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Comment by hggigg | Hacker News Reader

This shows the true value of the platform to end users is near zero. If it goes away the world keeps turning.

Is that really true? I think platforms have strong network effects that make migrations to alternatives (like Bluesky) very difficult. However, a government shutdown of that platform, with the power/threat of violence, can break through that network effect by making the platform inaccessible to both sides (the people making tweets and their audience).

This shows the true value of the platform to end users is near zero.

Is that really true? I think platforms have strong network effects that make migrations to alternatives (like Bluesky) very difficult.

The network effect has negative value to the user; if the platform went away, everyone would migrate to a better platform, and everyone would be better off. The network effect is an artificial barrier to competition that only benefits the owner of said network, and it only works because collective action is harder than collective inaction.

what does artificial mean here

There’s no technical reason different social media networks couldn’t be made to interoperate. The barriers that keep other platforms from building off of a successful network are largely legal, not natural.

I’m also equating these kinds of network effects with other artificial barriers to competition, like price fixing or mandatory non-compete agreements.

Migrations are indeed difficult but not at all impossible it seems. It feels like a tipping point has been reached and activity of what I would call high quality posters is now at such a level on bluesky that I can’t read it all from the relatively few people I follow. Even my own posts are getting traction that they didn’t until very recently. And people seem to be joining now not only because Musk drove them away but because it’s worth it on its own merits.

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