Steemit and Hive, the popular decentralized social media platforms powered by blockchain technology, have long promised an exciting alternative to traditional social media. Offering users the opportunity to be rewarded for their content, these platforms have attracted a dedicated community of content creators and enthusiasts. However, both Steemit and Hive have faced significant challenges over the years, with misuse and questionable tokenomics at the forefront of these issues.
Misuse and Lack of Genuine Engagement
One of the most glaring problems afflicting both Steemit and Hive is the misuse of the platforms. Instead of the democratic, community-driven curation and engagement model that was envisioned, many users have resorted to manipulative practices. The manual curation and authentic interaction have been overshadowed by a culture of vote trading, bot manipulation, and a "circle jerk" mentality, where votes are exchanged for votes, often irrespective of the quality of content.
This misuse results in the erosion of the original purpose of the platforms, which was to reward quality content and foster genuine community engagement. Instead, the emphasis is often placed on gaming the reward system, undermining the potential for meaningful discourse and content discovery.
Vote Buying and Selling
One of the most detrimental aspects of the misuse of Steemit and Hive is the practice of buying and selling votes. Users can purchase upvotes to artificially inflate the value of their content, regardless of its actual quality or relevance. This not only leads to inauthentic engagement but also distorts the platforms' reward distribution mechanisms, favoring those with financial resources to spend on votes.
Tokenomics Troubles
A fundamental issue facing both Steemit and Hive is their tokenomics. While the platforms aim to reward content creators, the economic model raises significant concerns. Users can earn cryptocurrency tokens by posting content, but these tokens come from the pockets of the community as a whole. The underlying challenge is that this system, often referred to as Proof of Brain, can become unsustainable if the blockchain cannot grow at a rate that outpaces inflation.
As more tokens are created through the reward system, they dilute the value of existing tokens, potentially leading to a decrease in token prices. This dilemma can undermine the economic viability of the platforms, making it difficult for content creators to earn a reasonable income, especially in an environment where inflation is prevalent.
Hype and Growth
To combat the issues surrounding tokenomics, Steemit and Hive need to focus on sustainable growth. These platforms require active development, constant innovation, and effective marketing strategies to maintain or increase the value of their native tokens. Without sustained growth and a broadening of their user base, the threat of inflation may continue to drag down token prices, ultimately diminishing the rewards for content creators.
Hype, while often considered superficial, plays a crucial role in the success of blockchain-based platforms. A well-executed hype campaign can attract attention, draw in new users, and encourage investment, which is vital to ensure the economic viability of Steemit and Hive.
Conclusion
Steemit and Hive, as pioneering blockchain-based social media platforms, have faced substantial challenges that need to be addressed for their long-term success. The misuse of these platforms, characterized by vote trading, bot manipulation, and a lack of genuine engagement, detracts from their original vision. Additionally, the tokenomics of Steemit and Hive are problematic, as the platforms need to maintain sustainable growth to prevent token devaluation due to inflation.
Addressing these issues requires active involvement from the platform's development teams and a commitment to fostering genuine community engagement. A shift away from reward gaming and toward quality content discovery is essential to ensure the platforms remain valuable for users and sustainable in the long run. Ultimately, by addressing these problems, Steemit and Hive have the potential to reclaim their status as innovative and rewarding social media platforms powered by blockchain technology.
Do you have any evidence of vote buying? I can see manipulation of the rewards system, but where is the vote buying? On Steemit, years ago, there were bidbots and that was pretty obviously vote buying. My understanding is that the bidbots have gone away.
Yes it improved a lot