There was a time around 2006~2008 when something called "Web 2.0" was being created. An internet without borders, created and curated not by the old media, but by us, people who create content. We could in a few clicks have a blog, a news portal, a forum with our name, something that was OURS and OURS only. We had new and cool corporate sites that accepted this content, helped it grow, and made interconnection possible using APIs. A post on my blog could be sent to Facebook/Twitter automatically, among other cool things that were possible with an open and connected internet.
It was around 2011~2012 that things started to change. Facebook was BOOMING with new users, and new features for companies, and every bit of media liked to repost only numbers — this Facebook page reached 1M followers! Look at that other page, now it has 2M followers!!! It stopped being about content and everything turned into a race for the first to reach a magical number. And then the craziest thing happened: companies started to move their domains to their Facebook Pages URL, killing the actual website.
It was around that time that I wrote something on Facebook (oh, the irony!) about how using social media platforms for your business or online presence was basically like renting an apartment. You pay (with your data and content), follow the house rules (Terms of Service), and pray the landlord doesn’t decide to evict you or triple the rent. And guess what? That's exactly what happened. Suddenly, just having a Facebook Page with 10m followers wasn't enough, you had to pay Facebook so the content reached your public, your followers.
But it could be worse — well, it was worse. Remember, the whole presence of influencers, companies, and agencies was built on someone else's terrain. A terrain that could be reclaimed for no specific reason at all. Maybe the page received too many negative reviews. Maybe Facebook stopped letting Google read the content of the pages, so it was impossible to search for the company details. Maybe an influencer profile got hacked, and he suddenly lost access to it. Years building our digital lives on someone else’s platform, following their rules, and then… poof. Everything’s gone because the landlord decided to sell the building or change the locks. It was a crazy period.
Just to be clear: I'm not claiming to me the whole concept of being a Digital Tenant. It isn't even a complex concept. But reading a recent Bluesky blog post where they validated this idea and used this to explain their new approach to social media made me want to write about it.
The Problem with Being a Digital Tenant
Let’s be honest here: when you build your presence on Instagram, Twitter, or any other platform, you’re not really in control. It’s like living in a fancy apartment where the landlord can:
- Change the rules whenever they want
- Decide who gets to visit you
- Randomly renovate your space without asking
- Kick you out with zero notice
- Sell the building to someone who might turn it into a parking lot
And what do you get to keep after years of “paying rent” with your content and engagement? Absolutely nothing. Nada. Zip. If you decide to move to a new platform, there's even a chance that the old platform will block you from giving your new address.
Why This Matters More Than Ever
Look at what happened with Twitter. People spent YEARS building their following, creating content, and engaging with their audience. Then one day, a billionaire walks in, buys the place, and suddenly everyone’s wondering if they should start packing their digital bags. I'm not even in the "well, let's give more space for nazi discourse" realm.
As Emily Liu points out in her Bluesky article (which you should read, by the way, that's why I'm linking it twice), this is exactly the problem they’re trying to solve. Traditional social media is like having “a room in their house” — but what if you could own the house instead?
The Bluesky Approach (Or: How to Stop Being a Digital Hobo)
Here’s where things get interesting. Bluesky isn’t just creating another social platform; they’re building something that lets you own your digital identity. Think of it this way:
- Instead of renting rooms in different buildings (Twitter, Instagram, etc.)
- You own your house (your digital identity)
- And different apps are just rooms in YOUR house
- Want to switch apps? No problem — you keep your house
You’re not just another tenant anymore — you’re the owner. And just like owning real property, that means:
- You make the rules
- You choose how to use your space
- You keep your address even if you renovate
- No one can evict you
It's still not so good as having your own domain, with your own website coded to your needs, with content that is tailored for your userbase needs, but it's a lot better than just "let's rely on what a few billionaires believe it's better for them".
The Bottom Line
Look, I’ve been in tech long enough to see small and big platforms come and go (Orkut? MySpace?). I’ve watched people build entire businesses on platforms that disappeared overnight. It’s like watching someone build a mansion on quicksand — impressive, but probably not the best long-term strategy.
With open protocols like Bluesky’s, we’re finally seeing a shift from the “digital feudalism” of traditional social media to something more like actual ownership. It’s not just about having a profile anymore — it’s about having control over your digital identity.
So next time you’re thinking about where to build your online presence, ask yourself: Do I want to keep paying rent to a landlord who might decide to demolish the building tomorrow? Or is it time to invest in some digital real estate of my own?
Remember: your content, your rules, your house. Everything else is just paying rent to someone who probably doesn’t have your best interests at heart.
(And yes, I’m well aware of the irony of posting this on Medium 😏 — that's why I also have my site, with my domain, where I can move everything I write and create in a few clicks…)
And what’s your take on this? Do you have a horror story to share?
