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A community backlash erupted after Soneium’s launch, with critics calling its restrictions anti-decentralizing.
Japanese Multinational conglomerate Sony has entered the spotlight in the blockchain space with the launch of Soneium, its proprietary technology Layer-2 The solution is based on Ethereum network. Designed to “unlock new possibilities, enhance fan engagement and leverage the transformative potential of web3 technology,” Soneium promises a future in which creators, fans and developers collaborate in a decentralized digital space, according to a January 14 report. Mainnet launch announcement.
But not everyone is buying it — cryptocurrency hardliners are angry about the platform’s controversial approach to protecting intellectual property.
What is sonium?
Soneium is Sony’s bold leap into web3. Built on the Optimism Foundation’s OP Stack, the blockchain aims to bridge the gap between web2 and web3 users. The platform integrates Sony’s NFT-based fan marketing platform and Sonyium Spark, initiatives designed to support creators and deliver unique experiences to fans.
Soneium also leverages Sony’s entertainment divisions – Sony Pictures, Sony Music and Sony Music Publishing – offering blockchain-based digital collectibles to fans as a gateway to exclusive content. the goal? To boost fan engagement and foster deeper connections between creators and their audiences.
But Soneium isn’t just about fun and games. They are mobilizing tools to protect intellectual property and promise fair profit sharing, with the aim of transforming digital innovation. However, some in the cryptocurrency public are angry, accusing developers of cheating investors with censorship features.
Community reaction
The launch was not without hiccups. While some celebrated Soneium’s launch, others expressed concerns about its approach to restricting some blockchain activities. Co-founder of creative studio Defi Pink Brains Ignas, commenting on the launch of Soneium, male In X’s post that “all existing corporate L2s are failing and will probably never align with Ethereum, due to their different incentive structures.”
The backlash comes from Soneium’s policy of blacklisting titles associated with intellectual property violations or malicious actions. Although intended to protect creators, it has sparked discussions about decentralization and fairness in web3, which is widely viewed as a space built on openness, user autonomy, and resistance to central control.
How Soneium’s censorship features work
Soneium has a system in place to address unauthorized use of intellectual property and potentially malicious activity. When an infringement is suspected, the platform adds the offending contract address to its list of “suspected intellectual property rights infringers,” according to network policy. Documents. The listing triggers a warning period, allowing developers to resolve issues without facing restrictions.
If the issues are not resolved, the nodes will be placed on a restricted list. This means limited activities – such as cutting off public access to RPC and even making it invisible on tools like Block Explorer. However, Sunium emphasizes that these procedures are reversible. However, once improvements are made, the status of the contract can be re-evaluated, the developers say, adding that the ratings “may be updated or removed after a comprehensive review.”
Sunium replied
The Soneium team has defended its policies, emphasizing its commitment to decentralization while protecting creators. After backlash from the community, developers I took to X To assure users that the network remains “committed to protecting creators’ intellectual property rights and on-chain rights while maintaining the spirit of decentralization!”
“Our documents explain how to protect intellectual property rights and combat malicious activity – all while keeping web3’s core values of openness and innovation intact.”
Sunim
Crypto.news reached out to the Soneium team but did not receive any response before publication. Although Soneium’s director, Sota Watanabe, did not directly address the backlash, he shared an X post after the community spoke out about developers wanting to use the OP Stack to “protect creators’ rights from intellectual property violations.”
Despite the features of censorship, there are still ways to get around it.
As explained by Gautham Santhosh, founder of the Ethereum-based Multinomial Derivatives Network Share XSony may try to impose censorship at the RPC level. However, they cannot prevent users from paying transactions via the Ethereum mainnet. This is because the design of the OP Stack “forces each l2 to inherit Ethereum’s security guarantees.”
While Soneium seems to have had a bit of a rocky start, Sony’s quest to integrate blockchain with everyday life could still set a new standard in web3. It remains to be seen whether the network can deliver on its promise of a fairer, more connected digital world or remain just another niche network with limited influence.
