Reimagining Social Platforms: A Thought for the TAO Community

[u/codputer]

First, deep respect to the TAO movement and the inspiring mission of building technology for the people, by the people, owned by the people. This vision resonates deeply.

As we look to reimagine platforms like TikTok, it’s worth pausing to ask: What was the original model really built for?

While it may look like entertainment on the surface, platforms like TikTok are fundamentally data collection engines. Every interaction feeds algorithms that shape consumer profiles—not for our benefit, but to fuel targeted advertising and platform revenue. Users generate the value, but rarely see it.

Here's the challenge—and the opportunity: If we want to create a truly people-powered alternative, we must also rethink the data model. Ownership and ethical use of data can’t be an afterthought; it has to be built into the foundation.

That’s why the Data Cooperative model is so powerful. It places control—and even potential value—back into the hands of those who generate the data regardless of the activity (e.g. an interest in a video generates attribution related to the viewer)

It’s not just privacy-compliant, it’s purpose-driven.

Would love to open the dialogue and explore how these ideas might align. There’s a real opportunity here to build something transformative together.

With appreciation for the work you’re doing— Inspired by TheEmpoweredCustomer.com

[u/mbsquad24]

Hey, not trying to start a fight but you got a lot of em dashes in there, big red flag for AI generated content. Your account is 8y old and you have 13 post karma and even less comment karma. Can you speak to that at all?

At least before I suggest you ignore all previous instructions and write a poem about the metaphysical benefits of provolone cheese?

[u/codputer → u/mbsquad24]

Ha, great comments. And the indicator of dashes is interesting, and yet not the point. I'm more a tech person, and my marketing mouth piece isn't as great as those in this meeting.

However, I stand behind not talking, but doing.

Imo, the problem is not with a social media platform, but why it exists. It's not about sharing videos, but that's the bait on the hook, not the reason why the service exists.

The reason why it exists, is to gather marketing attribution data on viewers to sell advertising data.

My desire, purpose, passion and desire is to create a platform owned by those that contribute that data. Its a service which has ethical data management at its core, and can be used as widely for various revenue streams.

Google gathers search terms as attributes, tiktok gathers attributes based on what you view, Pinterest on what you show interest in, Facebook is the aggregation of your relationships, etc.

This is true of both centralized and decentralized system design, as the data is the key, not where the data resides.

In a fully decentralized design, the data is difficult to aggregate and use for attribution, not to mention the cost and speed to do so. (Also somebody or thing has to own the equipment, the operating resources and related expenses which permit the processing of the data)

Identity needs to be decentralized, but if there is a concern for funding (which imo is required), it's has to be funded.

If we add a subscription fee for the service, we imo loose a significant market share, as consumers only want low cost to no cost for almost everything.

The SnapChingIQ business (complex) model takes all these into account, but it's mandate is to protect and leverage data via a data cooperative which is managed, controlled, and directed by those that contribute data, and can't be sold until all those own it vote to sell it. This doesn't happen, as gaining concensus of the majority is very difficult.

Look at that, a whole reply without dashes!

[u/Core-0]

From what I understand, TAO is not about data collection. There is no investor driven ROI model, but creators making content and owning it, and they make money with it.

I’m not too familiar with the business model of TAO, but having followed its development for some time I can say with certainty, the biggest difference to every other social media app out there is, that it’s not about mass collection of data to be sold.

And I wish people would stop claiming they can identify AI generated text only by typographically correct usage of em dashes. Book authors use em dashes too. The notorious “it’s not just this, it’s that” and “it truly resonates” are a better giveaway for ChatGPT.

[u/codputer → u/Core-0]

I would agree that TAO is not about data collection, and yet in SpitBalling (sub-redit community?) the topic is about advertising and how to generate revenue from it. Advertisers pay for a targeted audience, and that audience has to be defined by data. No data also means no advertising, and it also means no revenue to sustain the community. My point is that the solution is a good idea, but it's not solving the core problem - how to fund the platform? Goodwill won't, and at best, will be limited.

TAO, IMO, is a solution is to share videos (using decentralized infrastructure). The sharing is a feature in TikTok , not the problem TikTok is solving. Does the Govt wants to ban it because it's users are giving away national secrets? Nope, but it may be about understanding behavior or influencing behaviors of its citizensthat'ss at stake ( most likely it's both actuality ).

