Is Civil following Steemit?

Here is the story: A Former Politico Editor Is Using Ethereum to Help Fix Journalism

And simple introduction:

We propose a solution called Civil, an Ethereum-based decentralized platform that can be used to create “newsrooms” and >“stations” — blockchain-based marketplaces where citizens and journalists form communities around a shared purpose and set >of standards, financially support factual reporting and investigative work, and substantially limit misinformation through >effective collaborative-editing methods. The net result is a self-sustaining global marketplace for journalism that is free from >ads, fake news, and outside influence.
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Sounds interesting and seems that Steem will have a competitor. How serious?