February 16, 2025 • 29 mins
In this episode, we explore the rapid rise of decentralized social media (DeSoc) and the key technologies behind Web3 and Web5. Platforms like Lens Protocol, Mastodon, Bluesky, and Subsocial aim to disrupt traditional, centralized social networks like Facebook, Twitter (X), and TikTok, offering users true data ownership, privacy, and monetization opportunities through blockchain technology. We’ll discuss the challenges of scalability, user adoption, content moderation, and how emerging concepts like NFTs, SocialFi, and smart contracts are shaping the future of online interaction. Plus, we’ll dive into Mark Cuban’s new project, exploring his ambitions to create a decentralized alternative to TikTok using the AT Protocol.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
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(00:47):
Alright, so today we're diving deep into blockchain social networks. We've got a really fascinating mix of sources here.
Academic papers, news articles, even some YouTube videos. It's a lot to unpack, but I've got to say, after looking through it all, the possibilities are pretty mind-blowing.
Yeah, you're right about that. I mean, imagine a world where you actually own your data, you know? You control your whole online experience,
(01:08):
and you can even earn crypto just for being an active member of the community. That's the whole promise of these blockchain social networks.
It is one of the sources, it's a research paper that titles really long and complicated, but it basically dives into this system called BCOSN. It uses this, well, kind of a clever combination of encryption methods.
You know, we're talking about things like asymmetric and homomorphic encryption.
(01:31):
Yeah, that's some pretty tacky stuff.
It is, it is, but basically what it means for the average user is crazy levels of privacy and security. Like you choose exactly who sees your posts and no one else can access your data.
Not even the platform itself. Right, you're not the product. Exactly. Then there's this YouTube video about some social, though. I gotta say completely hook me.
They have this concept of spaces, which are basically these like digital communities built on the blockchain.
(01:55):
Creators can design their own spaces, set the rules, and even make money from them.
So it's like owning a digital apartment building and being able to collect rent in crypto. Yeah, exactly.
And it's not just about making content, it's about actually owning a piece of the internet.
You know, like you become a stakeholder in the network and your voice actually matters. So what's got you most intrigued about all of us?
(02:16):
Well, to me, what's really fascinating is how this whole movement toward decentralization is like a direct response to the growing dissatisfaction with these big social media giants, you know, the ones we have now.
A lot of the sources, I mean, everything from the news articles to the academic papers, they all highlight the same concerns like the lack of privacy, censorship.
(02:38):
For sure. And this feeling that users are the product, not the customer. Right. Think about it. How much control do you really have over your data on platforms like Facebook or Twitter?
They track your every move, Kalella, all your personal information and use it to target you with ads.
Or even try to manipulate your opinions.
It could be scary. Yeah. And if they decide they don't like what you're saying, boom, they can shadow ban you, censor your content, or even kick you off the platform entirely.
(03:03):
You're gone. And that's it. Yeah.
Blockchain offers a way out of that system by distributing control across this entire network of users.
It makes it much harder for any single entity like a company to kind of exert too much influence or exploit user data.
So it's more democratic in a way. Exactly. Yeah. And what's really exciting is that there's no one size fits all approach here.
(03:24):
Different platforms are experimenting with all these different models of decentralization, each with its own strengths and, well, challenges too.
Yeah, I was reading about Macedon. It lets users control their own servers, right? It's like creating these little independent communities.
It's almost like a digital version of the early internet before the big tech companies took over.
Exactly. It's all about giving users more autonomy, more choice. Some platforms like Miwi, they're attracting users who are specifically looking for alternatives to mainstream social media because they feel like their voices are being silenced or their privacy is being violated.
(04:00):
Yeah, it makes sense. Others like that BCOSN system we talked about are pushing the boundaries of anonymity and privacy, letting users kind of participate in the social graph without even revealing their identities.
Wow. It makes you think, what would your ideal social media experience look like? What features would you prioritize? How much control would you want over your data, over your online interactions?
(04:23):
Good questions. Yeah.
You know, it's interesting even Mark Zuckerberg, right? He's acknowledged the problems with the current system, whatever sources it's actually opposed from his own Facebook page.
He admits that most social platforms are built on this model that prioritizes profits over user benefit.
Yeah, it's true. The business model, I mean, as it is right now, it relies on collecting and monetizing user data, often without their full understanding or consent.
(04:47):
Several of the sources like this research paper, understanding and improving user controlled go deep into the ethical implications of all this data harvesting.
It's like we're stuck in this digital wild west, you know, our data is being mined and traded like some kind of commodity.
That's a great analogy and the censorship issue adds another layer to it all.
In one of the YouTube videos I have, Justin Razzvani, he created this decentralized platform called Zaya. He actually compares censorship to inflation.
(05:13):
Wow, that's interesting.
He argued that it's a hidden tax on our freedom of speech and expression.
He's got a point. It's not just about, you know, like blatant censorship. It's about the subtle ways these platforms can manipulate algorithms or shadow bands certain voices to control the narrative.
It's actually kind of scary to think about how much power these companies have over the flow of information.
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It is unsettling and that's a big part of why people are looking for alternatives.
They want platforms where they can express themselves freely, control their own data and be part of a community that aligns with their values.
And that's where blockchain comes in, right? It's like this disruptive technology that has the potential to, you know, kind of up end this whole social media landscape as we know it.
(05:56):
Exactly. Blockchain with its, you know, principles of transparency, security and decentralization.
It offers a way to address a lot of these problems we've been talking about.
Okay, so let's get a little bit technical here. How does it actually work?
All right, so imagine a digital network of computers. They're all holding identical copies of this ledger.
And this ledger records every single transaction, every post, every interaction, basically everything that happens on the platform.
(06:22):
Now here's the key. This ledger is constantly being verified and validated by the entire network.
So it's basically tamper proof, really secure.
Oh, I see.
If someone tries to change a record, the whole network will reject it. So when you post something on a blockchain social network, it's not just stored on some central server, you know, controlled by one company, it's actually distributed across this whole network.
(06:43):
Got it.
So it's way harder to censor or manipulate.
So it's like having, I don't know, a million digital notaries all verifying the authenticity of, you know, like every piece of content.
Ha ha, that's a great way to put it. And that BCOSN system we talked about earlier, they take it even further. They use all these advanced encryption techniques so that only the people you want to see your posts can actually access them.
(07:06):
It's like having a digital lock box for your most private thoughts and conversations, like no one else can peek inside.
Okay, so I think I'm starting to get the technical side of things. But what about the actual platforms themselves? What are some of the most promising blockchain social network out there? And what makes them unique?
All right, well, they're subssocial, which we talked about a little bit earlier with their spaces. It's all about giving creators the power to build their own communities and, you know, monetize their content directly.
