On Decentralizing the Media
How JET8 created the first decentralised engagement network for social media…
And placed the power of the Media, into the hands of the People.
In a digital age, we are largely still operating with an analog mindset in regards to marketing, advertising, brand and consumer relationships. Much like the glaring roadside billboard, banner ads invade our screens, demanding our attention. This uni-directional assault on our senses is the result of targeting based on data acquired, often without our knowledge or explicit consent.
Brands spend vast sums to place themselves in front of an audience who, despite their algorithmically-determined interest, have not in fact invited that brand into their lives.
In this system, centralised social media platforms act as a well-paid middleman, harvesting and selling data. They offer a means to communicate but control interactions. Users, the people who create the value of these platforms, are charged instead of being rewarded, as are the brands vying for their attention.
These platforms have oversaturated our lives with information to such a degree that brands and individuals alike are now demanding niche communities of relevant, multi-directional sharing of valuable content. The power dynamic is shifting, as seen with the recent changes to Facebook’s feed preferences.
With the entrenchment of social influencing, and the strengthening of peer to peer marketing over celebrity endorsements, it is the People that now holds the power to create and circulate the most valuable content available; curated, authentic, and consensual.
The Decentralised Engagement Network
The DEN, or decentralised engagement network, is the foundation upon which JET8 was built, both in ideology and structure.
JET8 CEO Victor Zabrockis’ enthusiasm for the subject is tangible (he’s an enthusiastic guy) when he discusses the original model, built 4 years ago.
“What we saw was this monopoly on our moments. The moments in our lives that we share on social media platforms essentially become the property of that platform. It’s your moment, your creation, but the moment you share it, you sign away your rights. We wanted to create a platform that ensured ownership of those moments, as well as rewarded people for sharing. It was all about creating a space for reciprocal and consensual relationships.”
The structure of JET8 is thus: Users (you, me, Queen B) download a JET8 app (such as Fotoku), within which stickers and frames are used to jazz up our ‘moments’. Then, we choose which other platforms to share to, and because the post was created within the JET8 app, we retain all rights to it. The engagement generated by the post (both within the app and across the other platforms) is tracked by the JET8 analytics console, and rewards are earned every step of the way.
The beauty of blockchain integration for JET8, is the fact that the distributed ledger will simply emphasise the current level of transparency and security for all transactions.
This is the original, and most basic level of decentralisation that JET8 offers. Rather than simply building their own empire of products and services in a way that keeps users within the confines its ‘garden walls’ (like so many other brands), JET8 decided to take accessibility as its’ credo.
The JET8 Full Stack App is a product and a service, by which you can have your own app created.
Think of it as your own personal instagram/store/newsletter all rolled into one, where you communicate with your followers, they can engage with or share your posts, and create their own posts with your selection of assets.
Again, the JET8 model is structured so that both you, the app owner, and the user, are earning every step of the way. To boot, you no longer have to pay a social media platform to display your posts, or have to be concerned about being an unwanted item in a news feed. Rather crucial when considering the recent changes to a well-known social media platform.
You’ve got your own community; it’s working for you, you’re rewarding it, and you’re earning yourself. This is how the power of the media is disrupted, and placed in the hands of peer-to-peer communities.
The current system rewards in JETS, and the integration of the new J8T Token (and the injection of funds into the ecosystem that it represents) enables a lowered cost of entry (thus increased accessibility) for those who wish to utilise the influencer/brand building capabilities of JET8’s products and services.
The more bespoke FSA’s that are created, the more brands and influencers are contributing to the JET8 ecosystem. This means more products and services to choose from (from sunglasses to books to charity donations to phone bills), which you can access with your JETS or J8T tokens.
This, is how the decentralized JET8 network expands currently.
But it doesn’t stop there.
The role of the JET8 Foundation
The JET8 Foundation aims to facilitate the empowerment of decentralised engagement networks by supporting the advancement of the technology, systems and tools that give ecosystem members the ability to expand their reach whilst maintaining relationships of mutual value.
The future envisioned has JET8 as the creator and distributor of the tools, not the owner. With the expansion of the network, JET8 will also host open-source app development, allowing the waves of decentralisation to expand ever outward.
