Recently, there has been so much hype all over mainstream media about decentralized systems, which has paved ways for innovations such as the Web 3, NFTs, and burgeoning social media platforms built on blockchains. You may be wondering if the hype is all true and really worth your choice. Among the aforementioned innovations, we would like to stick to decentralized social media today. So, here is a little discourse to that effect. Why should you choose decentralized social media?
First, we need to understand the concept of social media.
Social media are technology-based platforms mediated by computer networks, which enable the relative ease of creating and sharing information through digital communities and networks. They are interactive Web 2.0 Internet-based applications driven by user-generated contents, such as digital photos, videos, texts, and data. The connection of a user’s profile with other individuals across social media enhance the development of online social networks.
Earlier, mainstream social media platforms were built on centralized systems which gave enormous freedom of expression to the millions of users and hosts that run these platforms. However, over time, these systems became overtly ineffective in providing equal opportunity for fair hearing among users, as the process became highly selective in choosing voices to amplify and those to stifle. The centralized systems came with censorship, subtle ownership, algorithmic biases and undemocratic policies which took power away from the people but rather bestowed it on a central body. This imbalance with the distribution of power became a major concern, along with issues of data intrusion. And, as the network of users expanded across social media, these host companies began to accrue massive wealth from indirectly harnessing the users’ data for sale to third-party elements. For example, companies like Cambridge Analytica have been accused of gaining illegal access to a huge amount of data from over 50 million Facebook users. And, these rising issues coupled with further advancement in technology gave birth to a decentralized system associated with the blockchain technology.
Today, we have several social media platforms that are built on the blockchain’s decentralized system. They operate on independently run servers without needing a middleman to manage users’ information, thus eliminating the third-party element. A decentralized social media is practically owned and controlled by its users. Let us delve more deeper into a few ways this novel technology transcends the traditional social media. Perhaps, this may convince you to choose decentralized social media rather than the former.
Removing centralized bias and oversight
Decentralized social media are not controlled from a central server. Rather, the entire network is managed on blockchains which possess independently-running nodes. This unique feature makes anything built on the blockchain hack-proof and transparent. On the contrary, centralized social media such as Facebook, Twitter, Google are controlled from central servers, which makes their users vulnerable to censorship by the government. Some of these apps encrypt users’ messages but provide metadata with which third parties have a bypass to the supposed encrypted messages. In addition, these companies have algorithm biases in their architectural design which control how their users operate on the site. But users on decentralized social media have absolute control over their content, data and privacy.
Eliminating the need for middlemen
Usually, third-party agents are the primary source for obtaining and validating customer data for marketing purposes. Also, online fraudsters can also access these data from the same source. This explains why there has been many reported issues of malware attacks because of clicks on fraudulent ads. Many users on mainstream social media platforms now use ad blockers to limit the number of ads showing on their timelines. However, decentralized social media prevents the occurrence of any of these on the network. It establishes a direct relationship between the business and user, thus giving room for more control (by the user), privacy and confidentiality. Users reserve the sole right to offer their data without being violated. Blockchain technology eliminates the middlemen, allowing the marketers to validate the users’ data by themselves. Also, it helps the users to receive the due reward for offering their data to marketing companies.
You cease to be the product
Users are given free access to social media platforms with a trade-off of their personal information. These companies amass these data and sell them to third parties with the highest bid. And, this could range from hackers to agencies sponsored by the government. This type of system employs the user as the product, considering that they accrue so much wealth from selling their information. However, decentralized systems on the blockchain have eliminated this bias. Now, marketers and advertisers directly go to users to buy their data in exchange for some tokenized value. In this case, third party will no longer receive heavy payments to access users’ data, but rather the users will directly negotiate with the advertising companies. This novel system holds a lot of prospects for digital creatives, who stand to gain incentivized value as a reward for their ingenious works.
Leverage on cryptocurrency as an incentive
Many decentralized systems employ the use of cryptocurrencies as incentives for users who interact with content on the social platforms. Marketers negotiate to offer users tokenized values as a reward to share their data with their companies, thus eliminating the need for a middleman or a third-party selling users’ information without their permission. This way, users can enrich themselves by actively interacting on the platform. Also, decentralized platforms may choose to reward high-quality contents with cryptocurrency. And this can help to mitigate low-quality contents on the network. In addition, crypto-related transactions are super-fast and highly secured on the blockchain.
Enjoy the benefit of smart contracts
Social media marketers are challenged with validating the impressions on their paid ads on centralized systems. Several companies leverage on fake impressions or accounts run by bots to short-change these marketers of the real value accruable to them. Unknowingly, the marketers pay for the false impressions and receive no reward from the intended audience. This is due to lack of transparency found in the system. However, decentralized social media provides a smart contract feature that tackles this issue firmly. A smart contract helps the marketer to receive instant payment whenever the terms of the agreement between them and the advertising company is reached. The transaction process is fully transparent and visible on the public ledger. Also, this feature helps digital marketers to offer their services globally.
Track influencer payments
On centralized social media, it may be quite difficult to differentiate between real users and bots. Several influencers employ the use of large number of bots to widen their influence. However, blockchain technology can help marketers and influencers clearly verify real human users on the network. Hence, they can easily access an influencer’s work using real-time information.
Also, top influencers and creatives on the network would receive a fair reward for their ingenuity. The blockchain efficiently tracks users’ engagement with contents from notable influencers and creatives. Then, based on smart contracts, they can receive automatic payments for the number of interactions they received. In other words, they cannot be short-changed.
However, on centralized platforms like Instagram and Snapchat, top digital creatives and influencers may have to obtain brand deals to be directly rewarded by the platform.
Position your business for greater ROI
The rising decentralized social media platforms are integrating the use of an online marketplace for their users, which will bring buyers and sellers together for business transactions. And this is beneficial for traders that have either physical or online stores, or even both. The Blockchain helps marketers to target better leads by easily assembling groups of individuals with similar interests. Thus, businessmen can generate more ROI for their businesses. Marketers do not have to be concerned about whether real consumers or bots see their business ads, because the blockchain has algorithms that verify the true identity of every user on the network. The contrary is the case on centralized social media.
So, do you still need more reasons to be convinced that decentralized social media is the perfect surrogate for the former, which we have being used to? I bet not. However, to join a burgeoning decentralized social media, we invite you to sign up with Swirge today. If you are looking for a platform that will provide these amazing benefits and also position you for the future of the blockchain technology, where there is so much prospect, then Swirge is the right platform for you. With over 50,000 active users, Swirge is not just a social media but an ecosystem that assembles individuals taking control of their future. To know more, you can join right away by clicking on the link below.
About Swirge
Swirge network is the leading decentralized social media platform that provides digital autonomy to every internet user. Our users reserve the absolute right to uncensored freedom of expression, digital identity protection and control over their digital assets. Swirge network is a multi-diversified ecosystem of both crypto and non-crypto enthusiasts who are taking back control of their digital space by leveraging on our platform.
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