Decentralized Social Graphs (e.g., CyberConnect) vs Federated Social Graphs (e.g., Mastodon)

User-owned social data: Identity, connections, and content are stored on-chain or in user-controlled storage (e.g., Ceramic, IPFS). This matters for protocols requiring censorship resistance and verifiable user provenance, like Lens Protocol or Farcaster.

Permissionless innovation: Social graphs are public infrastructure. Any dApp (e.g., Orbiter, Phaver) can build on top without API approval. This matters for rapid ecosystem growth and novel applications like on-chain reputation systems.

Optimized user experience: Servers (instances) handle complex social features (feeds, search) off-chain, enabling sub-second latency and zero gas fees for end-users. This matters for mass-market applications requiring Twitter-like responsiveness, as seen with Mastodon.

Instance-level control: Server admins enforce community rules and content moderation policies. This matters for brands, DAOs, or enterprises needing compliant, curated social spaces, similar to how Bluesky's composable moderation operates.

On-chain ownership: User profiles and connections are stored as NFTs or on L2s (e.g., Optimism for Farcaster). This ensures permissionless access and user-controlled portability. A protocol cannot deplatform you; you can migrate your social graph to a new frontend. This is critical for creator economies and sovereign identity applications.

Native financial layer: Built on smart contract standards (ERC-721, ERC-1155), enabling direct integration with DeFi and NFTs. Enables social trading, collectible posts, and creator subscriptions via protocols like Superfluid. This is the core advantage for Web3-native apps seeking programmable social interactions.

Server-based architecture: Protocols like ActivityPub (used by Mastodon, Bluesky) use federated servers (instances). This allows for high-throughput posting (1000s of actions/sec) and low/no transaction fees, mirroring Web2 UX. Ideal for mass-market adoption where users expect zero friction and fast media sharing.

Instance-level control: Each server (e.g., a Mastodon instance) sets its own rules and moderation policies. Provides localized community governance and effective spam/scam filtering. However, creates fragmented user experience and potential for instance-level deplatforming. Best for topic-based communities wanting curated environments.

On-chain actions incur fees: Every follow, post, or like requires a blockchain transaction, leading to user-paid gas fees (even on L2s) and slower confirmation times (~2-10 secs). This is a significant barrier for high-frequency, casual social interactions and limits pure content discovery apps.

Protocol bridges are fragile: While ActivityPub is a standard, seamless cross-instance identity and graph portability are not guaranteed. Users can be locked into a server's policies, and migrating a social graph is non-trivial. This undermines the user sovereignty promised by decentralized ideals.

User-owned social data: Identity, connections, and content are stored as on-chain assets (e.g., Lens Profiles as NFTs, CyberConnect's CyberID). This enables portable reputation and direct monetization via smart contracts. This matters for Web3-native applications requiring composable social data for DeFi, governance, or NFT-gated experiences.

Programmable social layer: The graph is a public utility. Any developer can build a new front-end (like Orbiter, Phaver) or integrate social features (e.g., token-gated communities via Guild) without permission. This matters for rapid ecosystem growth and creating novel social-fi primitives that leverage on-chain assets and liquidity.

High friction & cost: Every interaction (follow, post) requires a wallet signature and pays gas fees, creating a poor UX for mass adoption. Performance bottlenecks are tied to underlying L1/L2 throughput. This matters for mainstream consumer apps where seamless, free interactions are non-negotiable.

Server-based efficiency: Federated protocols like ActivityPub (Mastodon) and AT Protocol (Bluesky) handle social logic off-chain. This enables Twitter-scale performance with instant, feeless posting and real-time feeds. This matters for migrating traditional social media users who expect sub-second latency and zero transaction pop-ups.

Proven, open standards: ActivityPub is a W3C standard with thousands of interoperable servers (instances). Users on Mastodon can follow users on Pixelfed (image sharing). This matters for building on a stable, battle-tested protocol with a large existing user base and established moderation tools.

Fragmented identity and data silos: Your social graph is owned by your instance admin. Migrating servers is complex and can break connections. Limited monetization rails exist natively compared to programmable money in Web3. This matters for projects prioritizing user-owned data assets or needing integrated crypto-economic incentives.