Decentralized Social Narratives - #1 Privacy & Security

Often, when I talk to people about decentralized social networks (that know nothing or very little about them), I get asked the big question…

Why? Why do we need decentralized social networks?

My response always starts with a deep breath, a sigh and then saying something like “Oh, geez, where do I start?”

This is what prompted me to start this mini-series of articles which will explain the 9 key narratives consider to be the driving forces behind the need for decentralized social networks and onchain social media.

These narratives answer the question of “why” and are linked to problems you may have already experienced on existing social networks, such as…

• Privacy & Security

• Content/Data Ownership

• Security & Data Privacy

• Moderation, Censorship & Deplatforming

• Misinformation & Disinformation

• Annoying & Creepy Advertising

• Bots & Scammers

• Algorithmic Bias & Manipulation

• Political Bias & Influence

In future newsletters, I’ll discuss each of these problems in-depth.

Today we’re going to dive into the first narrative.

Social Media Privacy & Security

Have you ever stopped to think about who really controls your personal data on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram? The harsh reality is that on traditional centralized social networks, you have very little ownership over the information you share.

The leading social media tech giants store vast amounts of user data on centralized servers, thus making them prime targets for malicious hackers. A single data breach can expose the private information of billions of users to exploitation. Such breaches have enabled identity theft, financial fraud, and other misuse of personal data in the past.

Beyond security vulnerabilities, centralized platforms are also notorious for shady data mining practices. They meticulously track user behaviors, preferences, and interactions, often selling this valuable data to third-party advertisers and marketers. All without providing any meaningful benefit or compensation to the people that data belongs to… the users.

The centralized control of user data has led to cases of government overreach, illegal surveillance and data sharing demands that compromise privacy. What was once a tool for connecting with friends and family and sharing cat videos, has become a serious threat to data security.

Freedom From Big Tech Data Stranglehold

Fortunately, a new social media paradigm is emerging that returns control over personal information and online data back to users - decentralized social media networks running on blockchain technology.

By leveraging decentralized data storage and the blockchain, these new social apps and platforms eliminate the core vulnerability of traditional centralized social media — a single point of failure from centralized databases. Data is instead distributed across a decentralized network of nodes, with no centralized honeypot of data for hackers to target.

This decentralized architecture makes it exponentially more difficult for bad actors to access and exploit user information. Your data's security is strengthened through its distribution across the network.

Beyond hardening security, decentralized social networks also ensure true data privacy by giving users full transparency and control. A blockchain offers an immutable record which means you get to decide exactly who can access your social data and personal information. No more being spied on or having your data sold by profit-hungry corporations.

Some decentralized social platforms have even gone a step further, allowing users to opt-in to monetizing their own data by selling it directly to advertisers and keeping most or all of that ad revenue. With decentralized social networks like DeSo Protocol, data privacy are becoming new revenue stream for online creators in a new and emerging decentralized social economy.

The Revolution Will Be Decentralized

The emergence of decentralized social media marks a revolutionary turning point. For the first time, we are reclaiming ownership over our personal data and digital social identities from the centralized control of large social media monopolies.

It’s time we stop letting our data be leverages as a corporate asset to be covertly monetized by social media giants. With blockchain-based decentralized social networks, we can openly choose what we share and even profit directly from or keep it 100% private if we so desire.

For this one reason alone, I believe the future of social media will be decentralized, sovereign, and user-controlled. It’s likely there will still always be centralized social apps in the future, but they will be built on a decentralized social web.

In 2024, we are now progressing beyond an exploitative regime of corporate data ownership, and into a new age of true individual privacy, security, and data monetization rights.

As the onchain social landscape continues evolving, privacy and security will be a core theme, even while offering native onchain monetization features to social media creators.

P.S.

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