Irem B.
At the present time, almost everyone in the world is using some social media platforms, such as Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Thanks to these platforms, people get information from their loved ones, share their ideas, beliefs, and values, and have fun. However, these platforms have critical issues with security and transparency due to their centralized structure.
Because of the issues with centralized social media platforms, decentralized social media platforms started to shine like stars! Now, we are focusing on decentralized social media and its properties.
Traditional social media platforms are controlled by a single company, so there are authorities for these platforms. For instance, Facebook and Instagram are controlled by Meta, and the company shows the existence of a single centralized unit.
The centralized structure of traditional social media platforms has both advantages and disadvantages. For example, the management becomes easy while users can encounter some censors, server outages, and privacy violations within these platforms.
If you are a Twitter or Instagram user, you have come across unwarranted censors. Also, you can encounter advertisements about a product or service which is talked about by you and your friends. This situation is a proof that we are listened. Furthermore, there are lots of hackers who swindle social media users via their e-mails and social media accounts. In addition to these, users cannot control their data on traditional social media platforms.
Due to the above situations, the requirement for decentralized social media shows itself.
Decentralized social media or Web3 social media is utilizing blockchain technology to store data and manage the platform. Because of the usage of this technology, Web3 social media platforms have a decentralized structure. In other words, they do not require a centralized unit for the administration.
The Advantages of Decentralized Social Media
Thanks to the decentralized structure, Web3 social media offers different benefits to social media lovers.
Censorship Resistance
As we mentioned above, we can encounter illogical censors on traditional social media platforms, but this circumstance does not occur on Web3 social media.
Decentralized social media platforms are open to everyone, and the users are not facing censors because there is no central authority. Thanks to this feature, everyone can share their ideas, values, and beliefs freely and in a good way without the fear of various punishments, like arrest.
Privacy, Control, and Ownership
On traditional social media platforms, users’ data and information are controlled by the centralized unit that is the company of the social media platform, so users do not have a voice on their information. On the other hand, Web3 social media offers the opposite situation to us!
On decentralized social media, users can control their data and information in an effective way because there is no authority. With this property, the ownership is coming to the users’ hands!
In addition to the control and ownership by social media users, Web3 social media platforms keep users’ information, data, and content very secure, so privacy is more intense in these platforms than in traditional social media.
Monetization
On decentralized social media platforms, users and creators can encounter different monetization opportunities.
These type of social media platforms allows the usage of cryptocurrencies and NFTs, so people from the crypto and NFT space can use their digital assets efficiently. Also, digital artists can easily meet with their community members and promote their NFTs on Web3 social media platforms.
The Disadvantages of Decentralized Social Media
Complexity of Usage
Using traditional social media platforms, such as Instagram and Twitter, is very easy, but using decentralized social media is not easy at all.
The elements of this type of social media, like cryptocurrencies and NFTs, can be complicated things for beginners in the crypto/NFT world. Hence, adopting to this type of social media platforms can be difficult for people, especially for newbies in the virtual world.
Fluctuations in the Market
As we explained above, Web3 social media is utilizing cryptocurrencies and other digital assets, and this circumstance can sometimes be a problem for this type of social media’s users.
The crypto market has always fluctuations, so people’s crypto investments are affected every day. This situation has a negative impact on Web3 social media because of the regular use of digital assets in this social media.
Offerings and Management
Although the decentralized structure gives more privacy, transparency, and security to social media, decentralization sometimes makes the management difficult.
In addition to the management issue, Web3 social media platforms have limited features than Web2 social media platforms at the present time. Hence, this type of social media offers a few things to social media lovers, but we know that users will encounter very advanced Web3 social media with rich offerings in the future.
Some Decentralized Social Media Platforms
Diaspora is the oldest decentralized social media, and it is an alternative network to Facebook. In addition to Diaspora, Minds is an alternative to Facebook with its decentralized structure.
For people who love sharing their ideas on Twitter, Mastodon can be mentioned as a Web3 social media platform. For social media lovers who cannot leave Instagram, we can mention the existence of Karma.
Final Words
Social media has a big role in our daily lives because we can get information and news from social media platforms. Also, we can share our emotions and thoughts via these platforms, so they are important communication channels for human beings. However, traditional social media sometimes put some obstacles to our communication way, so you can consider using Web3 social media platforms.
