On the technical basis its not trivial to create a performant S3 storage with high concurrency of multiple clients reading and writing.
Isn't the idea of monetizing data with Blockchain storage in general the following?
• Step 1: Provide Blockchain secured Object-Storage including a API. (e.g. by fingerprinting the files a mixture of Blockchain and fast storage for files could be used)
This would come close to a S3-API
• Step 2: Provide a traceable option to monetize you data without losing the option control the data
This is nothing cheap cloud storage can provide you and I am not aware of any mass adopted solution for this. And here comes Blockchain support into play.
Imagine the following:
• Upload your full Facebook archive to a Blockchain secured storage
• Decide which kind of dataset of your archive you would like to monetize
o Anonymized
o Only aggregated data
o Only certain characteristics or records
o Full-Access ($$$ )
• Marketers are enabled to buy you data using APIs
• A smart contract will control:
o The duration of the access right to you data
o Which data is exposed
o By expiring of the smart contract, all access rights will be revoked
• Payments will be done with a corresponding Blockchain token.
Imagine what markets would pay for the full temporary access to you Facebook archive. Why should Facebook only make money by selling you data?
Some people may like to use a Blockchain supported storage solution to control and monetize their data.
Good reasoning and of course it sounds good, but in reality there are many problems with it, IT experience tells me that's too simple, there are problems with this, firstly people won't want to store data in that API because of trust issues, not able to trust that storage will last for the time their mobile app exists, not able to trust it will be secure, not able to trust its reliable because Datum is not google, its Datum, a crypto coin which like all crypto coins has low probability of survival.
Not willing to adopt a new API because it costs time and effort to use and then what is the reward, if there's no immediate reward now then when and what is it? and why care when there are so many free databases, there is a cost in time and effort and learning to use a new API and there needs to be a compelling reward for doing so. Given the choice between a reliable free storage and this Datum which really doesn't have a data marketplace and is not popular and has no monitization option, but talks about it then ... why? really what do I get in return for storage of data in Datum. Then also if Datum had a distribution channel apart from the API it would have helped them immensely, that's a business side problem.