The tension between idealism and sustainability is holding back the open social web. It needs funding infrastructure as thoughtfully designed as its protocols. In this final piece in my series about open social web business models, I propose one way to solve the problem: [werd.io/2025/lets-fu...](
Ben Werdmuller
Let's fund the open social web
A pro-social approach to building better platforms
 ) [Let's fund the open social web](
Ben Werdmuller
Let's fund the open social web
A pro-social approach to building better platforms
 )
File under "maybe pay your support contractors more". [www.cnbc.com/2025/05/15/c...](
CNBC
Coinbase says hackers bribed staff to steal customer data and are demanding $20 million ransom
The incident may cost Coinbase up to $400 million to fix, the company estimated.
 ) [Coinbase says hackers bribed s...](
CNBC
Coinbase says hackers bribed staff to steal customer data and are demanding $20 million ransom
The incident may cost Coinbase up to $400 million to fix, the company estimated.
 )
Flipboard just launched 124 new publishers to the Fediverse - bringing the total number it hosts to 1,241. #Fediverse [about.flipboard.com/fediverse/fl...](
About Flipboard
Flipboard Expands Publisher Federation with International Partners
Flipboard is beginning to federate publisher accounts in France, Italy, and Spain, while also expanding federation in Brazil, Germany, and the U.K....
 ) [Flipboard Expands Publisher Fe...](
About Flipboard
Flipboard Expands Publisher Federation with International Partners
Flipboard is beginning to federate publisher accounts in France, Italy, and Spain, while also expanding federation in Brazil, Germany, and the U.K....
 )
I'm working on a fourth part in my series about open social web / fediverse business models. This one's from the perspective of funders: what would I do if I was *funding* the open social web? Which leads me to this question: how do *you* think the open social web should be funded?
I’ve written before about what I’d do if I ran Bluesky or Mastodon. But what if I started from scratch? What would it look like to build a new open social platform - one that's private-by-default, human-centered, and sustainable from day one? Here’s the blueprint I’d follow: [werd.io/2025/if-i-st...](
Ben Werdmuller
If I started fresh
What would I do if I was building an open social web platform from scratch?
 ) [If I started fresh](
Ben Werdmuller
If I started fresh
What would I do if I was building an open social web platform from scratch?
 )
This is obvious, but if people broadly rely on a black box to give them answers that help them understand the world, whoever controls the black box controls those answers and therefore the understanding that comes from them. Openness is safety.
The Holocaust was organized on IBM punch cards. Hitler gave the head of IBM, Watson, a medal for his services. Later, they named their AI tech after him. Anyway, in unrelated news: #Democracy [www.wired.com/story/doge-c...](
WIRED
DOGE Is Building a Master Database to Surveil and Track Immigrants
DOGE is knitting together data from the Department of Homeland Security, Social Security Administration, an IRS that could create a surveillance to...
 ) [DOGE Is Building a Master Data...](
WIRED
DOGE Is Building a Master Database to Surveil and Track Immigrants
DOGE is knitting together data from the Department of Homeland Security, Social Security Administration, an IRS that could create a surveillance to...
 )
Mastodon is a revolution in people-powered social networking. But it needs help to push it past its early adopter community. In the spirit of my previous piece about Bluesky, here's what I would do if I ran the project: [werd.io/2025/if-i-ra...](
Ben Werdmuller
If I ran Mastodon
A community platform for a vibrant, diverse social web.
 ) [If I ran Mastodon](
Ben Werdmuller
If I ran Mastodon
A community platform for a vibrant, diverse social web.
 )
Bluesky’s trying something no one’s pulled off before: building a protocol and a business model around openness. They’re hiring a Head of Product. I’m not applying - but here’s how I’d approach it. [werd.io/2025/if-i-ra...](
Ben Werdmuller
If I ran Bluesky Product
What Musk is branding, Bluesky may build.
 ) [If I ran Bluesky Product](
Ben Werdmuller
If I ran Bluesky Product
What Musk is branding, Bluesky may build.
 )
There are many social networking contenders, but only a few will romaine. Likely this is just the tip of her digital iceberg; certainly a new leaf for her, but it might turn out to be a little gem. Lettuce see what happens. [www.theguardian.com/politics/202...](
the Guardian
Liz Truss to launch ‘uncensored’ social network to counter mainstream media
Former PM says she wants to protect free speech after being ‘cut off at the knees’ by ‘the elite’ while at No 10
 ) [Liz Truss to launch ‘uncensore...](
the Guardian
Liz Truss to launch ‘uncensored’ social network to counter mainstream media
Former PM says she wants to protect free speech after being ‘cut off at the knees’ by ‘the elite’ while at No 10
 )