Episode #443: Escaping the Algorithm: Building the Future of Social Media with Interoperability

On this episode of the Crazy Wisdom Podcast, host Stewart Alsop is joined by Jesse and Leo, co-founders of Maitri, a social infrastructure project focused on fostering interoperability between different social media applications. They explore the limitations of current social networks, the importance of community graphs in building trust and reputation, and how to create a digital environment that prioritizes meaningful human connection over algorithmic engagement. The conversation also touches on AI, reputation systems, decentralized governance, and the future of online coordination in an era of increasing technological acceleration. For more about their work, visit maitri.network.

Check out this GPT we trained on the conversation!

Timestamps

00:00 Introduction to the Crazy Wisdom Podcast

00:13 Founding My Tree: The Vision and Mission

01:10 Challenges with Current Social Media

02:50 Building Community Graphs

04:13 Philosophical Insights on Social Relationships

08:32 Interoperability and Technical Aspects

13:44 AI and the Future of Social Media

23:47 The Philosophy of Reputation

28:44 Balancing Inclusivity and Exclusivity

29:30 Building Reputation Systems

31:16 Financializing Behaviors and Social Media

32:24 Open Source and Competitive Benchmarking

33:25 Privacy and Positive Attestations

44:08 Future of Media and Group Identity

53:11 Coordination and Governance Challenges

56:15 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Key Insights

1. Interoperability is the Key to Social Media’s Future – Jesse and Leo emphasize that current social media platforms operate as isolated silos, preventing users from seamlessly interacting across networks. Maitri is designed as a social infrastructure project that enables interoperability between platforms, allowing for greater connectivity, user control, and shared network effects. Instead of monopolies controlling engagement, they envision a future where smaller, more specialized communities can thrive while remaining interconnected.
2. Community Graphs Offer a More Nuanced Approach to Social Identity – Unlike traditional social graphs that focus on one-to-one relationships, community graphs provide a richer representation of how people engage within groups. These graphs account for the “fuzziness” of social membership, acknowledging that participation in a community is often subjective and context-dependent. This system aims to better reflect how humans naturally form trust and reputations within various groups.
3. Reputation Systems Should Be Positive, Subjective, and Competitive – One of the key challenges in designing digital reputation systems is avoiding the pitfalls of social credit scores. Maitri’s approach ensures that reputations are built through private, positive attestations rather than public negative ratings. This system mirrors real-world trust-building, where individuals accumulate credibility over time rather than being permanently defined by past mistakes. Additionally, by allowing multiple reputation frameworks to compete, users maintain agency over how they are evaluated.
4. AI and Automation Will Radically Reshape Online Interaction – With AI-driven bots increasingly indistinguishable from humans, the internet is at risk of becoming an overwhelming space filled with automated engagement. Jesse and Leo highlight that while AI can be useful, there must be clear distinctions between human and non-human interactions. Maitri’s reputation infrastructure could help address this challenge by providing proof of unique personhood, allowing people to differentiate between trusted human connections and AI-driven entities.
5. Decentralized Coordination is a Crucial Missing Layer of the Internet – One of the biggest problems facing humanity is the failure to coordinate effectively. Traditional institutions and digital platforms have struggled to balance inclusivity with exclusivity, leading to either centralization or fragmentation. By creating digital primitives that allow for more efficient coordination—whether through financial incentives, reputation mechanisms, or group dynamics—Maitri aims to provide tools that help people organize at scale without relying on monopolistic control.
6. The Future of Media is Many-to-Many, Not One-to-Many – The era of mass culture driven by television and radio, where everyone consumed the same media at the same time, is fading. Instead, we are moving toward a more fragmented but dynamic landscape where smaller communities cultivate their own cultural moments. While this shift eliminates shared cultural touchpoints, it allows for greater diversity of thought and expression. Curation and trust-based networks will become increasingly important as content continues to proliferate.
7. Balancing Privacy, Identity, and Accountability is the Next Digital Challenge – The conversation highlights the ongoing tension between privacy and accountability in online spaces. While anonymous or pseudonymous interactions can protect free speech, they can also enable bad actors. Maitri’s approach seeks to give users control over their identities by enabling flexible, context-dependent personas rather than enforcing a single, rigid identity. This allows for a balance between protecting privacy and maintaining trust in online interactions.