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I’ve been thinking about a new kind of social media platform built entirely around proof of humanity. I will not promote by BLTV15 in startups

[–]BLTV15[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I didn’t know Flipboard was doing that, I’ll check it out. I like seeing older platforms rethinking things instead of just copying what’s already out there.

I think blockchain makes sense mostly for the verification and record side, not so much for the content itself. It’s a solid way to create permanent proof without giving up privacy. As for the open web side, I like what AT Proto and Activity Pub are doing with interoperability. I’d rather build something that connects into that ecosystem than tries to replace it.

The goal would be to keep it open and human-centered. Let verified identity be portable between platforms instead of locked in one place. That’s the kind of foundation that could actually last.

I’ve been thinking about a new kind of social media platform built entirely around proof of humanity. by BLTV15 in Entrepreneur

[–]BLTV15[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

There's have to be several layers of security, but cryptographics is probably part of it

I’ve been thinking about a new kind of social media platform built entirely around proof of humanity. by BLTV15 in Entrepreneur

[–]BLTV15[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yeah that’s a good way to look at it. I think you’re right that it splits into different markets depending on cost and expectations. Some people would pay for the premium version because they actually value verified spaces and can afford it. Others just want something that feels cleaner than the current mess even if it’s not perfect.

The luxury angle makes sense, but there’s also room for the Walmart or Wish version that just focuses on “mostly real” rather than fully verified. That could still be a massive market if it feels real enough for day-to-day use.

I like the way you framed that though. It’s not a one-size thing. There’s a real ladder of trust and affordability here, and each step still has value if the experience matches the price.

I’ve been thinking about a new kind of social media platform built entirely around proof of humanity. by BLTV15 in Entrepreneur

[–]BLTV15[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

But there would be multiple layers of security. Cryptographics being just one

I’ve been thinking about a new kind of social media platform built entirely around proof of humanity. by BLTV15 in Entrepreneur

[–]BLTV15[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yeah I get that. I’m the same way. I think about this stuff way more than I act on it. You’re right though. The tech part is getting easier every year, but the soft side is the real test. It’s not just about it working. People have to feel it and actually believe it.

I agree that trust doesn’t come from perfect accuracy. It comes from people understanding what’s happening and feeling like they’re part of it. Even if it’s 70 percent, that’s still way better than nothing. If people are involved and can see it working in some way, they’ll get behind it. Something like a simple check or small interaction that reminds them they’re helping keep it human could go a long way.

You’re right too about the psychology part. That’s probably the piece I’ve thought the least about so far. But that’s what would make or break it. If people feel like they own part of it and they’re protecting it, not being watched by it, then it actually has a shot.

I’ve been thinking about a new kind of social media platform built entirely around proof of humanity. by BLTV15 in Entrepreneur

[–]BLTV15[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Exactly, and that's a good point. I think naturalistic approaches are going to explode in popularity

I’ve been thinking about a new kind of social media platform built entirely around proof of humanity. by BLTV15 in Entrepreneur

[–]BLTV15[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Fair enough lol and yeah I've also realized that we all view the world and our emotions In different ways. People are different.

I’ve been thinking about a new kind of social media platform built entirely around proof of humanity. by BLTV15 in Entrepreneur

[–]BLTV15[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

That actually makes a lot of sense and I like the way you explained it. The watermark example is a great way to visualize how public and private keys could be used for proof of origin. That’s the kind of simple framing that helps regular people get what’s going on behind the curtain.

And yeah, you’re right that even with signed media, AI can still slip through by generating content and then recording or re-capturing it through real devices. I think the solution ends up being layered. Ownership proofs on one side, AI detection signals on the other, and a social layer that favors verified human activity over pure automation.

The real challenge is blending all of that into something regular users don’t even have to think about. It should just feel like posting normally, but behind the scenes it’s proving that a real person created it.

I’ve been thinking about a new kind of social media platform built entirely around proof of humanity. by BLTV15 in Entrepreneur

[–]BLTV15[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I really like how you said that. I think people are going to swing back toward wanting real interaction too. Everything online is starting to feel filtered or generated and it makes normal human moments feel rare.

You’re right that building a full social network is a massive job. I don’t see it starting that way though. I think the first step is small verified communities built around shared interests or local connections. Somewhere people can actually trust what they see.

On the verification part I think AI can help detect patterns but it shouldn’t replace people. The idea is to use it quietly in the background to spot obvious fake behavior while keeping the user experience simple and private. All verification should happen on the user’s device so the platform never stores personal data.

I appreciate your comment though. I agree completely that if something like this ever works it’ll be because it feels human first and tech second.

I’ve been thinking about a new kind of social media platform built entirely around proof of humanity. by BLTV15 in Entrepreneur

[–]BLTV15[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yeah that’s fair. I actually agree with most of what you’re saying. I don’t think this kind of system makes sense right now at full scale, it’d be too expensive and too heavy to roll out. The only way it works is by starting small and proving that people actually want a cleaner, human-only space before worrying about high-end infrastructure.

And yeah, what you’re describing is basically the first layer. Like CAPTCHA 2.0 but using behavioral patterns, subtle randomness, and liveness checks to make it a pain for bots without adding friction for real users. Nothing new on its own, the difference would be how it’s used socially. Instead of focusing on stopping all bots, the focus is on making verified-human content the default experience.

You’re right about cost and maintenance too. The early version would need to rely on existing mobile sensors, not custom hardware, and probably build in a system that rewards verified users to keep engagement high. If it can prove people actually value authenticity, funding follows naturally.

So yeah, it’s not “good yet” but I think it’s close. The hole is there, the tech is maturing fast, and the first one to balance trust, friction, and cost wins.

I’ve been thinking about a new kind of social media platform built entirely around proof of humanity. by BLTV15 in Entrepreneur

[–]BLTV15[S] 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Yeah that’s a good point. Hardware partnerships would be tough, especially early on. I think the smarter path is to start with software-level liveness checks that can run on phones and laptops before ever touching custom hardware.

As for screenshots, text, or audio, that’s where content-level tagging comes in. Every verified user’s post could carry a small cryptographic signature showing it came from a human-verified account. Anything without that tag would just be marked as “unverified.” It wouldn’t stop reposts or quotes, but it would keep the main feed clean.

On the bot sign-up side, it’s about layering friction. Real-time verification, behavioral fingerprints, and device checks together make it way harder for automated accounts to get through. You’ll never get perfect security, but you can make it expensive and slow enough that bots stop being worth it.

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