Karst: A Decentralized Social Graph Built on Starknet with ERC-6551

The current social media landscape is dominated by centralized platforms that prioritize user engagement and advertising revenue over data privacy and user control. These platforms collect vast amounts of user data, often with limited transparency, and make use of algorithms to manipulate content feeds, potentially leading to censorship and One-sided view. Creators, on the other hand, struggle to gain a fair share of the value they generate through their content.

Karst: A Paradigm Shift

Karst is a new social graph protocol built on Starknet, a highly scalable and secure blockchain platform. It leverages the ERC-6551 standard, an extension of the ERC-721 NFT standard, to create a more user-centric and decentralized social media experience that empowers creators to own every part of their social experience.

ERC-6551: Supercharged Social Profiles

While the ERC-721 standard, used by protocols like Lens, creates basic user profiles as NFTs, ERC-6551 goes a step further. It enables the creation of “supercharged” profile NFTs that function as smart contracts on the blockchain. These profiles can:

• Store and Manage User Data: Users control the data stored within their profile NFT, ensuring privacy and data ownership.
• Facilitate Direct Monetization: Fan tokens, a unique feature of ERC-6551 profiles, allow users to monetize their content and engagement directly. Fans can purchase these tokens to support creators and gain access to exclusive content or voting rights within the Karst ecosystem.
• Track Reputation and Achievements: Reputation tokens earned through positive interactions and achievements can be held within the profile NFT, showcasing a user’s influence and potentially unlocking additional features or benefits.
• Hold Collectible Badges: Limited edition badges awarded for significant contributions or milestones add another layer of engagement and gamification. These badges can be displayed on the profile NFT, functioning as a visual representation of a user’s accomplishments within the network.

Benefits of the Karst Social Graph

Karst offers several advantages over traditional social media platforms:

• Transparency and Censorship Resistance: Karst leverages Starknet’s transparency and immutability. This fosters a more open and censorship-resistant environment where diverse viewpoints can be freely expressed.
• Fan-Minted Mementos: Karst empowers your followers to directly engage with your content by allowing them to mint your posts as NFTs. This fosters a deeper connection between creators and audiences. Imagine a fan minting an inspiring quote or a hilarious meme you shared, creating a cherished digital collectible honouring your work.
• User-Centric Design: Krast empowers users with control over their data and online identities. Users decide what information to share, how they interact with others, and how they monetize their content
• Fairer Monetization: The ERC-6551 profile NFT facilitates direct monetization through tokens and other mechanisms. This creates a more equitable social media landscape where creators capture a larger share of the value they generate.

A practical example of Karst in Action

Sarah, a fitness guru, uses Karst to keep her followers moving on the blockchain. Here’s how:

• Workout Inspiration & Fan Mementos: Sarah shares energizing workout videos on Karst. Fans feeling particularly motivated can mint these videos as NFTs, creating a permanent digital memory of Sarah’s guidance.
• Building a Rep on Karst: Every positive interaction with her followers earns Sarah reputation tokens, displayed on her profile NFT. This virtual badge of honor showcases her expertise and influence within the Karst fitness community.
• Live & Earn: Taking things up a notch, Sarah hosts live streams on Karst, demonstrating new routines. Fans directly support her by purchasing fan tokens. These tokens might unlock exclusive workout plans or early access to future live sessions.

Karst goes beyond basic social media. It empowers creators like Sarah to connect, monetize, and build a thriving fitness community, all while fans actively participate and celebrate their journeys.

The Future of Social Media

Karst is an example of how decentralized social graphs can revolutionize the way we connect and interact online. By prioritizing user control, data ownership, and fair monetization, Karst offers a glimpse into a future where social media empowers individuals and fosters a more open and impartial online environment. While still under development, Karst presents a compelling alternative to the current social media landscape, and its development is worth following closely.

To know more about Karst check out https://x.com/horuslabsio