Is bitcoin a type of social media or a type of social network? Is it neither?

[SeeBiscuit]

"No, it's a p2p digital currency.".

Yes, but from a technical standpoint bitcoin displays traits associated with social networking. It's definitely not a easy-to-use social network (for most people), that's for sure. The only difference is, any identifying features of the user are usually replaced with random strings of numbers and letters.

-connection between two users
-communication between two users
-sharing of information between two users
-forming of relationships between two users

On the other hand, definitions of social media usually describe a service that enables the ability for a user to create and share content, or to participate in the act of social networking.

From what I understand, bitcoin doesn't support or really have a use for user generated content sharing and uploading. It's currency after all, not Instagram.  

But it's currency that let's you talk to another person with the only requirement being they are using the same software.

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Of the three options, I think bitcoin is a social network.

What do you think?

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[kizlod]

"No, it's a p2p digital currency.".

Yes, but from a technical standpoint bitcoin displays traits associated with social networking. It's definitely not a easy-to-use social network (for most people), that's for sure. The only difference is, any identifying features of the user are usually replaced with random strings of numbers and letters.

-connection between two users
-communication between two users
-sharing of information between two users
-forming of relationships between two users

On the other hand, definitions of social media usually describe a service that enables the ability for a user to create and share content, or to participate in the act of social networking.

From what I understand, bitcoin doesn't support or really have a use for user generated content sharing and uploading. It's currency after all, not Instagram.  

But it's currency that let's you talk to another person with the only requirement being they are using the same software.

_____________________________________________________________

Of the three options, I think bitcoin is a social network.

What do you think?

It can't be a social network, you can't connect through Bitcoin, only use it as a currency or an asset. Or a social network, all that stuff is built around BTC, like this forum, but you can't call BTC that.

[SAHASAN]

As my opinion bitcin BTC is a Public Economic power ( Power of Public) Public Economic network to make strong financial Community for whole world public which is decentralized and a pure Control less Digital Assets.

[Doan9269]

The concept behind the use of p2p is beyond just an ordinary social networking, its to create an interpersonal platform whereby there will be a direct sell and buy between two parties without the influence of a third party, this talks more about financial privacy instead, if you understand well why bitcoin is decentralized, then you will get the idea behind the use of p2p more clearly than just assuming it to be social networking, the concept behind social network does not covers for privacy and its centralized which totally go against what bitcoin provides.

[SeeBiscuit]

the concept behind social network does not covers for privacy and its centralized which totally go against what bitcoin provides.
 

The concept of a social network should cover for privacy and focus on being decentralized. The organizations and applications/services that have been on top, using human beings like cattle, are the reason for why you automatically perceive social networking in this negative light.

Also, I kind of redact my statement about bitcoin allowing for content creation because this image:



Touched the hearts of a lot of people. This image communicated feelings, emotions, and a memorium that frankly towers over most of the usual stuff you see on regular socials. At least I think it's cool.

[Rabbitqt]

No, it is not a social network, and the sharing of information does not define it as such. A ledger has very little soci

Would you consider a bank a social network simply because it shares the same characteristics you mentioned?

[btc78]

I do not think it’s a social platform first of all.

Some people just transact with another, sending or receiving money, but does not do more than that. Sometimes they do not even know each other’s names. And if you think about it… that is what makes bitcoin so unique.

You don’t have to make an account or verify your identity in order to send money or receive money, but I wouldn’t exactly call it a social network nor a social media platform mainly as aside from money there is not much else shared.

Our community on the other hand can be considered as a social network like this one.

[HeRetiK]

By most definitions not even classical forums like Bitcointalk count as social media so I don't see how Bitcoin should be. And while Bitcoin has a community, being able to communicate over the Bitcoin blockchain as a side-effect of monetary transactions does not really make a social network either. You may be able to derive certain social relationships by analyzing transaction flows, but Bitcoin as a protocol itself does not facilitate social networking.

[SeeBiscuit]

By most definitions not even classical forums like Bitcointalk count as social media so I don't see how Bitcoin should be. And while Bitcoin has a community, being able to communicate over the Bitcoin blockchain as a side-effect of monetary transactions does not really make a social network either. You may be able to derive certain social relationships by analyzing transaction flows, but Bitcoin as a protocol itself does not facilitate social networking.

This. Now we're talking.

Thank you for understanding what I'm trying to convey. Very well said.

I never said Bitcoin is social media.

The poll does not ask if Bitcoin is social media.

I said of the three, Bitcoin is the most like a social network.

The poll asks of the three, what qualities are shared with Bitcoin the most?

😴

Do you think there are strengths in focusing on exploring possibilities of communication using Bitcoin core? Or is it a waste of time?

