Segregation and Deprivation - Internet’s Embedded Evils

I believe our startup’s vision and platform, which we plan to launch within a couple of weeks, would be better understood and embraced by end users, if we manage to convey the current flawed and dysfunctional state of the Internet ecosystem. Flaws of such extreme magnitude, can only be patched by a resonating and disruptive innovation.

The Basics

The engines beneath the hood of many Internet corporations and all social networks, are fueled by two endless resources, users engagement and users personal data.

We engage online because we are social creatures rooted with the desire to share experiences and content with others, who can engage back in a manner we seek and find meaningful.

To that end, we allow the many platforms we engage on to collect and use our personal data, and we believe that their stated mission is helping us extend our ability to connect and engage with others, who wish the same.

In reality, we are continuously and deliberately deprived of technological tools, which can utilize our collective personal data to substantially improve and extend our engagement with others, expand our horizons and unleash more of our untapped, precious potential.

The troubling and shameful truth is that these tools, able to gracefully transcend us to the next level of technology-aided human evolution, are exclusively reserved for and used by paying advertisers, pitching us their products in a completely inefficient manner.

It’s The Business Model Stupid

Were we allowed the use of the same targeting tools (and better ones) available for paying advertisers on social networks, we would have been able to send our thoughts and content, to targeted groups of members we do not know but believe we share common interests with, based on non-identifying personal data strongly suggesting so.

Relatively simple algorithms, working today for advertisers, would rate the relevance of such targeted user generated content, and allow us all to enjoy a far more rewarding experience, that would significantly increase the overall engagement on social networks and content based sites, elevating us in numerous fashions.

Absurdly, all social networks intentionally pass on this massive increase in engagement, due to the catastrophic impact such rewarding tools would have on their advertising revenues.

Simply put, were such tools provided to end users, current platforms would have no way to avoid the free distribution of previously paid for content.

The consequences

And so, everywhere we turn we are segregated into small ghettos divided by transparent firewalls, frivolously erected around us by our frightened hosts. Allowing us to “freely” engage with others in small and gated communities, while we remain clueless of what we are deprived of.

The true ramifications of current reality on human spirit, free speech, innovation, social justice, shared causes, lost opportunities, human suffering, democracy and the pursuit of happiness, would only be fully comprehended once those walls are taken down.

We may look back on this period as the medieval times of the Information Age.

The Fix

Our startup, www.trailvest.com, has a vision to empower end users and break down those walls on all social networks, while allowing such networks to benefit from the fruits of additional quality engagement.

I’ll soon present our vision and product, but let's not jump ahead of ourselves :-).

I would first appreciate getting your comments and insights on my above take of current reality.

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#OutsideWork