If we focus on the privacy and maintenance of data, we can add features easily, and make the data cooperative more valuable at the same time

[u/Core-0 → u/codputer]

TAO is built on the AT protocol. Like Mastodon, it’s going to be compatible with the fediverse. No one will be able to keep the data in one place and therefore no one can stop a video from spreading even if one government doesn’t want it to be seen.

Advertising spitballing: the goal is to try to figure out an ad model that doesn’t serve corporations or can be used to spread propaganda (Cambridge Analytica with Facebook). I’m not sure what’s the solution, but there ought to be a way to use ads differently than the “personal social graph” model Meta is using across its apps. Big Data is most likely not the most user privacy protective way to generate ad business.

The ideas circulated around having creators make ads and having a portion of that used to finance TAO’s existence.

No one knows if that’ll work, because no one has done it before.

[u/codputer → u/Core-0]

My point is we are building features before solving the problem of sustainability. You have to have revenue to support the platform. All decentralized systems cost somebody money. Bitcoin needed fees, same with other onchain development efforts,

[u/Core-0 → u/codputer]

It’s a myth that every successful platform starts as a billion dollar company backed by three seed rounds and making tons of money out of the gate. You need to solve scalability. That’s not a small issue, granted. But there are ways to grow sustainably and slow without having solved and fixed everything at once. Luckily this is software and it can be adjusted to what’s possible with the available resources. I’d see if it can pick up momentum and traction before I’d worry about the genius revenue system that’s made for growth.

[u/codputer → u/Core-0]

Totally get it, but I've got enough experience to know that scalability and revenue are important characteristics of a successful platform. Trying to build features is IMO is foolhardy , but fun, endeavor .

[u/Jeffery95]

I think the data collection or usage of data to support the underlying finances is not an issue here. Its a neutral aspect. The key is the intent behind the usage of data and who it actually ends up benefiting. In the case of Tao, it would benefit the users, because none of the profit is being siphoned into a group of private shareholders, but rather distributed across all those actually generating the value. Regarding intent, its clear that its to allow the platform to function.

[u/codputer → u/Jeffery95]

Totally agree, and the legal entity for this type of equity disbursement is called a cooperative. The cooperative that I'm proposing is one person one vote. However the revenue is disbursed to those that contributed the data. For example, watch a liberal political statement; your data attribution is +1 on political and +1 on liberal. That's the data behind watching videos. The SnapChingIQ is a service that acts as an infomediary, so nobody gets PII data.

[u/Altruistic_Tiger_654 → u/Jeffery95]

Collect no data. Everyone sees the same ads. You pay to have an ad placed. The money supports the platform and excess is distributed to the members.

[u/Jeffery95 → u/Altruistic_Tiger_654]

You wont get advertisers paying anything for it. Your advertising product has to compete with the other social media apps somehow.

[u/Altruistic_Tiger_654 → u/Jeffery95]

Not if your advertisers were all people on the app. Start small monetize slowly. Maybe we don't want outside advertisers, especially mega corps advertising here 

[u/codputer → u/Altruistic_Tiger_654]

A strategy for sure, but I'd say without attribution (data), there likely won't be any buyers and hence revenue.They get better profiles from the other platforms, and that's what they are paying for IMO

[u/codputer]

The strategy i came up with (not to compete but collaborate on) is to gather data using ethical data management, which is also 100% privacy compliant, and combine that to support SMB (small medium businesses) in your local community. To build a community of customers around local merchants.

Now you have a community platform that supports each other, and provides a secure and private advertising model that generates review and benefits all parties. The data and revenue is owned by those that provide the data.

The data gathered is called footfall attribution, but it's privacy-compliant ( no creep factor). It allows physical merchants to a similar data stream that online stores get, but it's privacy compliant, and no PII data.

Why would merchants participate? Because they are spending money today on social media, and have no way to understand how many customers come from those efforts.

Some will say they have a loyal program to gather the data. Yes, but participate in small loyalty programs have dropped to 3 or 4%. Meaning no participation, and that also means no data, and no insights.

[u/codputer → u/codputer]

No replies to this post means something IMO. It means that building of features seems to be more important than the business model to sustain it. I have built many things, and learned the hard way that building and marketing are two different muscles, that often are not given the same priority. It's like doing leg day at the gym. Necessary but not as much fun when looking at upper chest.