An artist uploads their digital painting to OpenSea. Three weeks later, they find someone else selling it as an NFT on a different marketplace. The thief claims they're the original creator.
Who can prove they made it first?
This isn't hypothetical. NFT art theft exploded in 2021 and it's still happening. Artists watch their work get minted by strangers who copy images from Instagram, DeviantArt, or portfolio sites. The blockchain doesn't verify ownership before minting. Anyone can mint anything.
Here's the real problem: NFTs prove when something was minted on-chain. They don't prove when the underlying artwork was created. A thief can mint stolen art and point to their NFT as "proof" they own it. Meanwhile, the real artist has no timestamped evidence of when they actually made the work.
Copyright registration exists, but it takes weeks and costs money. Most artists don't register every piece. By the time they discover theft and file paperwork, the stolen NFT might've already sold.
You need proof that existed before the theft happened. Blockchain timestamping creates that proof in seconds. Your file hash gets anchored to Polygon with a timestamp that nobody can fake or backdate. It's permanent evidence you can use in DMCA takedowns, marketplace disputes, or court.
Outline:
- How NFT Art Theft Actually Works - The mechanics of copying images and minting them as "original" NFTs
- Why Current Protections Fail Artists - Copyright registration delays vs. real-time theft, platform response times
- The Evidence Gap That Thieves Exploit - How stolen NFTs can appear "legitimate" without proper timestamping
- Blockchain Proof vs. NFT Minting - Why when you created matters more than when someone minted
- Building Your Defense Before You Need It - Preventive timestamping strategies for digital artists
