a plurality of timestamps indicating respective times at which updates to the textual content are performed to provide respective updated versions of the textual content;
• generating, by the one or more computing devices, a plurality of unique identifiers (IDs) based on respective timestamps of the plurality of timestamps and based on copyright information associated with the textual content, wherein the plurality of unique IDs indicate one or more blockchain transactions in a blockchain of a blockchain network, the one or more blockchain transactions storing the copyright information and the plurality of timestamps;
• and
• embedding, by the one or more computing devices, the plurality of unique IDs cumulatively into the respective updated versions of the textual content, such that a latest version of the textual content includes each of the plurality of unique IDs, to provide an information-embedded latest version of the textual content that enables a) a determination of the respective times of the respective updates based on the plurality of timestamps stored in the blockchain, b) retrieval of the copyright information associated with the textual content from the blockchain based on the plurality of unique IDs, and c) construction of a timeline of updates to the textual content based on the plurality of timestamps stored in the blockchain.

A non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium storing one or more instructions executable by a computer system to perform operations for embedding copyright information in textual content, the operations comprising:

• generating a plurality of timestamps indicating respective times which updates to the textual content are performed to provide respective updated versions of the textual content;
• generating a plurality of unique identifiers (IDs) based on respective timestamps of the plurality of timestamps and based on copyright information associated with the textual content, wherein the plurality of unique IDs indicate one or more blockchain transactions in a blockchain of a blockchain network, the one or more blockchain transactions storing the copyright information and the plurality of timestamps;
• and
• embedding the plurality of unique IDs cumulatively into the respective updated versions of the textual content, such that a latest version of the textual content includes each of the plurality of unique IDs, to provide an information-embedded latest version of the textual content that enables a) a determination of the respective times of the respective updates based on the plurality of timestamps stored in the blockchain, b) retrieval of the copyright information associated with the textual content from the blockchain based on the plurality of unique IDs, and c) construction of a timeline of updates to the textual content based on the plurality of timestamps stored in the blockchain.

A computer-implemented system, comprising:

• one or more computers;
• and
• one or more computer memory devices interoperably coupled with the one or more computers and having tangible, non-transitory, machine-readable media storing one or more instructions that, when executed by the one or more computers, cause the one or more computers to perform one or more operations for embedding copyright information in textual content, the operations comprising:
• generating a plurality of timestamps indicating respective times which updates to the textual content are performed to provide respective updated versions of the textual content,
• generating a plurality of unique identifiers (IDs) based on respective timestamps of the plurality of timestamps and based on copyright information associated with the textual content, wherein the plurality of unique IDs indicate one or more blockchain transactions in a blockchain of a blockchain network, the one or more blockchain transactions storing the copyright information and the plurality of timestamps, and
• embedding the plurality of unique IDs cumulatively into the respective updated versions of the textual content, such that a latest version of the textual content includes each of the plurality of unique IDs, to provide an information-embedded latest version of the textual content that enables a) a determination of the respective times of the respective updates based on the plurality of timestamps stored in the blockchain, b) retrieval of the copyright information associated with the textual content from the blockchain based on the plurality of unique IDs, and c) construction of a timeline of updates to the textual content based on the plurality of timestamps stored in the blockchain.