Pros and Cons of Decentralization vs Centralization for Social Media Users

Traditional social media sites are marked by one factor—they are all controlled by one centralized body. However, with the development of blockchain technology, new decentralized social media platforms have risen. This promises users the freedom to control what they post, end censure, and allow them to earn. However, they also have their downsides. This article will discuss the pros and cons of centralized and decentralized platforms.

What is Centralization in Social Media?

Social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok are among the centralized systems. These usually have a centralized authority that controls the function and data of the platform. If you are on a centralized platform such as Facebook, they control the different aspects of the platform, including the ability of people to join them or make money on social media.

In a centralized system, a third-party intermediary verifies the data before it gets to your friends. That means a centralized system stores your information without your consent. That's why when you create an account on a platform such as Instagram, you give them your full details, such as your name, date of birth, nationality, etc. 

The downside of this system is that when information is placed in one place, it can get misused or hacked. Therefore, in a centralized structure, the decision-making is only left to a few people. While social media sites like Facebook are still worth much, the decentralized platforms are giving them a run for their money.

What is Decentralization in Social Media?

A decentralized social media platform is an online platform that isn’t owned or controlled by a single entity. Instead, it has a community of users who build and maintain it. Their servers are independent rather than having a few people control them. Decentralized social media platforms are powered by distributed ledger technologies that record all their activities. 

An example of a decentralized social media platform is Mastodon, which uses a free and open-source program code. Elon Musk's taking control of Twitter has led to the popularity of decentralized social media platforms.

Benefits of Social Media Centralization

Centralization comes with a lot of benefits, such as:

Chain of Command

One of the benefits of centralization is that it comes with a clearly defined command chain. Each person in an organization understands their role, the authority they report to, and those reporting to them. With a clearly defined command chain, delegating work to subordinates and finalizing the work in the best way possible is easy. Networks that use centralized networks use a central node or collection of nodes to verify transactions.

Lower Cost

Another centralization benefit is its cost. A single centralized infrastructure or network requires less cost and support. Since centralized networks are planned, they rarely exceed the budget unless necessary.

Faster Implementation of Decisions

A centralized network enables the faster implementation of decisions, as fewer people or nodes result in less communication among the different authorization levels. This can be done quickly when a centralized network needs to make changes. For instance, centralized networks can promptly implement new guidelines.

Cons of Centralization

Centralization comes with its disadvantages, such as:

• Trust. While most social media platforms have a good reputation, they still suffer from the issue of trust. This can result from a lapse in their security system, such as hacking issues. Since all the data is centralized, such incidents can affect many users.
• Single point of failure. With centralization, the whole network also depends on a single control point. That means failure can affect many critical services.
• Scalability challenges. Since centralized platforms use a single server, this can result in imitations of scalability. 

We recommend reading our guide on growing your social media account fast to get the most out of centralized platforms.

Pros of Decentralization

Decentralization also comes with a lot of benefits, such as:

• Full Control. A key benefit of decentralization is that it gives users complete control when transacting. This enables them to start a transaction when needed without the need to do so from one centralized location. Third parties are not needed in the verification process. Instead, a consensus method helps to verify the information in the centralized platform.
• It is not possible to delete or alter data. The data structure of blockchain technology is usually append-only, meaning that it cannot be altered. 
• Security. Since decentralized social media networks are spread across different geographical locations, they are usually more secure and reliable. They use cryptographic solutions to address concerns over data integrity.
• No censorship. Decentralized social media platforms help to control censorship as there is no single entity to control them.
• Money-earning opportunity. Another advantage of decentralized social media is that it offers users, not just platform holders, the chance to monetize their content, as with most centralized platforms.

Drawbacks of Decentralized Social Media Platforms

There are many drawbacks of decentralization, such as:

• Conflict. Without proper maintenance or organizational structures, decentralization can cause conflict.
• Learning curve. Users may need to learn to understand decentralized platforms, including nodes, servers, and blockchains.
• Cost. Decentralization isn't a good idea for an organization as it can be more expensive due to system settings that automate communication.
• Encourage crime. Decentralized blockchain has no central entity regulating it, which can lead to crime. For instance, there are no measures to ensure that only adults register on social media sites.
• Scalability challenges. Decentralized networks often have problems with scalability. As more people join the platform, they struggle with server maintenance. Making decisions becomes harder as the number of users increases.
• Inconsistent user experience. Most decentralized social media platforms come with their features, rules, and interfaces.
• User interest. Most users don't have much interest in decentralized social media platforms, which often inhibits their growth. That's why they often have fewer users than social media giants like X and Facebook. Most users also struggle to understand the benefits they get from decentralized social media platforms. Simply put, they do not offer the convenience that comes with traditional social media networks.

Conclusion

The centralized social media platforms have been around for some time, making them very popular with users. However, they have also been riddled with controversies that leave users pissed. That has given rise to the decentralized social media platform. However, with each of these having their pros and cons, they each have their place in social media. By reading and understanding the benefits and drawbacks of each, you can decide which one to go for. We also recommend you read our guide on content marketing tips for brands on Instagram.