Why TikTok Should Be OnChain
A New Future for TikTok
As TikTok navigates its ownership challenges, it has partnered with Project Liberty, co-founded by Alexis Ohanian, Reddit’s co-founder, and venture capitalist Kevin O’Leary, to explore organizational shifts toward a decentralized framework. This collaboration signifies more than a mere transition for TikTok; it represents a broader reevaluation of who governs the digital landscapes where millions connect and exchange ideas.
For years, significant internet communities have been controlled by a select few corporations. Now, Project Liberty is advocating for a transformation—a future where social networks are accountable to their users rather than profit-driven enterprises. Central to this initiative is Frequency, a public, permissionless blockchain designed to support high-volume social networking. Frequency aims to reinforce principles of user autonomy and data sovereignty while resisting the temptation of centralized control.
The ongoing discourse regarding TikTok’s ownership raises pivotal questions. Should a single entity have authority over a platform that significantly shapes national and global social dialogues? The central theme of this debate calls for not merely determining the ownership of TikTok but considering whether any platform of its stature can successfully operate outside centralized frameworks. Here, Frequency presents itself as a necessary solution for establishing decentralized governance and user-centric data management.
From TikTok to Bluesky: Building a Decentralized Future
The dialogue surrounding TikTok’s future parallels a significant paradigm shift regarding the structure of social media. The urgency for decentralization has moved from theoretical discussions to pressing realities. Bluesky, a new open-source initiative, attempts to define alternative social media frameworks that prioritize user control.
Bluesky poses as more than another social media option; it reinforces the necessity for a revised relationship between users and their digital identities. However, true decentralization requires more than just good intentions—it mandates a steadfast commitment to structural independence. Although Bluesky lays the groundwork for a decentralized social web, it remains vulnerable due to reliance on centralized control points, including storage nodes and data distribution processes within Bluesky PBC.
Despite implementing the W3C standard for Decentralized Identifiers (DIDs), Bluesky’s centralized Public Ledger of Credentials (PLC) directory can still expose users to potential monopolization of data. Historical precedents show that such seemingly insignificant centralization points can later facilitate power consolidation, which ultimately erodes user autonomy.
Frequency, the Backbone of a Decentralized Social Web
This is where Frequency innovates not merely as a blockchain technology but as a comprehensive framework for managing digital identities and governance. Frequency aspires to reshape our online interactions fundamentally. By shifting the focus of power from platforms to users, it ensures that individuals maintain ownership of their digital existence.
The essence of decentralization extends beyond complex technology; it is about reclaiming fundamental user rights. Frequency champions an essential principle: users must not only grant access to their data but equally possess the power to revoke it. The fundamental relationships they cultivate online must remain personal possessions, untouchable by any corporate entity able to erase and manipulate them.
Frequency operates on a minimal, intentional decentralization model designed for long-term viability in a large-scale ecosystem. Storing only essential data on-chain ensures optimal efficiency in tracking social interactions, allowing for token-based incentives tailored to network capacity management while keeping specific functionalities at higher levels of technology.
Addressing data privacy and user control is crucial for the promise of a user-centered internet. Frequency fortifies users’ cryptographic rights over their information while facilitating granular control over data sharing practices. Moreover, it allows users to set platform-specific controls, making content visible only in preferred digital environments. Deletion rights rest entirely with users, reaffirming their authority over their digital narratives.
In doing so, Frequency strategically navigates the fundamental challenges that thwarted past decentralized efforts. By ensuring that no single entity, including its node operators, can alter or censor user data, Frequency promotes both accessibility and autonomy. It provides decentralized backups for systems like Bluesky’s Firehose, ensuring user-generated content remains intact beyond any single party’s influence.
Achieving Digital Self-Sovereignty
The internet’s inception was rooted in ideals of openness and freedom. Yet today, society faces a pivotal moment: whether to continue accepting corporate dominance in social media or actively cultivate a robust, user-determined digital future.
While Bluesky exemplifies a progressive step forward, its lingering centralized elements could risk positioning it as another constrained platform where true user control remains illusory. TikTok’s current ownership debate underscores a more profound issue—why should any sizable social media entity operate within conventional ownership norms at all? The shift toward decentralization could pave the way for platforms that prioritize user sovereignty instead of corporate gains, bringing us closer to actualizing the foundational promises of the internet.
The evolution of technologies like Frequency and the push for broader decentralization reveal a need to transition from data monopolies toward a landscape prioritizing digital self-sovereignty. This ongoing shift illustrates not only a technological advancement but represents a pivotal moment in redistributing power across our digital lives.
