Understanding Decentralized Social Media
Decentralized social media, or blockchain-based social media, is a term used to describe social media platforms powered by distributed ledger technologies (DLT) such as blockchain or DAG.
Unlike centralized networks like Facebook or Twitter, these platforms operate on decentralized protocols where activities are recorded in an immutable manner, without the control or oversight of a central authority.
Escaping Manipulation
Traditional social platforms control users’ posts and manipulate what they see, often prioritizing revenue generation.
This results in users being presented with attention-grabbing advertising content rather than being well-informed.
In contrast, decentralized social media networks allow users to interact without censorship. Developers typically establish guiding rules, while the rest is left to a distributed group of users.
Decentralized Social Media
Decentralized social media platforms address the contentious issue of the unauthorized sale of user data, which is prevalent in centralized networks.
Additionally, blockchain technology enhances user privacy and data security through cryptographic methods.
Moderation and Security Concerns
Despite their advantages, decentralized social media platforms also have certain limitations.
For instance, the absence of moderators may lead to disseminating inaccurate information or offensive content with no efficient way to delete it.
Furthermore, there is a risk of a 51% attack, where a malicious actor could control over 50% of a network‘s power, allowing them to manipulate data and compromise the system’s integrity.