smolnets within behemoths
In the comments section of the Hacker News submission for Ploum's The Social Smolnet, TimFogarty wrote:
The biggest lesson I take is that "social networks" are not about protocols but about how we use the existing infrastructure.
It's also not about scale and breadth. Focused social networks around niches can be a breath of fresh air compared to the social behemoths. I joined a couple of more targeted social networks recently and it seems like there's a far more positive community when people have a shared interest.
In addition, you can find both targeted social networks and positive communities around shared interests within social behemoths themselves. That applies whether you inhabit one or more of Reddit's "many niche subreddits" or mingle with informal communities inside more freeform ecosystems like Substack and Twitter. In my eyes, those approaches also line up with how Tim continues his comment:
It seems like social networks that stay small and focused can maintain a fun and productive environment that degrades over time in larger networks.
Size can matter plenty. You only get to know so many people online or offline. Nevermind how many people that you get to know well or that you know like the back of your hand. However, perhaps most people's concept of a social network is too narrow to begin with? Look at what rambambram wrote:
The www is already a social network.
Networks come in all shapes and sizes. Keeping that in mind, you might find yourself unsatisfied with those you inhabit. Terraforming your environment, finding greener pastures, and siphoning people elsewhere are all options you can try or combine. Pick and choose your virtual third places based on attributes including, but not limited to: protocol, scale, breadth, niche, interactivity, and vibes. You can even create virtual spaces you wish existed, like how Ploum and others are building out Offpunk: "a command-line Web, Gemini, and Gopher browser that allows you to work offline." You don't have to lie flat when so many people happily collaborate with each other throughout the abundant Internet. You can too!