What is the DeSo Blockchain 💎  | Post-2-Earn Crypto
Tags: deso, blockchain, web3, decentralized
Published: 2022-05-02 11:36:47

In this tutorial, you will learn exactly what [DeSo](https://www.deso.org/) is, how it compares to applications like [Twitter](https://twitter.com/) and [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/), how you can earn crypto just by posting a message and why it's the future of [social media](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/social-media.asp).

{% embed https://youtu.be/5jHXBYUb7X4 %}

## What is DeSo

DeSo stands for **[Decentralized](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decentralization)** **Social** and is a new kind of internet where all social media content exists openly on a blockchain. Because the content is on a blockchain, which is scaled across many computers all around the world, no one person or central authority can own the data, hence the term **Decentralized**.

![DeSo is a decentralized social media platform](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/w87j33o1vzgty6dsy81f.jpg)

## Centralized vs Decentralized

You might be wondering, "Is DeSo then like Twitter or Facebook"? And the answer is "no", because DeSo is so much bigger. To understand it, let's use the following example:

When you posted a Tweet on Twitter's website, did that tweet appear on Facebook, [Instagram](https://instagram.com/) or [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/)? It didn't. This is because behind the Twitter app is a platform that is owned by Twitter, where all tweets, user profiles, images and videos are stored. Twitter is what is known as a **centralized** social media platform, because they own the data and govern what content or user accounts can exist. Nearly every other social media platform at present falls into this category.

![Most social media platforms to date are centralized](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/rjqykl97dnbw1xv0zw88.jpg)

The problem with this setup is that you, the **User**, have become the product and advertisers, the **Customer**. Absolutely everything you say and do on these platforms is analyzed by the company that owns it. This data is then used to sell targeted advertising and worse, influence you via your social feed to better benefit advertisers.

![Centralized social media platforms use your data to sell targeted advertising](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/kd6e1i8g31to8thjkfec.jpg)

## A new kind of Social Media

But what if your post didn't exist only on Facebook's platform, but rather on an open platform that can be used by any social media application? What if you were a Twitter user and decided to start using Instagram, but instead of having to create a new account there, and rebrand yourself on a new platform, your current profile, followers, who you're following and all your activities are automatically available. You would be able to continue on Instagram where you left off on Twitter.

![Social media content shared across all applications](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/6j7y2rgeend5j9sj3u1d.jpg)

**DeSo** is the solution that makes all of this possible and eliminates the downsides of a centralized social media platform. It's not a Facebook or Twitter lookalike, but rather, it's the underlying system that stores and manages all content that would be created and referenced by social media applications.

On DeSo, you will only ever need a **single user account** to access any of the applications that have been developed on the DeSo blockchain. Everything you say and do on any of the applications will be linked to your account.

![One social media account across all applications](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/u39isdyh35qmmolukj1p.jpg)

## Applications on the DeSo Blockchain

At the time of this tutorial, there are over **200** applications that exist on the DeSo blockchain. A few that are worth mentioning are:

### Diamond App

[Diamond](https://diamondapp.com/) is one of the first applications to be developed on DeSo. Diamond's features are similar to Twitter, in that you can post, like, retweet, follow and send direct messages. However, because Diamond is built on top of a blockchain, there are a number of additional features:

Using DeSo's crypto coin (**$DESO**), you can reward users crypto for their posts or be rewarded for yours

Any post can also be converted into a **NFT**, which can be transferred, sold or auctioned on the DeSo blockchain

Every user profile has their own crypto token called **Creator Coin**. This allows others to invest in you as a content creator and vice versa

### Overclout

[Overclout](https://overclout.com/) is similar to Diamond, but allows you to post **stories**, **livestream** or create rich text content such as **articles** and **tutorials**.

### DeSocialWorld

[DeSocialWorld](https://desocialworld.com/) provides social media content in multiple languages.

### Mousai

[Mousai](https://mousai.stream/) allows you to stream music and invest in your favorite artists.

### Entre

[Entre](https://joinentre.com/) is a professional network similar to LinkedIn.

These are but a few of the many applications that exist on the DeSo blockchain and the list continues to grow.

![Some of the apps built on top of the DeSo Blockchain](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/mqgiamcrtco7ax6vepwy.jpg)

## Closing

With decentralized content, **post-2-earn** capabilities and a vast range of social media applications, DeSo has become a blockchain like no other and is truly the future of social media.

![DeSo for the win](https://dev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/articles/rxmd3038cjlw79bg9ed6.jpg)