What Is Lens Protocol and How Does It Solve the Problems of Web2?
One of the major issues with social media platforms is their centralization, which gives them control over user data. Lens Protocol is set to change how we use social media by giving us control over our content and connections. The project started in 2022 and is gaining traction because it was pioneered by the same teams that created the AAVE protocol.
But what is Lens Protocol, and what makes it different from present social media platforms?
What Is Lens Protocol?
Lens Protocol is an open-source and composable social graph based on Web3 andbuilt on the Polygon blockchain. The project aims to allow developers to launch social media platforms and profilesbased on Web3. Itgives creators control over their linkswith their communities and helps them maintain ownership over whatever content they create.
Since Lens Protocol tries to offer solutions to some ofthe challenges associated with Web2, we need to consider some of these challenges to better understand how Lens Protocol works.
The Issues With Web2
Lens Protocol is set to solve issues with Web2 social media interaction. One of the issues with Web2 is the strict autonomy controlled by centralized companies. These companies can choose to suspend accounts at any time, making it possible to lose whatever number of followers and content you already have.
Web2 social media platforms moderate comments and posts, and there are forms of censorship on accounts and contents; many are even taken down as unacceptable. Unfortunately, benign posts are often taken down as part of the process.
Web2 social media platforms have centralized servers. As a result, your data, account, and followers are controlled by the company that created the platform. Your interaction is within the platform, and the company uses your information and monetizes your content without your permission.
Having understood some of the issues associated with Web2 social media platforms, we need to see how Lens Protocol works to see how it tries to solve the problem.
How Does Lens Protocol Work?
Lens Protocol is a Web3 social graph that functions on a blockchain. It provides an easy way for interested users to create their own social media platform for whatever use they desire.
A social graph is a structure that shows interconnections among people and groups in a social network. The structure is created when you create profiles, follow users, create content, and relate to other content.
Centralized social media applications like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok use social graphs, among other things, to modify content and create a suitable user experience for users. Lens Protocol, on the other hand, integrates social graphs into a smart contract and allows users to build their social media platforms and communities independently of any centralized control.
Unlike centralized social media companies, Lens Protocol’s source codes are open and permissionless, allowing anyone to build on them. This access allows you to build follower-specific solutions for those in your network.
Lens Protocol enables you to carry out activities similar to those found in Web2 social media platforms, but with a few additional features. We will describe some of them below.
Follow Profiles
You are given a “follow NFT” when you follow a profile. You can also attach a follow module, just like a condition, to determine if someone who wishes to follow you should be granted a follow NFT. The condition can be a monetary requirement.
Publications
These are simply posts and engagements. The posts are the content you produce. You can also comment on and mirror posts. To mirror a post is like sharing what someone else has posted.
Your publications have content URIs pointing to the actual data, which can be stored on a decentralized protocol.
The collect feature allows you to monetize your content. You can set your parameters for collecting, like the period within which collecting is open, the maximum number that users can collect, etc. You can also sell NFTs with this module.
Governance
This feature allows you to set up social media account in which followers can vote in making key decisions.
How Lens Protocol Will Solve Web2 Issues
The Lens Protocol’s social graph uses graph structures to store data and connect people, places, things, and other properties. These graphs represent network members and their connections.
All Lens Protocol profiles arein the form of NFTs. You have an NFT representing your identity, and you will connect with NFTs to connect with people. This way, everyone involved has control over their identity.
The solution helps you form a social graph and control your community. This way, you have the right of ownership over your posts, which others can mirror, just like the resharing features on Web2 social media platforms.
it’s possible to also transfer members of your community from one social media platform to another within the protocol. Contrary to how it works on Web2 social media platforms, you won’t have to start over with getting new followers on another social media platform, as you can easily transfer your community to a new platform.
Lens Protocol is censorship-resistant. You have full control over your content, as it is not on any centralized server. Building on Lens Protocol means any centralized authority cannot shut you down since you have full control over your platform and community. Knowing this makes you confident that you are building a lasting, long-term project.
Is Lens Protocol Worth It?
It depends on what you want, even though it won’t be a bad idea to try using the solution, especially if you like exploring new things. With it, you could have your connections and community for whatever purpose you want without the fear that your account will be taken down.
The platform allows you to monetize your content. Thus, the whole process of building a community may become truly rewarding.
However, you should also be aware that blockchains have their issues. For example, a vulnerability or attack on the blockchain can result in the loss of digital assets.
Lastly, social networks necessitate storage and the ability to link profiles, and blockchains have difficulty storing large amounts of data. A two-way solution for data storage is required for this: your data will be stored on the blockchain and in decentralized and centralizedsolutions like IPFS, Arweave, and Amazon S3. Unfortunately, these storage solutions open your data up for potential damage.
You Can Enjoy the Lens Protocol Early User Benefits
Lens Protocol is still in its early stages, offering a developers' garden where various social media platforms can be built. As a result, developers and users can be pioneers of various social media solutions on it. Users of these solutions won’t have much trouble using them since their features will also be similar to those used on Web2 social media platforms.
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