In a recent op-ed for Rolling Stone, MeWe chairman and CEO Jeffrey Edell proposed that the ongoing situation between the United States government and China’s TikTok could have been avoided if blockchain technologies were implemented. Edell, who leads a social media company with over 20 million users that has successfully transitioned from traditional Web2 to the blockchain, believes that the central issue at hand is user privacy, which could have been safeguarded through decentralization.
Edell suggests that one way to ensure the security and protection of personal data is through the use of Web 3-based blockchain technology. MeWe itself made the transition from Web2 to the Frequency blockchain network, a Polkadot parachain, in April 2023. The argument for blockchain-based user privacy rests on who has access to user data. In traditional social media platforms like X, user data is controlled and accessed through a centralized method, with the company retaining ownership of all data. In the case of TikTok, this means that ByteDance, and by extension, the Chinese government, owns all user data, including that of over 150 million U.S.-based users.
By utilizing the blockchain and implementing specific privacy controls, a social media network can empower users to have control over their data without compromising the functionality of the platform. Although MeWe’s user base may not rival that of TikTok, their successful transition to the blockchain demonstrates the feasibility of such a move.
In his Rolling Stone article, Edell shares six best practices for companies considering a similar transition: understanding the technology, starting with small steps, selecting the appropriate platform for their organization, staying informed about regulatory compliance changes, collaborating with stakeholders, and ensuring that employees are educated and trained on blockchain.