(07:31):
No middleman taking a cut. It's like a decentralized version of Patreon or only fans.
Oh, okay.
And then there's mastodon, which we also mentioned. It's a federated network of independent servers. It gives users more control over their data and, you know, how their community is moderated.
Right. And then there's me, we, which is kind of positioning itself as the anti-facebook, really focusing on privacy, data ownership and a more ethical business model.
(07:56):
Okay. But honestly, there's so much more out there. Yeah, it seems like a platforms like mines, diaspora and steam it.
They're all experimenting with different models of decentralization and something called tokenomics.
Whoa, tokenomics. That sounds interesting. What's that all about? Are users actually earning crypto on these platforms?
Yeah, that's a key part of the blockchain social media model. Instead of platforms making all the profit off of user data, they actually reward users for their contributions.
(08:22):
Oh, okay.
So you can earn tokens for posting, commenting, curating content, even just holding a certain amount of the platform's cryptocurrency.
So it's like getting paid for being an active member of the community.
Exactly.
That's pretty cool. But are these platforms, you know, are they just kind of niche experiments?
Or do they actually have the potential to like go mainstream and really challenge the big social media giants?
(08:43):
Yeah, I think that's the million dollar question. The technology is there. The vision is compelling.
But there are definitely some challenges.
I bet. Like what?
Well, one of the research papers that highlights some of the technical hurdles of building truly decentralized systems that can scale to millions of users.
Yeah, that makes sense. It's one thing to build a small independent community on the blockchain.
But it's another thing entirely to create a platform that can rival, you know, the scale and features of Facebook or Twitter.
(09:10):
Exactly. And then there's the issue of user adoption, you know, people are creatures of habit.
It's hard to get them to leave the platforms where all their friends and family are.
Yeah, for sure.
Even if those platforms are, you know, kind of exploiting their data or censoring their voices.
And let's be honest, blockchain is still a pretty intimidating concept for most people.
One of the YouTube videos we watched talked about how important it is to make these platforms more user friendly if we want to see widespread adoption.
(09:36):
Yeah, it can feel like you need a computer science degree just to, you know, post a selfie.
Exactly. So while the potential is huge, there's still a long way to go before blockchain's social networks become this mainstream phenomenon.
Right.
But the momentum is building and the innovation is happening really fast.
All right. Before we go too far, let's step back and think about the big picture.
Let's talk about the problems with centralized social media, the promise of blockchain as a solution and all these challenges in building decentralized platforms.
(10:02):
What about the future? What trends are shaping the evolution of social media?
And how might blockchain play a role in all of that?
Well, there are a few key trends, I think, are worth highlighting.
One is the rise of artificial intelligence or AI.
A lot of the sources we've looked at, you know, the articles and research papers, they talk about how AI could be integrated into social media.
And how do you think about the things like personalizing content, filtering out spam and even moderating harmful behavior?
(10:29):
So like imagine having this AI assistant, right, that helps you manage your online presence.
Like it curates your news feed and even suggests new people to connect with base on your interests.
Exactly. It could make social media more efficient, more relevant and potentially even safer.
That's interesting. But wouldn't that just give even more power to the tech companies who are controlling these algorithms?
(10:51):
That's why the whole concept of decentralized AI is so important.
Imagine these AI algorithms that aren't controlled by any single company but are governed by the community, ensuring fairness and transparency.
That's what a lot of the blockchain people are working towards.
So it's not just about decentralizing the platforms themselves, it's about decentralizing the technology that powers them.
Exactly. And another trend is the emergence of dipons. That stands for decentralized physical infrastructure networks.
(11:18):
Okay, that's a new one. What are dipons all about?
So think about it. The internet, as we know it, relies on this really centralized infrastructure of servers, cables and data centers, often controlled by just a handful of companies.
This makes it vulnerable to things like censorship, outages, you know, even attacks.
Depends aim to create this more resilient and decentralized infrastructure for the internet using blockchain technology.
(11:40):
Imagine a network of devices from your computer to your phone to even like IoT centers, all contributing to this shared pool of computing power and storage.
So it's kind of like turning the whole internet into one giant distributed supercomputer.
Exactly. And this could have huge implications for these blockchain social networks. Imagine platforms that aren't relied on any single company or data center.
(12:01):
Wow. They'd be virtually indestructible and super resistant to censorship.
That's pretty mind blowing. It's like taking the power of the internet back from the corporations and giving it back to the people.
Right.
Okay, one more acronym for you, RWA's real world assets. What are those all about?
This is where things get really interesting. RWA's are basically digital representations of real world assets like property, artwork, or intellectual property.
(12:24):
They're stored and traded on the blockchain.
Oh, okay. So are you saying I could own a piece of digital real estate or like a virtual van go?
Yeah, exactly. And this could have huge implications for social media. Imagine a platform where creators can tokenize their content, turning their followers into investors, and sharing the profits from their work.
Businesses could even use RWA's to create these new forms of digital loyalty programs or reward systems.
(12:48):
So we're not just talking about sharing cat videos and political rants anymore. We're talking about like a whole new digital economy built on blockchain, where users have more ownership and control and way more opportunity.
Yeah, it's a complete paradigm shift.
Wow. This is a lot to process. We've gone from the technical details of blockchain to the challenges of decentralization to all these futuristic trends like AI, Depends, and RWA's.
(13:13):
It's clear that the world of social media is on the verge of a major transformation.
Absolutely. And it's a really exciting time to be a part of it.
Okay, before we wrap up this part of our deep dive, I have one more question for you.
We've talked a lot about the potential benefits of these blockchain social networks.
But what about the risks? I mean, could this decentralized future come with its own set of challenges?
That's a great question. And it's one we're going to explore in a lot more detail in the next part of our deep dive.
(13:38):
Welcome back. You know, we left off with a pretty big question. What about the potential downsides of this whole decentralized social media utopia?
It's easy to get caught up in the excitement of all the possibilities, but I think it's important to consider the challenges too, right?
Absolutely. And one of the biggest concerns is got to be content moderation. Like, if there's no central authority calling the shots,
who's actually responsible for keeping things, you know, civil and for preventing the spread of really harmful content?
(14:05):
That's a good point. Right now platforms like Facebook and Twitter, they have these huge teams dedicated to monitoring content,
taking down hate speech and trying to like battle misinformation.
But in a decentralized world, how does that even work?
Yeah, that's the real dilemma. A lot of the sources we've been looking at, including a research paper titled,
Understanding and Improving User Control. They really highlight this as a major challenge.
(14:28):
Okay.
Some platforms like Mewee are trying to find a balance, you know, like they have community guidelines and mechanisms for reporting abuse,
but it's a tough line to walk.
