Selling open decentralized networks as insurance isn’t appealing to most, though I’d argue it’s rapidly becoming more appealing to certain groups.
Still, if we want real growth in this objectively better version of the internet, we need to offer better incentives than insurance.
Thankfully, there are plenty of other benefits to sell! It just takes framing them in ways that paint a more tangible picture for the average person.
Interoperability
This word means nothing to the average person, so the challenge is having a great elevator pitch for what this actually means. Not what it means at a technical level, but what it enables for users.
One option is “no more walled gardens”. Imagine being able to interact with your network across many different services and experiences, without needing to rebuild the network each time. Being able to connect your activity on one service to another service with little-to-zero ceremony.
It's enticing to imagine all of the online services you use working together in novel and interesting ways. These types of integrations exist in very small pockets of existing big platform service, but they're incredibly limited. Imagining a version of the web where this is the default, not the exception, is exciting.
My fellow millennials and I grew up with the internet working in this way, arguably still not to the degree which atproto enables, but we get it all the same. We mourn the loss of that openness, and having it back will immediately appeal. Some younger generations have never known the web in this manner. It might take a little more effort to help them imagine the possibilities. Concrete examples go a long way.
Ecosystem competition
In a decentralized network where data ownership and interoperability are guaranteed, platform lock-in is much less feasible than the current state. When the lock-in that current major platforms depend on isn’t a given, they can’t so easily get away with abusing their user base. As a result, there is more pressure for providers to compete with the best interest of end users in mind.
This means inherently better services with better terms for the people depending on them. Content creators are better compensated. Stronger incentives for proper handling of user data. Overall truly listening to what people want and providing that. Otherwise a competitor will swoop in and do it instead, and users can switch easily.
This is a downstream effect of the insurance argument, but one that is worth calling out on its own. The insurance isn't just personal protection against the bad actions of service providers, it's also a strong incentive for those providers to better serve their users. It's a built in defense against enshittification.
Imagine and demand better
Both of the options I proposed may only appeal to certain people. That’s ok, we need a variety of reasons to back up the benefits of decentralized networks. Adjust your pitch according to your audience, as always.
But I do believe people want better from their online experiences and social networks. Many have already given up on it and choose not to participate online, or at least decided that certain styles of social media just aren’t for them (Facebook or Twitter style, generally).
This is part of what excites me about the growing atproto ecosystem. We’re rapidly expanding beyond microblogging. With permissioned data on the horizon, so many new possibilities open up. Couple that with the incredible builders that already make up the community here and I’m optimistic that the better open future we all want is on its way.