Following up to my last post, how do we escape the cycle?
No corporate social media will ever be worth it. The tiny sliver of cash they get by selling our data will never be enough to sate the appetite of investors. No number of users is enough. Basically everyone with a computer is a Facebook user, and even they still can't turn a reliable profit.
What can the big companies offer us users? An algorithm to feed us content? No one asked for that. All I ever wanted is my friends list, in chronological order.
If we want a web service that doesn't manipulate us, we'll need do it ourselves. Or at least pay for it. The No Free Lunch principal applies here. I can think of a few ways to do it.
Self Hosting
For a few bucks a year, I could buy a domain name and rent a web server. Setting up a blog engine (like Wordpress) and an RSS reader (like Tiny Tiny RSS) is fairly easy. For just a little more effort (and bandwidth) I could make it a multiuser service, and offer it to all my friends. Maybe go nuts and open a Mastodon instance.
I'm sure I'm not the only one. Every circle of friends has a geek with time on his hands. Within a certain age band, at least.
User-Funded Hosting
It's easy to add a tip jar to a friendly neighborhood server like this. More users means more donations, so why not let the server grow? You could let your users invite their friends. Or just let anyone who stumbles onto the site sign up. That's what many Mastodon servers do. It's worked for public radio and TV for years.
The key here not to grow too fast. Part of the appeal is building a deliberate community.
Cheap Commercial Hosting
Could you go into business providing a bare-bones service like this? Instead of the tip jar model, just straight up charge each user a few bucks a year? It's never going to be the Next Big Thing. It's more like something you might get as a bonus, like the email account you get from your ISP that you never used.
I think it will only happen if the non-commercial approach takes off. If neighborhood hosts become hip and trendy, but it's hard to get invited to the party, there will definitely be a commercial alternative.
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