the concept of a social network is anchored in connection.
by connecting your personal network of trusted contacts ("strong ties" of your own "small group") to others' personal networks ("weak ties" with another person's "small group"), you would surface a larger network of trusted contacts.
this concept was the design principle for early desktop-based social network platforms:
Friendster's (2002) key premise: people are separated only by six degrees
MySpace's (2003) key feature: your "top 8" friends
LinkedIn's (2003) key differentiation: your "professional" network
Facebook's (2004) key growth unlock: "7 friends in 10 days"
with the launch of smart phone (2007) and the first mobile-only, visual-first social platform (instagram, 2010), interaction with your social networks could suddenly happen 24/7. usage took off and platforms quickly expanded to include real-time updates (timelines), geolocation (check-ins), multimedia sharing (albums), etc.
social network platforms rapidly transformed into dynamic, media-sharing platforms. connecting as the primary purpose declined, replaced by publishing and broadcasting.
with this transformation, social platforms began to commercialize: design algorithms that prioritize sensational content to maximize user engagement, then monetize that engagement through highly targeted advertising enabled by user data.
as a result, inauthentic content and relentless marketing have dominated these platforms at the expense of meaningful connections or communities.
users (people!) are looking for a place with honest connections and authenticity, and creators (people!) are looking for a place for sustainable growth and community. both users and creators are seeking more genuine, meaningful connections that often are found in smaller, purpose-driven communities.
look at substack, which has gained popularity by focusing on direct relationships between "creators" and their audiences, fostering deeper connections and community without relying on an ad-driven models.
substack's recommended list feature even allows a creator ("strong tie") to recommend another creator's work ("weak tie") and gives users a choice to opt in to a group of creators — bringing us back to the original concept of a social network. in fact, it was the recommendations feature that supercharged substack's growth in 2022 (the launch of its mobile app also helped).
many people assert that paragraph is the onchain substack. i would disagree. the onchain substack is [redacted]. more to come soon :)