Yeah, isn't that putting a lot of pressure on individual users? I mean, not everyone wants to be like a digital share of constantly on the lookout for bad guys.
You're right. It's definitely not a perfect solution. And there are, you know, legitimate concerns about whether a purely community driven approach can actually like effectively combat things like hate speech, harassment and misinformation.
(14:56):
So what are the alternatives? Is there a way to have both freedom and responsibility in this kind of decentralized world?
That's the question, isn't it? Some platforms are looking into using AI for content moderation.
You know, imagine algorithms that can actually detect and flag potentially harmful content. It could give users a lot more control over what they see.
Okay, I see, but doesn't that just shift the power from big tech companies to big AI companies?
(15:21):
Exactly. It's a slippery slope. We don't want to replace one form of centralized control with another, right?
The goal is to find a system that empowers users while also protecting them from harm.
It sounds like there's no easy answer. This whole decentralization thing seems kind of like a giant experiment.
Like we're all just figuring it out as we go along. That's a really good way to put it. It's an ongoing evolution, you know?
And honestly, there's no guarantee that it'll even succeed.
(15:44):
But isn't that kind of what makes it so exciting? I mean, we're witnessing the birth of a new internet, one that's built on different principles and values.
Who knows what amazing things could come out of all this experimentation?
I completely agree. There's a sense of possibility here that's really contagious. Even if we don't have all the answers yet, the journey itself is incredibly valuable.
Okay, so let's talk about some specific platforms that are actually trying to tackle all these challenges.
(16:07):
You mentioned Mewe earlier. What makes them stand out in this crowded social media landscape?
Well, Mewe is interesting because they're really laser focused on privacy and data ownership.
They have a strict no tracking policy and they don't sell user data to advertisers, which is kind of a refreshing change from the data hungry practices of the big tech companies.
Yeah, it is, but can they really compete with the network effects of these giants like Facebook? It's tough to convince people to switch platforms when all their friends and family are already on these more established networks.
(16:38):
It's definitely an uphill battle, but Mewe has actually been growing steadily and they've attracted a pretty loyal following of users who are, well, just fed up with the way things are.
They're proving that there is a demand for a more ethical and privacy focused social media experience.
Okay, that's good. And what about mines? They've been around for a while and they have this reputation for being like a free speech haven.
(16:59):
How do they approach content moderation?
So, mines uses kind of a combination of community guidelines and a tokenized reward system.
Oh, interesting. Users can earn tokens for, you know, contribute into the platform and they can actually use those tokens to kind of boost the visibility of their content or even exchange them for other cryptocurrencies.
So it's like this built in incentive system that encourages good behavior and discourages, you know, things like trolling or spamming.
(17:25):
Exactly. It's a way to leverage the power of the community to, you know, self-regulate in a way.
Interesting. But what about the platforms that are truly decentralized? Like, um, Mastodon, how do they handle content moderation without any central authority?
Right. So, Mastodon relies on this federated model, which basically means that each server they call them instances has its own rules and moderation policies.
(17:52):
Users can actually choose to join instances that, you know, align with their own values and beliefs. It's kind of like choosing your own online neighborhood.
So, if you're not happy with the way one instance is being run, you could just like pack up and move to a different one.
Exactly. It's a form of self-governance and because there are like thousands of Mastodon instances out there, you know,
there's this huge variety of communities to choose from.
(18:14):
Okay. I'm starting to see the appeal of this whole decentralized model. It's about giving users more control and more choice, right?
But let's be honest, it's not all sunshine and roses. There's got to be some downsides, right?
Of course. There are definitely some challenges. One of the biggest is scalability.
Can these decentralized platforms actually handle like the traffic and the complexity of millions of users?
(18:36):
Yeah, we talked about that a little bit earlier. It's one thing to build a small niche community, but it's a whole other thing to create a platform that can rival the scale and the functionality of a Facebook or Twitter.
Exactly. And then there's the user experience. A lot of these platforms still have this pretty steep learning curve. They're not as intuitive or user-friendly as, you know, your typical mainstream social media giants.
(18:58):
Yeah, that makes sense. If it's too complicated for the average person to figure out, they're just not going to bother.
That's right. So usability is a huge factor in the success of these platforms. They need to be easy to use. They need to be visually appealing.
And they need to offer something truly compelling, you know, a real alternative to the way things are now.
Right. And let's not forget about the technical challenges, too. I mean, building these truly decentralized systems, ones that are secure, scalable, and resistant to censorship that's no small feat.
(19:25):
Oh, absolutely. It requires a ton of innovation and some serious technical expertise.
And there's always a risk, you know, like unforeseen vulnerabilities or attacks.
So it's a balancing act trying to create a system that's both secure and accessible, decentralized, but not chaotic.
Precisely. And that's actually what makes this whole space so fascinating is this constant process of experimentation, adaptation, and evolution.
(19:49):
All right. So we've explored some of the potential downsides of decentralization, the challenges of content moderation, and the hurdles that these platforms are facing.
But I'm still really curious about those futuristic trends we were talking about earlier. You know, AI, Depends, RWA's, how do they fit into all of this?
Well, those are the technologies that could really take blockchain social networks to a whole other level.
(20:11):
Let's start with AI. You mentioned that it could be used for content moderation, but what are some other potential applications?
I mean, AI could play a role in everything from content creation to personalized recommendations.
Imagine having an AI assistant that helps you craft the perfect post, filters out irrelevant content, and even connects you with people who have similar interests.
That sounds kind of like something out of a sci-fi movie, but is it really feasible?
(20:35):
It's actually closer than you might think. AI is advanced so rapidly, and a lot of the sources we've looked at, they talk about the potential impact on social media.
Of course, there are ethical considerations to think about.
Right. We don't want to create this dystopian future where algorithms are controlling our lives.
Exactly. That's why it's so important to develop these AI systems in a way that's transparent, accountable, and aligns with human values.
(20:59):
Okay, so AI could potentially enhance the user experience and make these platforms more efficient.
What about Depends? How could decentralized infrastructure benefit blockchain social networks?
So imagine a social media platform that's not hosted on any single server, but is distributed across the entire network of devices all over the world.
That sounds pretty resilient, no single point of failure.
(21:21):
Exactly. Depends could make these platforms virtually indestructible and super-resistant to censorship.
It'd be much harder for any government or corporation to just shut them down.
Wow, that would be a real game changer.
It would, and it's a vision that a lot of blockchain enthusiasts are really working towards.
Okay, last but not least, RWA is you mentioned that they could create all these new economic opportunities for creators and businesses.
(21:43):
Can you elaborate on that a little bit?
Yeah, so imagine a world where you can actually tokenize your creative work, your social media following, even your reputation.