[leonair]

Bitcoin cannot be compared to social media or social networks. It is a digital currency.  And it's built for payment solutions.  And one of its advantages is that it can be transacted in a completely anonymous way. can you use social media anonymously?  Or any social media payment solutions? so how can Alani Bitcoin compare to any social media or social network? bitcoin is bitcoin it can't be comparison with anything

[SeeBiscuit]

can you use social media anonymously? 

Or any social media payment solutions?

1. Yes, I would hope so?
2. No, usually social media payment solutions are tied to Big Brother of respective country and therefore appear foul for privacy reasons. Rightfully so.

[Mrbluntzy]

Bitcoin is a digital financial system, designed for individuals to manage their money privately. According to the research I did, "Social networking is more like using internet-based social media sites to stay connected with friends, family, colleagues, or customers." We don't use Bitcoin as a tool of social networking but as a means of p2p payment or investment. While on the social space, you can use Bitcoin to make payment depending if you are in negotiation with a customer for an exchange of goods or a service.

Take for example, some years ago,   Laszlo Hanyecz posters that he needs to buy pizza with 10,000 Bitcoin and Jeremy Sturdivant picked the order and delivered 2 papa John's pizza to Hanyecz, that's was a social network but payment was made in Bitcoin.

[bluebit25]

I think some similarities in how they work aren't enough to consider them social, but I also don't want to deny that they aren't. The fact that I know bitcoin is bitcoin, and the way we associate it with so many different things demonstrates its unlimited uses.

A few days ago I asked a friend about the fact that in the future, people will not discuss its physical value, but the information surrounding it will be valuable.

[HeRetiK]

Do you think there are strengths in focusing on exploring possibilities of communication using Bitcoin core? Or is it a waste of time?

I'm not quite sure what benefit you're expecting from communication via the Bitcoin blockchain. The way I see it we have enough problems with bloat as is, as such using the Bitcoin blockchain for storing communication data beyond transactional information seems rather wasteful.

Thing is, "the only requirement being they are using the same software" isn't quite true. There's another requirement, and that is having the money to send a transaction (or a message, as would be the case).

I might not quite understand what line of thinking you are going for though.

[we-btc]

Bitcoin was intended to be peer-to-peer digital cash.

[PrivacyG]

I admire your out of the box thinking.  But I am pretty sure it is neither of them.

You could then associate Banks with the two types too.  You create a Bank account like millions of others and then you Receive and Spend using what we can call an 'ID', which is either Credit Card number or IBAN.

But are Banks social media or a social network?  I do not think so.  Water and bleach are both liquids, but it does not make them both drinks.

[GbitG]

Hmm That's dope! 
You brought up an excellent topic to discuss. I really appreciate your thoughts.
 
My position in opening this topic is that it is not appropriate, in my opinion to compare Bitcoin to a social network or media. Yes, it is absolutely right that both Bitcoin and Sociak networks have the same characteristics like In these networks, two people are connected to each other and communicate with each other but the concept of Bitcoin is slightly different because of the Blockchain. Bitcoin adopts an anonymous track, no one has to do KYC identification, and the two suspects are not known, like who they are, where they are from, etc. While on a social network or social media, each other is known, no one works under an anonymous title, there all users can be tracked, including who they are, where they are from, etc. And this is what makes Bitcoin the most prominent show in the world of finance.

[aylabadia05]

My answer is no, Bitcoin is a type of currency (peer to peer electronic cash system) not a type of social media.

If you mean not Bitcoin but the bitcointalk forum, then my answer is that this forum is also not a social media platform like Instagram, Facebook or others even though you can see for yourself here how to participate in discussions that are useful and fun but it is not social media.

[nakamura12]

I do not think it’s a social platform first of all.

It is not social platform as you have said but OP didn't mention social platform at all. The title said if bitcoin is a social network or social media and my answer will be neither of it. The reason why is because bitcoin is a type of currency that people can manage and also we cannot use blockchain to communicate with others that's why we need a social platform or a forum for example so that people can interact or send messages to each other for transactions or an exchange for example. If bitcoin is really a social media then we could have use it to post or whatever it is like facebook and more. If bitcoin is social network then it wouldn't be used as a payment and Satoshi Nakamoto wrote it in the Bitcoin whitepaper that it is Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System.

[Z-tight]

But it's currency that let's you talk to another person with the only requirement being they are using the same software.

I don't see how BTC allows you to 'talk' to another person through it. However, when tx's are broadcasted, nodes validate these tx's and communicate it to other nodes who check if it meets the networks rules and they validate it too, the same with blocks, when a miner confirms a block, nodes validate these blocks and communicate it to one another, before adding it to the boockchain.

Now, if this is the kind of communication you are talking about, then i agree, but surely it has nothing to do with social media or social networking.