PARA

Civic social infrastructure for communities, governance, and public participation.

Social Media Is Now Parasocial Media

When practitioners used the term “social media” to describe the internet tools that emerged in the mid-aughts, they were giving a name to the kinds of platforms and protocols that allowed people to socialize with friends and communities of interest by using digital technologies. Twenty years later, users of social media are far more likely to scroll than post – and the content that they consume is often strategically produced and algorithmically curated. In this essay, I argue that the very essence of social media has changed. To more effectively interrogate what we are witnessing, we need to stop presuming that these tools are “social media” and begin recognizing that they are now “parasocial media.” Doing so raises new questions about digitally mediated sociality, not to mention the politics and governance of these platforms.

Bridging Social Movements and the New Social Web (working draft) - Variable Context with @CaptainCalliope.blue

On connecting movements, media, and new protocol ecosystems to rebuild the civic, cultural, and technical foundations of a freer, more self-determining society.

DWeb Virtual Meetup — Jan 2025 — Latest in the DWeb Ecosystem

DWeb Virtual Meetup (January 2026) featuring speakers sharing their latest DWeb product releases and community organizing efforts. SPEAKERSmauve signweaver, Awana Digital: Awana Digital supports those working to defend their human and environmental rights, but who lack the tools to do so. Their local partners represent marginalized communities worldwide, including Indigenous Peoples and ethnic minorities. They train local partners to use basic digital tools to gather, share, and manage information about environmental and human rights infractions. mauve presented CoMapeo Abare, an open-source local-first Android app designed with Indigenous communities, to enable non-technical users to easily map and document biodiversity, environmental threats, and human rights abuses.Blaine Cook, New_ Public: New_ Public is a nonprofit focused on building digital public spaces that foster connection, facilitate pluralism, and encourage civic engagement. Blaine presented Roundabout, their new social app and website to improve information sharing in rural and suburban towns, and city neighborhoods — areas with about 10,000-50,000 people.Afri Schoedon, Department of Decentralization (DoD): The Department of Decentralization is a collective of people from Berlin, who first assembled in 2018 to organize ETHBerlin hackathon. They aim to be an agnostic vehicle to drive adoption, educate newcomers, and raise awareness of the challenges and benefits of decentralization and open-source software. Afri shared their experience of previous DoD events and share the technologies and approaches that their collective sees as being on the horizon of network decentralization.Facilitated by DWeb Senior Organizer, mai ishikawa sutton

LukeW | Web App Masters: A Simple Ladder of Engagement

At the Web App Masters Tour in Philadelphia, PA Mark Trammell outlined Twitter’s approach to helping new and one-time users become loyal repeaters by discussing...

Using AT Proto for more than just Bluesky posts

Explore alternative uses for AT Proto beyond Bluesky posts, enabling self-sovereign digital infrastructure and innovative apps.

co/infra

Free, public infrastructure for the open social web, run as a community cooperative. - co/infra

🧭🏘️📲 Exploring a new social product for local communities

We’re seeking local partners for collaboration as we pilot new concepts and designs

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A gaming platform built on the open social web. Your identity, your scores, your data - all portable.