You could turn your fans into investors, share profits from your content, and really build a much more equitable and sustainable creator economy.
That's pretty mind-blowing. So we're not just talking about sharing content anymore.
(22:04):
We're talking about actually owning a piece of the digital landscape.
Exactly. RWA's could revolutionize how we think about value creation and ownership in the digital age.
Wow, this is a lot to take in. We've gone from the challenges of decentralization to the potential of these super-futuristic technologies.
It's clear that the future of social media is going to be very different from what we're used to.
Absolutely, and it's going to be fascinating to see how it all unfolds.
(22:28):
All right, before we wrap up part two of our deep dive, let's take a moment to just reflect on what we've learned so far.
We've explored the potential benefits and the potential risks of these blockchain social networks.
We've talked about the challenges of content moderation, scalability, user experience, and we've kind of gotten a glimpse into a future where AI, depends and RWA's could completely transform the digital landscape.
(22:50):
It's been a whirlwind tour, but hopefully you're starting to see the bigger picture here.
And in part three, we're going to take an even closer look at some specific platforms that are really leading the charge in this decentralized revolution.
We'll examine their features, the challenges they face, and their vision for the future.
Stay tuned. We'll be right back.
All right, welcome back to the final part of our deep dive into blockchain social networks.
(23:12):
We've covered a lot of ground from the problems with those centralized platforms to all the potential of these decentralized solutions.
So now it's time to get specific. We're going to take a closer look at some of the platforms that are really leading the charge in this whole digital revolution.
First up, let's talk about steam it. One of our sources, YouTube video from CoinMarketCap, they describe steam it as one of the earliest blockchain social networks.
(23:36):
What makes it so unique?
Well, steam it really stands out because of their innovative three token system.
You got steam, steam power, and steam dollars.
Okay, so break that down for me.
All right, so steam is like the basic cryptocurrency of the platform.
It's traded on exchanges just like Bitcoin or Ethereum.
Gotcha.
But steam power is where it gets really interesting.
(23:57):
Holding steam power actually gives you more influence on the network.
Okay. So you have a bigger say in what content gets promoted and you can even earn a portion of the newly created steam.
Oh, that's interesting. So it's kind of like having voting rights in a company, right?
Based on how many shares you own, except in this case, it's a decentralized network.
Yeah, exactly. The more steam power you have, the bigger your voice in the community.
(24:19):
And then there's steam dollars. Those are pegged to the US dollars.
So they provide a more stable kind of currency within the platform.
Oh, that's pretty clever. It gives users a way to protect themselves from all the volatility of the crypto market.
But has steam it been successful? I mean, have they managed to attract a big user base?
Well, you know, they've definitely had their ups and downs like a lot of early blockchain projects.
They've faced some challenges with scalability and user experience.
(24:44):
Sure.
But they're still around. They're still evolving, you know?
That's good.
Steam it was a real pioneer in the space and it paved the way for a lot of the platforms that came after it.
Okay, so let's move on to another platform that comes up a lot when we talk about blockchain social media.
Diaspora. This one seems to be all about decentralization and user control.
What sets it apart?
So diaspora is built on this federated network of independent servers. They're called pods.
(25:10):
Pods, okay.
And users can actually choose which pod they want to join or they can even create their own.
This gives them complete control over their data and, you know, their community.
So it's kind of like choosing your own neighborhood online, right?
You can opt for a quiet cul-de-sac or a bustling city center.
Ha ha. Yeah, that's a great analogy.
And because each pod is independent, there's no single point of failure.
(25:32):
The whole network is more resilient, more resistant to censorship.
Okay, I see.
But wouldn't that make it harder to connect with people, you know, outside your chosen pod?
Not really. Diaspora uses this protocol called Federation, which basically lets users on different pods interact with each other.
Oh, okay.
It's like having different email providers, but you can still send messages back and forth.
(25:55):
That's a pretty clever solution. It allows for both autonomy and interconnectedness.
Okay, so we've talked about steam it in diaspora.
Now let's explore platform that's been making some waves recently.
Mines. One of the articles we have describes mines as like a free speech haven.
How do they live up to that claim?
Well, mines takes a very hands-off approach to continent moderation.
(26:16):
They really believe that users should be able to, you know, express themselves freely without censorship.
Okay.
Of course, they do have some basic community guidelines to, you know, prevent abuse and harassment.
But for the most part, they let the community kind of self-regulate.
That's a pretty bold approach. Isn't there a risk that the platform could, you know, become a breeding ground for things like hate speech and misinformation?
(26:38):
Yeah, that's a legitimate concern.
And honestly, it's a debate that's been going on since like the early days of the internet.
Mines argues that, you know, the best way to combat bad ideas is with good ideas.
Okay.
They think that open dialogue and critical thinking are more effective than censorship.
That's an interesting philosophy. And I guess it's attracted a pretty diverse user base.
It is. Mines has become a popular platform for people who feel like their voices are being silenced, you know, on those mainstream social media sites.
(27:06):
That's steam it with its three token system, diaspora with its federated network of pods and mines with its free speech ethos.
These are just a few examples of the many different approaches to blockchain social media.
One thing they all have in common is this desire to like give users more control over their whole online experience, right?
Yeah, exactly. They're all challenging status quo in their own ways. They're all pushing the boundaries of what's possible.
(27:31):
But let's be realistic, you know, these platforms are facing some serious hurdles.
Oh, for sure. One of the biggest I think is user adoption. Yeah.
It's really hard to convince people to leave the platforms where all their friends and family are, you know?
Yeah, I get it.
Even if those platforms are, you know, kind of exploiting their data or censoring their voices.
Right. It's that whole network effect thing, right?
Exactly. The more people use a platform, the more valuable it becomes.
(27:54):
And that's a tough thing to overcome for these, you know, these up-and-coming platforms.
Yeah. And then there's the whole usability issue.
A lot of these platforms, they're still kind of technical and not as, you know, user-friendly as those mainstream counterparts.
Yeah, that's true. I mean, they really need to improve the user experience if they want to attract a wider audience.
Right. So it's this balancing act. They need to be both innovative and accessible.
(28:17):
Exactly. They need to offer a compelling alternative while also making it easy for people to, you know, to make the switch.
Well, I think we've covered a lot of ground in this deep dive.
We've explored the problems with centralized social media, the potential of blockchain as this like solution,
and all the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.
We've looked at specific platforms, talked about their features, debated their merits.
(28:41):
But ultimately, the future of social media is really up to us, the users.
We have the power to choose the platforms that align with our values.
We have the power to demand more control over our data and our online experiences.
And we have the power to shape the digital landscape. I mean, really for generations to come.
