TikTok, the giant of social media, is at the center of political and corporate battles. The debate about its ownership is not just about the dominance of a company, but the possibility of regaining control of one’s digital identity through decentralization.
Control over our digital identity has become a crucial issue in the era of social media. Centralized platforms, like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, hold almost absolute power over our online interactions. Every post, connection, and conversation can be monetized, manipulated, or deleted with a simple change of policy or algorithm. The central question today is: who should control the digital space where billions of people interact every day?
An On-Chain Future for TikTok
In response to these issues, Project Liberty, in collaboration with Alexis Ohanian (co-founder of Reddit) and Kevin O’Leary (investor and entrepreneur), is working to bring TikTok to the blockchain. The goal is not only to change the owner of the platform but to redefine who holds control of digital interactions.
The core of this revolution is Frequency, a public and permissionless blockchain, specifically designed for high-volume social networks. Frequency aims to ensure data sovereignty, interoperability, and resistance to centralized control. This approach would empower users to manage their own data, connections, and online visibility independently from tech giants.
TikTok, with its enormous cultural influence, represents a fundamental testing ground for the adoption of decentralization. The essential question remains: is it acceptable for a single entity, governmental or corporate, to have the power to govern the digital interactions of an entire generation?
If TikTok were to be transferred to a decentralized infrastructure, a technology that ensures interoperability, data ownership, and open governance would be necessary. This is exactly the role that Frequency could play.
Bluesky and the path towards decentralized social networks
The TikTok case fits into a broader discussion on the need to decentralize the web. One of the most discussed initiatives in this area is Bluesky, an open-source project created to offer a more open and transparent social networking platform.
However, Bluesky still presents critical points. Despite its intentions, the platform currently still relies on centralized structures, such as storage nodes (managed by Bluesky PBC or third-party providers) and data distribution systems like Relay and Firehose, which are concentrated in the hands of a few. Even the implementation of Decentralized Identifiers (DIDs), although positive, is based on a centralized registry.
These vulnerabilities could compromise the goal of true decentralization, as history shows that small technical details can turn into tools of absolute control.
Frequency: the heart of a decentralized social Web
Frequency is not just a blockchain, but a new infrastructure for managing digital identities and controlling personal data. Its goal is completely different from traditional centralized platforms: users remain owners of their data and decide who can access it and how.
One of the key aspects of Frequency is its minimalist yet effective architecture. Only essential data is stored on-chain, ensuring security, scalability, and censorship resistance. This approach allows for optimizing the network’s operation, keeping costs and latency low to support millions of users sustainably.
Furthermore, Frequency offers advanced encryption protection and granular control tools, allowing users to revoke access to their data at any time. This system prevents scenarios where a platform can modify, remove, or monetize content without the user’s consent.
Security and digital sovereignty: the true objective
The dream of an open, free, and interconnected internet clashes today with the reality of digital monopolies. The dominance of large tech companies has created an ecosystem where our online freedom is strongly limited.
Although Bluesky represents a step forward, its current model is not yet fully decentralized. If these critical points are not addressed, it risks becoming a slightly better, yet still closed, version of what we have today.
TikTok raises an even bigger question: the real issue should not be who owns the platform, but whether a social network of such magnitude should have a single owner. A decentralized solution, like the one proposed by Frequency, would allow for the construction of a new digital social model, based on user sovereignty rather than corporate centralization.
A step towards digital freedom
The idea of decentralizing TikTok could define the entire future of social media. The battle is not just about an app, but the very concept of digital identity, data control, and personal autonomy.
Frequency represents a possible turning point, eliminating the need for powerful intermediaries and giving users back control of their interactions. Thanks to a secure, scalable, and accessible architecture, it could provide a sustainable alternative to current models.
For too long, we have accepted a digital world dominated by a few companies. Today, we have the opportunity to build a new internet, more equitable and decentralized. The time to take control of our digital identity is now.