Request for a decentralized social network

Justin Kistner | metafluence.com

I believe there are too many “social networks” out there that unnecessarily reproduce functions of the internet

I believe these services exist today because they solve a few key hurdlesfor the mass user market

I believe there are a few key trends and technologies that exist today that can move the social networking activity off of YASNs

I believe social networking will be better for the people involved

With an identity layer, the

Blogosphere could be a decentralized

social network

YetAnotherSocialNetwork- danah boyd

Complaints about YASNs

• Too many passwords• Too many GUIs and options• Information rot• Information is not portable• Difficult to impossible to customize• Can’t use JavaScript or widgets• Errors and downtime• No customer service• Fear of losing your account

Complaints about YASNs

• Too many passwords• Too many GUIs and options• Information rot• Information is not portable• Difficult to impossible to customize• Can’t use JavaScript or widgets• Errors and downtime• No customer service• Fear of losing your account

Masses still use YASNs because

they’re easy• Sign-up to install

• Form driven CMS

• Friends

Sites have popularity life span

People hang with their friends

People are tired of YASNs• Too many passwords• Too many GUIs and options• Information rot• Information is not portable• Difficult to impossible to customize• Can’t use JavaScript or widgets• Errors and downtime• No customer service• Fear of losing your account

YASNs were training wheels for the Internet

Missing Link

• Identity that controls access privileges, also known as friends– Control privacy and communication

– Single login– Single click registration (aka friend request)

How it works

• Users need a domain name, which also serves as their login (based on OpenID)

• Users would have a blog with a friend manager plugin

+

Friend Manager Plugin

• OpenID

• XFN

• Wordpress, Textpattern, MoveableType, and other CMS

Potential Features

• Message center

• Friend activity feed

• Public blacklist• Verification

• Permission settings

Potential Features

• Message center

• Friend activity feed

• Public blacklist• Verification

• Permission settings

Killer Opportunities

• Member directories

• Updating nearly all plugins to have friend permissions

• Integration with microblogging (Twitter, Jaiku, Pownce)

• Hosting pre-installed “profiles”

Killer Opportunities

• Member directories

• Updating nearly all plugins to have friend permissions

• Integration with microblogging (Twitter, Jaiku, Pownce)

• Hosting pre-installed “profiles”

Benefits

• Ownership

• Free speech

• Open development• Spam control

• Distributed services

• Cottage opportunities

Thank you!tag: yasnet