(29:02):
Yeah. It's an exciting time to be alive, the internet's evolving, and we're all part of this evolution.
So as we wrap up this deep dive, we want to leave you with this question.
What kind of internet do you want to be a part of? Thanks for joining us.
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(00:20):
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(00:47):
Alright, so today we're diving deep into blockchain social networks. We've got a really fascinating mix of sources here.
Academic papers, news articles, even some YouTube videos. It's a lot to unpack, but I've got to say, after looking through it all, the possibilities are pretty mind-blowing.
Yeah, you're right about that. I mean, imagine a world where you actually own your data, you know? You control your whole online experience,
(01:08):
and you can even earn crypto just for being an active member of the community. That's the whole promise of these blockchain social networks.
It is one of the sources, it's a research paper that titles really long and complicated, but it basically dives into this system called BCOSN. It uses this, well, kind of a clever combination of encryption methods.
You know, we're talking about things like asymmetric and homomorphic encryption.
(01:31):
Yeah, that's some pretty tacky stuff.
It is, it is, but basically what it means for the average user is crazy levels of privacy and security. Like you choose exactly who sees your posts and no one else can access your data.
Not even the platform itself. Right, you're not the product. Exactly. Then there's this YouTube video about some social, though. I gotta say completely hook me.
They have this concept of spaces, which are basically these like digital communities built on the blockchain.
(01:55):
Creators can design their own spaces, set the rules, and even make money from them.
So it's like owning a digital apartment building and being able to collect rent in crypto. Yeah, exactly.
And it's not just about making content, it's about actually owning a piece of the internet.
You know, like you become a stakeholder in the network and your voice actually matters. So what's got you most intrigued about all of us?
(02:16):
Well, to me, what's really fascinating is how this whole movement toward decentralization is like a direct response to the growing dissatisfaction with these big social media giants, you know, the ones we have now.
A lot of the sources, I mean, everything from the news articles to the academic papers, they all highlight the same concerns like the lack of privacy, censorship.
(02:38):
For sure. And this feeling that users are the product, not the customer. Right. Think about it. How much control do you really have over your data on platforms like Facebook or Twitter?
They track your every move, Kalella, all your personal information and use it to target you with ads.
Or even try to manipulate your opinions.
It could be scary. Yeah. And if they decide they don't like what you're saying, boom, they can shadow ban you, censor your content, or even kick you off the platform entirely.
(03:03):
You're gone. And that's it. Yeah.
Blockchain offers a way out of that system by distributing control across this entire network of users.
It makes it much harder for any single entity like a company to kind of exert too much influence or exploit user data.
So it's more democratic in a way. Exactly. Yeah. And what's really exciting is that there's no one size fits all approach here.
(03:24):
Different platforms are experimenting with all these different models of decentralization, each with its own strengths and, well, challenges too.
Yeah, I was reading about Macedon. It lets users control their own servers, right? It's like creating these little independent communities.
It's almost like a digital version of the early internet before the big tech companies took over.
Exactly. It's all about giving users more autonomy, more choice. Some platforms like Miwi, they're attracting users who are specifically looking for alternatives to mainstream social media because they feel like their voices are being silenced or their privacy is being violated.
(04:00):
Yeah, it makes sense. Others like that BCOSN system we talked about are pushing the boundaries of anonymity and privacy, letting users kind of participate in the social graph without even revealing their identities.
Wow. It makes you think, what would your ideal social media experience look like? What features would you prioritize? How much control would you want over your data, over your online interactions?
(04:23):
Good questions. Yeah.
You know, it's interesting even Mark Zuckerberg, right? He's acknowledged the problems with the current system, whatever sources it's actually opposed from his own Facebook page.
He admits that most social platforms are built on this model that prioritizes profits over user benefit.
Yeah, it's true. The business model, I mean, as it is right now, it relies on collecting and monetizing user data, often without their full understanding or consent.
(04:47):
Several of the sources like this research paper, understanding and improving user controlled go deep into the ethical implications of all this data harvesting.
It's like we're stuck in this digital wild west, you know, our data is being mined and traded like some kind of commodity.
That's a great analogy and the censorship issue adds another layer to it all.
In one of the YouTube videos I have, Justin Razzvani, he created this decentralized platform called Zaya. He actually compares censorship to inflation.
(05:13):
Wow, that's interesting.
He argued that it's a hidden tax on our freedom of speech and expression.
He's got a point. It's not just about, you know, like blatant censorship. It's about the subtle ways these platforms can manipulate algorithms or shadow bands certain voices to control the narrative.
It's actually kind of scary to think about how much power these companies have over the flow of information.
(05:35):
It is unsettling and that's a big part of why people are looking for alternatives.
They want platforms where they can express themselves freely, control their own data and be part of a community that aligns with their values.
And that's where blockchain comes in, right? It's like this disruptive technology that has the potential to, you know, kind of up end this whole social media landscape as we know it.
(05:56):
Exactly. Blockchain with its, you know, principles of transparency, security and decentralization.
It offers a way to address a lot of these problems we've been talking about.
Okay, so let's get a little bit technical here. How does it actually work?
All right, so imagine a digital network of computers. They're all holding identical copies of this ledger.
And this ledger records every single transaction, every post, every interaction, basically everything that happens on the platform.
(06:22):
Now here's the key. This ledger is constantly being verified and validated by the entire network.
So it's basically tamper proof, really secure.
Oh, I see.
If someone tries to change a record, the whole network will reject it. So when you post something on a blockchain social network, it's not just stored on some central server, you know, controlled by one company, it's actually distributed across this whole network.
(06:43):
Got it.
So it's way harder to censor or manipulate.
So it's like having, I don't know, a million digital notaries all verifying the authenticity of, you know, like every piece of content.
Ha ha, that's a great way to put it. And that BCOSN system we talked about earlier, they take it even further. They use all these advanced encryption techniques so that only the people you want to see your posts can actually access them.
(07:06):
It's like having a digital lock box for your most private thoughts and conversations, like no one else can peek inside.
Okay, so I think I'm starting to get the technical side of things. But what about the actual platforms themselves? What are some of the most promising blockchain social network out there? And what makes them unique?
All right, well, they're subssocial, which we talked about a little bit earlier with their spaces. It's all about giving creators the power to build their own communities and, you know, monetize their content directly.
(07:31):
No middleman taking a cut. It's like a decentralized version of Patreon or only fans.
Oh, okay.
And then there's mastodon, which we also mentioned. It's a federated network of independent servers. It gives users more control over their data and, you know, how their community is moderated.
Right. And then there's me, we, which is kind of positioning itself as the anti-facebook, really focusing on privacy, data ownership and a more ethical business model.
(07:56):
Okay. But honestly, there's so much more out there. Yeah, it seems like a platforms like mines, diaspora and steam it.
