Software
Mark Cuban Backs Open Social Media Platform to Rival TikTok
2025-01-16

Investor and entrepreneur Mark Cuban has expressed his interest in funding an alternative video-sharing platform built on the AT Protocol, a decentralized technology developed by Bluesky. As concerns grow over the potential U.S. ban on TikTok, users are exploring other platforms for content creation and consumption. Cuban sees this as an opportunity to promote a more open and decentralized social media landscape, where developers can create independent yet interconnected applications.

The AT Protocol offers a new approach to social networking by enabling users to establish their own servers and apps, fostering a more flexible and resilient ecosystem. In a recent TikTok video, Cuban highlighted the protocol's extensibility, emphasizing that it prevents any single entity from monopolizing or shutting down the platform. This means users can seamlessly transfer their accounts, along with followers and content, between different servers without losing connectivity. The investor is eager to support anyone who can develop a minimum viable product (MVP) that leverages this technology, promising substantial backing for successful projects.

Cuban's enthusiasm for the AT Protocol extends beyond just supporting innovation; it also reflects his desire to challenge existing social media giants. With growing dissatisfaction over content moderation practices and misinformation issues, Cuban believes that an open-source alternative could provide a healthier and more transparent environment for online interactions. By encouraging competition, he aims to drive improvements in how social platforms operate, ultimately benefiting users and developers alike.

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