Table of Contents

Ecosystem

Introduction

From SolarNET.HuB (SNH) we are very aware of the need to rebuild the bases of the so called social networks, in terms of data privacy rights, carbon footprint and environmental damage, as well as the need to establish a different language, a different form of interaction through the semantic layer, allowing us to create other kinds of relationships, shared objectives, needs and information, different from the currently established by private corporations.

This is why we developed a project network, instead of a so called 'social' network which turned out to be commercial and extractive networks.

Our intention is to look for alternative forms of the paradigm, with the purpose to share and learn from concrete actions taken in social and environmental projects, and to give a space for these necessary processes where objectives might be carefully explained or carried out over time, because they frequently lack of a time and a space for sharing experiences, support and knowledge with others in similar situations.

We believe it is crucial at this moment to find alternatives to the use that is being given in the current applications for social relations, which we believe it impoverishes the potential that entail for humanity as a whole to be connected in a safe, divers and non-superfluous way.

The Background

The most popular social networking sites today [2022] are created, maintained and managed (although mostly paying taxes in other countries), from headquarters in only two territories in the world: The United States of America [California (Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp, Microsoft Messenger, Instagram)]; and China [Shenzhen (WeChat, QQ, QZone), Beijing (TikTok) and Shanghai (Sina Weibo)].

The Backend: "The cloud vs sovereignty"

Starting from the basis that the “cloud” are third-party computers, the majority of individuals who use the so called social networks do not seem to be aware of the importance of their data (and the metadata generated around them) and the enormous power who have those who store them, mostly governments and large corporations, for marketing profit, manipulation tactics or even to collect information for past, present or future crimes due to law changes.

This is why from SolarNET.HuB (SNH) we have built an environment where the data remains on the device of each inhabitant who generates it. In this way, each inhabitant is responsible for the data they publish, how and with whom is shared, its carbon footprint, its safety and the legacy generated from it, because due to theblockchain technology of the project network, once a message is published it cannot be edited or deleted.

Giving to those using the networks the responsibility for how they use them, we offer a much more critical awareness to understand how this technology really work and the causes and consequences derived from their use. We offer the possibility of enjoying sovereignty, with all the responsibility that this means, generating a relationship between the data and its generator, much more realistic, responsible and critical with the current concealed forms of data management.

We believe that the network does not consist of a “Service provider” and a “User”, but that we are “Inhabitants” of the environment that forms it. So, we are equal, from the point of view that we have total control over our data, due to the type of distributed architecture we have deployed. In this way, there is no “debt” between who provides and who uses, but at the same time we are producers and users of the environment.

Why Ecosystem

From SolarNET.HuB (SNH) we understand the project network as an ecosystem because we consider it a complex entity involving all the organisms and the physical environment with which they interact, which implies responsibility from all its inhabitants with the system (biologic, atmospheric, geologic) that enables the network, to respectfully improve life on this planet for all.

The Frontend: "SNH-Oasis"

From SolarNET.HuB (SNH) we have created a graphical interface called: SNH-Oasis that allows access to a network of projects with substantial changes about the idea of how it should be a social network, its objective, its forms of interaction or its background, and which allows a total sovereignty about the messages that are sent and to those who are sent.

No videos: Only text and Images

The project network does not allow video uploading in posts, only linked materials (ex: PeerTube), with the aim of being responsible with the carbon footprint generated when large files are uploaded, streamed and replicated.

No Emojis

From SolarNET.HuB (SNH) we decided to get rid of the current cascade of emojis that flood the conversations, and which we consider biased ideograms that impoverish interactions through normalizing and 'naturalizing' determined behaviors.

Inhabitants instead of "Users"

From SolarNET.HuB (SNH) we consider that the concept of “user” (and service provider) establishes a toxic and dependent relationship, and introduces an unfair hierarchy, where the “user” becomes consumer and product.

This is why we introduce the concept of “inhabitant of the ecosystem, where the figure of the data generator is much more involved and responsible with its environment. Also, it is in their active contributions where the importance of their actions lies, ceasing to be a mere passive actor and participating in the creation of the environment in which is developed.

Avatar instead of "My Profile"

From SolarNET.HuB (SNH) we consider that the concept of ”profile” is grounded in psychological and behavior stereotypes, patterns and expectations, used in forensic techniques, work efficiency, marketing, pathological, social or political behavior and targeting, which define individuals and groups in a biased way and allows to extract and feed them with critical information.

This is why we introduce the concept of “avatar“, where the figure of the data generator is not necessarily self-representative (with the aim to leave behind concepts such as ego, vanity and overexposure), to allow participation with less expectation based on the feed of personal bias and much more enriching for the community as a whole.

Support instead of "Follow"

From SolarNET.HuB (SNH) we consider that the concept of “follower” became an arena for lucrative profiles and implies toxic hierarchical relationships. Social envy attracts markets. From “friends” we became “followers”, and not even ”friendship” meant establishing a narrow link and relationship, with the pragmatic and emotional consequences it implies. Also, the word 'being followed' has even problematic connotations as it also means surveillance and harassment in certain contexts.

This is why we have eliminated the identification of “followers“, as well as any counter who evaluates quantities (the network architecture highlights specific actions or posts rather than 'individual profiles'). In this way, all the inhabitants are equal, regardless of the number of relationships they establish. Instead, we have introduced the possibility to “support” an avatar of another inhabitant. That means, not only to express support to their contents, but also to became a node in the distributed network to store and show their content even when they are not synchronized with the network. Then, the relationship established between inhabitants includes some public and personal responsibility, about the acts and the content that both parts publish.

By this, we hope the inhabitants of the project network won't be mere spectators of others but develop a fertile interaction with the inhabitants they find there. For us, the important thing is not to “follow” people, but their content and the projects they are working on.

Spread instead of "Like"

From SolarNET.HuB (SNH) we consider that the concept of “like” became an empty response that does not necessarily imply responsibility for information and opinions supported. It is generally used automatically, and this produces forms of non active interaction which can disseminate irrelevant content saturating the Internet.

This is why we introduce the concept of “spread” a post, a project, an initiative, where the figure of the data generator is directly involved with the information and its present and future consequences, by spreading (relevant) information which cannot be deleted in the future due to the blockchain technology of the network. We hope this would bring about a decrease of daily shared information in the Internet, because of the responsibility it implies replicating content, which will initiate a substantial reduction of its carbon footprint.

The first PUB: "La Plaza"

We have deployed the first PUB: ‘La Plaza’ for the project network.

Just visit: https://pub.solarnethub.com

A virutal place, a town square, a plaza, where to spread the important work and supporting networks already created and future to begin and sometimes invisible or neglected from other ‘social’ networks based on self-spectacularization for entertainment or ego-rentability.

ROOM: "#SNH"

We have deployed the first ROOM: ‘#SNH’ for the project network.

Just visit: https://room.solarnethub.com

A virtual, a town square, a room, to facilitate that people and communities can be found and start building together quickly and safely.

Open Futures

The project network is in constant experimentation and change. Unlike the current most popular ''social'' networking sites, where private companies decide their progress predominantly based on obtaining greater financial benefits and accumulation of power, our future is open to upgrades and changes through the participation of the inhabitants of the network.

Thus, the creation of other forms of digital collaborations, relationships and networking, and decisions about how to participate in the digital sphere - a key space because of its increasingly presence and dependency generated in present and future times - will be only and exclusively ours.

Our future is in our hands and not in that of third parties.


An ecosystem consists of all the organisms and the physical environment with which they interact…