They're all experimenting with different models of decentralization and something called tokenomics.
Whoa, tokenomics. That sounds interesting. What's that all about? Are users actually earning crypto on these platforms?
Yeah, that's a key part of the blockchain social media model. Instead of platforms making all the profit off of user data, they actually reward users for their contributions.
(08:22):
Oh, okay.
So you can earn tokens for posting, commenting, curating content, even just holding a certain amount of the platform's cryptocurrency.
So it's like getting paid for being an active member of the community.
Exactly.
That's pretty cool. But are these platforms, you know, are they just kind of niche experiments?
Or do they actually have the potential to like go mainstream and really challenge the big social media giants?
(08:43):
Yeah, I think that's the million dollar question. The technology is there. The vision is compelling.
But there are definitely some challenges.
I bet. Like what?
Well, one of the research papers that highlights some of the technical hurdles of building truly decentralized systems that can scale to millions of users.
Yeah, that makes sense. It's one thing to build a small independent community on the blockchain.
But it's another thing entirely to create a platform that can rival, you know, the scale and features of Facebook or Twitter.
(09:10):
Exactly. And then there's the issue of user adoption, you know, people are creatures of habit.
It's hard to get them to leave the platforms where all their friends and family are.
Yeah, for sure.
Even if those platforms are, you know, kind of exploiting their data or censoring their voices.
And let's be honest, blockchain is still a pretty intimidating concept for most people.
One of the YouTube videos we watched talked about how important it is to make these platforms more user friendly if we want to see widespread adoption.
(09:36):
Yeah, it can feel like you need a computer science degree just to, you know, post a selfie.
Exactly. So while the potential is huge, there's still a long way to go before blockchain's social networks become this mainstream phenomenon.
Right.
But the momentum is building and the innovation is happening really fast.
All right. Before we go too far, let's step back and think about the big picture.
Let's talk about the problems with centralized social media, the promise of blockchain as a solution and all these challenges in building decentralized platforms.
(10:02):
What about the future? What trends are shaping the evolution of social media?
And how might blockchain play a role in all of that?
Well, there are a few key trends, I think, are worth highlighting.
One is the rise of artificial intelligence or AI.
A lot of the sources we've looked at, you know, the articles and research papers, they talk about how AI could be integrated into social media.
And how do you think about the things like personalizing content, filtering out spam and even moderating harmful behavior?
(10:29):
So like imagine having this AI assistant, right, that helps you manage your online presence.
Like it curates your news feed and even suggests new people to connect with base on your interests.
Exactly. It could make social media more efficient, more relevant and potentially even safer.
That's interesting. But wouldn't that just give even more power to the tech companies who are controlling these algorithms?
(10:51):
That's why the whole concept of decentralized AI is so important.
Imagine these AI algorithms that aren't controlled by any single company but are governed by the community, ensuring fairness and transparency.
That's what a lot of the blockchain people are working towards.
So it's not just about decentralizing the platforms themselves, it's about decentralizing the technology that powers them.
Exactly. And another trend is the emergence of dipons. That stands for decentralized physical infrastructure networks.
(11:18):
Okay, that's a new one. What are dipons all about?
So think about it. The internet, as we know it, relies on this really centralized infrastructure of servers, cables and data centers, often controlled by just a handful of companies.
This makes it vulnerable to things like censorship, outages, you know, even attacks.
Depends aim to create this more resilient and decentralized infrastructure for the internet using blockchain technology.
(11:40):
Imagine a network of devices from your computer to your phone to even like IoT centers, all contributing to this shared pool of computing power and storage.
So it's kind of like turning the whole internet into one giant distributed supercomputer.
Exactly. And this could have huge implications for these blockchain social networks. Imagine platforms that aren't relied on any single company or data center.
(12:01):
Wow. They'd be virtually indestructible and super resistant to censorship.
That's pretty mind blowing. It's like taking the power of the internet back from the corporations and giving it back to the people.
Right.
Okay, one more acronym for you, RWA's real world assets. What are those all about?
This is where things get really interesting. RWA's are basically digital representations of real world assets like property, artwork, or intellectual property.
(12:24):
They're stored and traded on the blockchain.
Oh, okay. So are you saying I could own a piece of digital real estate or like a virtual van go?
Yeah, exactly. And this could have huge implications for social media. Imagine a platform where creators can tokenize their content, turning their followers into investors, and sharing the profits from their work.
Businesses could even use RWA's to create these new forms of digital loyalty programs or reward systems.
(12:48):
So we're not just talking about sharing cat videos and political rants anymore. We're talking about like a whole new digital economy built on blockchain, where users have more ownership and control and way more opportunity.
Yeah, it's a complete paradigm shift.
Wow. This is a lot to process. We've gone from the technical details of blockchain to the challenges of decentralization to all these futuristic trends like AI, Depends, and RWA's.
(13:13):
It's clear that the world of social media is on the verge of a major transformation.
Absolutely. And it's a really exciting time to be a part of it.
Okay, before we wrap up this part of our deep dive, I have one more question for you.
We've talked a lot about the potential benefits of these blockchain social networks.
But what about the risks? I mean, could this decentralized future come with its own set of challenges?
That's a great question. And it's one we're going to explore in a lot more detail in the next part of our deep dive.
(13:38):
Welcome back. You know, we left off with a pretty big question. What about the potential downsides of this whole decentralized social media utopia?
It's easy to get caught up in the excitement of all the possibilities, but I think it's important to consider the challenges too, right?
Absolutely. And one of the biggest concerns is got to be content moderation. Like, if there's no central authority calling the shots,
who's actually responsible for keeping things, you know, civil and for preventing the spread of really harmful content?
(14:05):
That's a good point. Right now platforms like Facebook and Twitter, they have these huge teams dedicated to monitoring content,
taking down hate speech and trying to like battle misinformation.
But in a decentralized world, how does that even work?
Yeah, that's the real dilemma. A lot of the sources we've been looking at, including a research paper titled,
Understanding and Improving User Control. They really highlight this as a major challenge.
(14:28):
Okay.
Some platforms like Mewee are trying to find a balance, you know, like they have community guidelines and mechanisms for reporting abuse,
but it's a tough line to walk.
Yeah, isn't that putting a lot of pressure on individual users? I mean, not everyone wants to be like a digital share of constantly on the lookout for bad guys.
You're right. It's definitely not a perfect solution. And there are, you know, legitimate concerns about whether a purely community driven approach can actually like effectively combat things like hate speech, harassment and misinformation.
(14:56):
So what are the alternatives? Is there a way to have both freedom and responsibility in this kind of decentralized world?
That's the question, isn't it? Some platforms are looking into using AI for content moderation.
