Journalism in the Age of Web3: A Conversation with Camila Russo
Mona and Camila discuss the potential of blockchain technology in journalism, the importance of transparency, and the challenges of achieving financial inclusion in developing countries.
SGC CSO Mona Hamdy sat down with Camila Russo, the founder and editor-in-chief of The Defiant, a news platform focused on decentralized finance (DeFi) and blockchain technology.
The conversation centered on the future of journalism in the Web3 space, the importance of transparency, and the potential for blockchain technology to drive financial inclusion, especially in developing countries.
Decentralized Media Platforms
Camila emphasizes the need for quality journalism that adheres to traditional news gathering standards. She noted that while anyone can become a public figure or thought leader on social media, true journalism requires dedicated professionals who can gather and report on news in a thorough and unbiased manner.
Camila also highlighted the potential of blockchain technology to enhance journalism by providing a verifiable source of information through on-chain transactions. This can be especially useful in investigative journalism, which has seen a decline in funding in recent years.
Financial Inclusion
The conversation soon turned to the challenges of driving financial inclusion through blockchain technology. Camila noted that while the potential is there, adoption is still limited by the need for an on-ramp, such as a bank account, to access crypto. This is a major hurdle for the unbanked and underbanked populations in developing countries who may not have access to traditional financial services.
Mona and Camila discussed the need for applications that are both useful and entertaining to drive adoption. Camila suggested that education alone is not enough, as those who are unbanked or underbanked are unlikely to be reading about Bitcoin on news platforms. Instead, creating applications that people want to use, such as NFT-based games or stablecoin accounts, may be the key to driving adoption.
The Infinite Machine
Camila is also the author of “The Infinite Machine”, the first-ever book about Ethereum. In the interview, Camila mentioned that she wrote the book because she wanted to share her personal experiences and knowledge about blockchain technology with people who might not have access to it or may not fully understand it.
She felt that there was a lack of accessible resources for those who want to learn about the blockchain and wanted to provide a beginner-friendly guide that would be easy to understand. By writing the book, she aimed to spread awareness and promote the adoption of crypto as a means of achieving financial inclusion.
Don’t miss out on the full interview!
This episode of The Feedback Loop is available for video streaming on YouTube and across all the major audio streaming platforms including Spotify and Apple Podcasts.