Social networks, like all network-based software, have very little competition on a feature-by-feature basis.

· Bits and Bobs 10/12/26
  • Social networks, like all network-based software, have very little competition on a feature-by-feature basis.
    • The network effects are so insanely strong, that any given new competitor can't just compete on the level of an individual feature or two.
    • The feature would have to be transformatively great to be worth a new network starting.
      • The only way to do it is to find a vastly under-served niche and then get the network effect going there, so it can spill out to others adjacent users.
    • The big networks have to be careful about adding new features.
      • A feature 1M of their 1B users use is a liability for 99.9% of their users.
    • So we're left with wildly too little software in the social realm.
    • At least, in our current physics of trust, which are based on the software.
    • There are tons of great social-adjacent use cases languishing and non-viable, waiting to spring to life in the right conditions.

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