You know, imagine algorithms that can actually detect and flag potentially harmful content. It could give users a lot more control over what they see.
Okay, I see, but doesn't that just shift the power from big tech companies to big AI companies?
(15:21):
Exactly. It's a slippery slope. We don't want to replace one form of centralized control with another, right?
The goal is to find a system that empowers users while also protecting them from harm.
It sounds like there's no easy answer. This whole decentralization thing seems kind of like a giant experiment.
Like we're all just figuring it out as we go along. That's a really good way to put it. It's an ongoing evolution, you know?
And honestly, there's no guarantee that it'll even succeed.
(15:44):
But isn't that kind of what makes it so exciting? I mean, we're witnessing the birth of a new internet, one that's built on different principles and values.
Who knows what amazing things could come out of all this experimentation?
I completely agree. There's a sense of possibility here that's really contagious. Even if we don't have all the answers yet, the journey itself is incredibly valuable.
Okay, so let's talk about some specific platforms that are actually trying to tackle all these challenges.
(16:07):
You mentioned Mewe earlier. What makes them stand out in this crowded social media landscape?
Well, Mewe is interesting because they're really laser focused on privacy and data ownership.
They have a strict no tracking policy and they don't sell user data to advertisers, which is kind of a refreshing change from the data hungry practices of the big tech companies.
Yeah, it is, but can they really compete with the network effects of these giants like Facebook? It's tough to convince people to switch platforms when all their friends and family are already on these more established networks.
(16:38):
It's definitely an uphill battle, but Mewe has actually been growing steadily and they've attracted a pretty loyal following of users who are, well, just fed up with the way things are.
They're proving that there is a demand for a more ethical and privacy focused social media experience.
Okay, that's good. And what about mines? They've been around for a while and they have this reputation for being like a free speech haven.
(16:59):
How do they approach content moderation?
So, mines uses kind of a combination of community guidelines and a tokenized reward system.
Oh, interesting. Users can earn tokens for, you know, contribute into the platform and they can actually use those tokens to kind of boost the visibility of their content or even exchange them for other cryptocurrencies.
So it's like this built in incentive system that encourages good behavior and discourages, you know, things like trolling or spamming.
(17:25):
Exactly. It's a way to leverage the power of the community to, you know, self-regulate in a way.
Interesting. But what about the platforms that are truly decentralized? Like, um, Mastodon, how do they handle content moderation without any central authority?
Right. So, Mastodon relies on this federated model, which basically means that each server they call them instances has its own rules and moderation policies.
(17:52):
Users can actually choose to join instances that, you know, align with their own values and beliefs. It's kind of like choosing your own online neighborhood.
So, if you're not happy with the way one instance is being run, you could just like pack up and move to a different one.
Exactly. It's a form of self-governance and because there are like thousands of Mastodon instances out there, you know,
there's this huge variety of communities to choose from.
(18:14):
Okay. I'm starting to see the appeal of this whole decentralized model. It's about giving users more control and more choice, right?
But let's be honest, it's not all sunshine and roses. There's got to be some downsides, right?
Of course. There are definitely some challenges. One of the biggest is scalability.
Can these decentralized platforms actually handle like the traffic and the complexity of millions of users?
(18:36):
Yeah, we talked about that a little bit earlier. It's one thing to build a small niche community, but it's a whole other thing to create a platform that can rival the scale and the functionality of a Facebook or Twitter.
Exactly. And then there's the user experience. A lot of these platforms still have this pretty steep learning curve. They're not as intuitive or user-friendly as, you know, your typical mainstream social media giants.
(18:58):
Yeah, that makes sense. If it's too complicated for the average person to figure out, they're just not going to bother.
That's right. So usability is a huge factor in the success of these platforms. They need to be easy to use. They need to be visually appealing.
And they need to offer something truly compelling, you know, a real alternative to the way things are now.
Right. And let's not forget about the technical challenges, too. I mean, building these truly decentralized systems, ones that are secure, scalable, and resistant to censorship that's no small feat.
(19:25):
Oh, absolutely. It requires a ton of innovation and some serious technical expertise.
And there's always a risk, you know, like unforeseen vulnerabilities or attacks.
So it's a balancing act trying to create a system that's both secure and accessible, decentralized, but not chaotic.
Precisely. And that's actually what makes this whole space so fascinating is this constant process of experimentation, adaptation, and evolution.
(19:49):
All right. So we've explored some of the potential downsides of decentralization, the challenges of content moderation, and the hurdles that these platforms are facing.
But I'm still really curious about those futuristic trends we were talking about earlier. You know, AI, Depends, RWA's, how do they fit into all of this?
Well, those are the technologies that could really take blockchain social networks to a whole other level.
(20:11):
Let's start with AI. You mentioned that it could be used for content moderation, but what are some other potential applications?
I mean, AI could play a role in everything from content creation to personalized recommendations.
Imagine having an AI assistant that helps you craft the perfect post, filters out irrelevant content, and even connects you with people who have similar interests.
That sounds kind of like something out of a sci-fi movie, but is it really feasible?
(20:35):
It's actually closer than you might think. AI is advanced so rapidly, and a lot of the sources we've looked at, they talk about the potential impact on social media.
Of course, there are ethical considerations to think about.
Right. We don't want to create this dystopian future where algorithms are controlling our lives.
Exactly. That's why it's so important to develop these AI systems in a way that's transparent, accountable, and aligns with human values.
(20:59):
Okay, so AI could potentially enhance the user experience and make these platforms more efficient.
What about Depends? How could decentralized infrastructure benefit blockchain social networks?
So imagine a social media platform that's not hosted on any single server, but is distributed across the entire network of devices all over the world.
That sounds pretty resilient, no single point of failure.
(21:21):
Exactly. Depends could make these platforms virtually indestructible and super-resistant to censorship.
It'd be much harder for any government or corporation to just shut them down.
Wow, that would be a real game changer.
It would, and it's a vision that a lot of blockchain enthusiasts are really working towards.
Okay, last but not least, RWA is you mentioned that they could create all these new economic opportunities for creators and businesses.
(21:43):
Can you elaborate on that a little bit?
Yeah, so imagine a world where you can actually tokenize your creative work, your social media following, even your reputation.
You could turn your fans into investors, share profits from your content, and really build a much more equitable and sustainable creator economy.
That's pretty mind-blowing. So we're not just talking about sharing content anymore.
(22:04):
We're talking about actually owning a piece of the digital landscape.
Exactly. RWA's could revolutionize how we think about value creation and ownership in the digital age.
Wow, this is a lot to take in. We've gone from the challenges of decentralization to the potential of these super-futuristic technologies.
It's clear that the future of social media is going to be very different from what we're used to.
Absolutely, and it's going to be fascinating to see how it all unfolds.
(22:28):
All right, before we wrap up part two of our deep dive, let's take a moment to just reflect on what we've learned so far.
We've explored the potential benefits and the potential risks of these blockchain social networks.
We've talked about the challenges of content moderation, scalability, user experience, and we've kind of gotten a glimpse into a future where AI, depends and RWA's could completely transform the digital landscape.
(22:50):
It's been a whirlwind tour, but hopefully you're starting to see the bigger picture here.
And in part three, we're going to take an even closer look at some specific platforms that are really leading the charge in this decentralized revolution.
We'll examine their features, the challenges they face, and their vision for the future.
Stay tuned. We'll be right back.
All right, welcome back to the final part of our deep dive into blockchain social networks.
(23:12):
We've covered a lot of ground from the problems with those centralized platforms to all the potential of these decentralized solutions.
So now it's time to get specific. We're going to take a closer look at some of the platforms that are really leading the charge in this whole digital revolution.
First up, let's talk about steam it. One of our sources, YouTube video from CoinMarketCap, they describe steam it as one of the earliest blockchain social networks.
(23:36):
What makes it so unique?
Well, steam it really stands out because of their innovative three token system.
You got steam, steam power, and steam dollars.
Okay, so break that down for me.
All right, so steam is like the basic cryptocurrency of the platform.
It's traded on exchanges just like Bitcoin or Ethereum.
Gotcha.
But steam power is where it gets really interesting.
(23:57):
Holding steam power actually gives you more influence on the network.
Okay. So you have a bigger say in what content gets promoted and you can even earn a portion of the newly created steam.
Oh, that's interesting. So it's kind of like having voting rights in a company, right?
Based on how many shares you own, except in this case, it's a decentralized network.
Yeah, exactly. The more steam power you have, the bigger your voice in the community.
(24:19):
And then there's steam dollars. Those are pegged to the US dollars.
So they provide a more stable kind of currency within the platform.
Oh, that's pretty clever. It gives users a way to protect themselves from all the volatility of the crypto market.
But has steam it been successful? I mean, have they managed to attract a big user base?
Well, you know, they've definitely had their ups and downs like a lot of early blockchain projects.
They've faced some challenges with scalability and user experience.
(24:44):
Sure.
But they're still around. They're still evolving, you know?
That's good.
Steam it was a real pioneer in the space and it paved the way for a lot of the platforms that came after it.
Okay, so let's move on to another platform that comes up a lot when we talk about blockchain social media.
Diaspora. This one seems to be all about decentralization and user control.
What sets it apart?
So diaspora is built on this federated network of independent servers. They're called pods.
(25:10):
Pods, okay.
And users can actually choose which pod they want to join or they can even create their own.
This gives them complete control over their data and, you know, their community.
So it's kind of like choosing your own neighborhood online, right?
You can opt for a quiet cul-de-sac or a bustling city center.
Ha ha. Yeah, that's a great analogy.
And because each pod is independent, there's no single point of failure.
(25:32):
The whole network is more resilient, more resistant to censorship.
Okay, I see.
But wouldn't that make it harder to connect with people, you know, outside your chosen pod?
Not really. Diaspora uses this protocol called Federation, which basically lets users on different pods interact with each other.
Oh, okay.
It's like having different email providers, but you can still send messages back and forth.
(25:55):
That's a pretty clever solution. It allows for both autonomy and interconnectedness.
Okay, so we've talked about steam it in diaspora.
Now let's explore platform that's been making some waves recently.
Mines. One of the articles we have describes mines as like a free speech haven.
How do they live up to that claim?
Well, mines takes a very hands-off approach to continent moderation.
(26:16):
They really believe that users should be able to, you know, express themselves freely without censorship.
Okay.
Of course, they do have some basic community guidelines to, you know, prevent abuse and harassment.
But for the most part, they let the community kind of self-regulate.
That's a pretty bold approach. Isn't there a risk that the platform could, you know, become a breeding ground for things like hate speech and misinformation?
(26:38):
Yeah, that's a legitimate concern.
And honestly, it's a debate that's been going on since like the early days of the internet.
Mines argues that, you know, the best way to combat bad ideas is with good ideas.
Okay.
They think that open dialogue and critical thinking are more effective than censorship.
That's an interesting philosophy. And I guess it's attracted a pretty diverse user base.
It is. Mines has become a popular platform for people who feel like their voices are being silenced, you know, on those mainstream social media sites.
(27:06):
That's steam it with its three token system, diaspora with its federated network of pods and mines with its free speech ethos.
These are just a few examples of the many different approaches to blockchain social media.
One thing they all have in common is this desire to like give users more control over their whole online experience, right?
Yeah, exactly. They're all challenging status quo in their own ways. They're all pushing the boundaries of what's possible.
(27:31):
But let's be realistic, you know, these platforms are facing some serious hurdles.
Oh, for sure. One of the biggest I think is user adoption. Yeah.
It's really hard to convince people to leave the platforms where all their friends and family are, you know?
Yeah, I get it.
Even if those platforms are, you know, kind of exploiting their data or censoring their voices.
Right. It's that whole network effect thing, right?
Exactly. The more people use a platform, the more valuable it becomes.
(27:54):
And that's a tough thing to overcome for these, you know, these up-and-coming platforms.
Yeah. And then there's the whole usability issue.
A lot of these platforms, they're still kind of technical and not as, you know, user-friendly as those mainstream counterparts.
Yeah, that's true. I mean, they really need to improve the user experience if they want to attract a wider audience.
Right. So it's this balancing act. They need to be both innovative and accessible.
(28:17):
Exactly. They need to offer a compelling alternative while also making it easy for people to, you know, to make the switch.
Well, I think we've covered a lot of ground in this deep dive.
We've explored the problems with centralized social media, the potential of blockchain as this like solution,
and all the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.
We've looked at specific platforms, talked about their features, debated their merits.
(28:41):
But ultimately, the future of social media is really up to us, the users.
We have the power to choose the platforms that align with our values.
We have the power to demand more control over our data and our online experiences.
And we have the power to shape the digital landscape. I mean, really for generations to come.
(29:02):
Yeah. It's an exciting time to be alive, the internet's evolving, and we're all part of this evolution.
So as we wrap up this deep dive, we want to leave you with this question.
What kind of internet do you want to be a part of? Thanks for joining us.
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Therapy Gecko
An unlicensed lizard psychologist travels the universe talking to strangers about absolutely nothing. TO CALL THE GECKO: follow me on https://www.twitch.tv/lyleforever to get a notification for when I am taking calls. I am usually live Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays but lately a lot of other times too. I am a gecko.
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.