With the rise of Web3, the internet is evolving from the centralized Web2 model to a decentralized, user-driven ecosystem. In this context, 'paid social'—which involves paying a fee to gain interaction opportunities with specific individuals or groups—has gradually become a striking phenomenon. From Zhao Changpeng (CZ) offering '1 BNB per message' to the traditional case of Buffett's dinner auction, and to membership interactions in NFT communities, paid social seems to be finding new soil in the Web3 era. So, will this model become a mainstream trend? This article will analyze from four dimensions: technology, economy, society, and culture, and explore its potential and challenges.



I. Technical Foundation: Web3 Provides New Possibilities for Paid Social

The core technologies of Web3—blockchain, smart contracts, and cryptocurrencies—provide unprecedented infrastructure for paid social. Unlike the social models of the Web2 era that relied on centralized platforms, Web3 grants users control over data, identity, and transactions. This decentralization directly promotes the feasibility of paid social.


  1. The Convenience of Micropayments

    Cryptocurrencies and tokens (like ETH, BNB) make small payments efficient and low-cost. CZ's '1 BNB per message' leverages this: users can transfer directly through blockchain without going through cumbersome third-party payment processes. This immediacy reduces transaction friction, providing technical support for paid social.

  2. Binding Identity and Value

    In Web3, digital identities (via wallet addresses or NFTs) not only represent users but also carry their social capital. For instance, holding a rare NFT might mean entry into a high-end community and interaction with specific opinion leaders. This 'identity as ticket' mechanism transforms paid social from mere monetary transactions into a symbol of value exchange.

  3. The Automation of Smart Contracts

    Smart contracts can preset payment rules, such as 'unlock CZ's reply privilege automatically after paying 1 BNB' or 'subscription to a certain community requires a monthly payment of 0.1 ETH'. This automation reduces trust costs and makes scaling paid social possible.

Technological breakthroughs pave the way for paid social, but whether it can become mainstream depends on economic and social driving forces.



II. Economic Logic: The Ultimate Evolution of Attention Economy

Paid social is essentially an extension of the attention economy. In the Web2 era, attention was monetized by platforms through advertisements, and users used services for free, but data and privacy became the price. Web3 attempts to return attention value directly to individuals, with paid social embodying this logic.


  1. The Direct Monetization of Influence

    As demonstrated by Buffett's dinner auction, the attention of celebrities or opinion leaders is scarce and its value can be priced by the market. CZ's '1 BNB per message' further breaks this scarcity into smaller units, allowing more people to participate. This 'micro-payment' model aligns with the decentralized spirit of Web3 and meets the crypto community's expectations for quick returns.

  2. The Rise of Community Economy

    Web3 emphasizes 'ownership economy', where users become stakeholders in the community through tokens or NFTs. Paid social can serve as an incentive mechanism: paying fees is not only for interaction but also to support community development. For example, paid channels on Discord or subscription models on Patreon have proven feasible in Web2, while tokenization in Web3 makes this model more flexible and global.

  3. The Game of Speculation and Returns

    In the cryptocurrency world, paid social often carries a speculative nature. Paying 1 BNB to CZ may not only be for his advice, but more likely in anticipation that his words will drive up the price of a certain token. This 'signal value' gives paid social in Web3 a unique economic drive, distinct from the pure emotional connections of traditional social.


However, the economic logic also brings risks. If paid social relies too heavily on speculation rather than real value, its sustainability will be questioned.



III. Social Demand: From Mass Connection to Precise Interaction

Social demands in the Web3 era are changing. Web2's social networks (like Twitter, WeChat) pursued large-scale connections, leaving users overwhelmed in a flood of information. Paid social attempts to return to small-scale, high-quality interactions, aligning with social trends.


  1. The Antidote to Information Overload

    In an age of information explosion, ordinary users find it hard to access truly valuable content. Paid social filters out the noise through price selection, allowing users to directly obtain 'substance'. For instance, CZ's paid messages may attract those who genuinely need his insights, rather than casual likers.

  2. Acceleration of Community Stratification

    Web3's decentralization does not mean equality; instead, it stratifies communities further. Paid social reinforces this trend: those willing to pay enter the 'inner circle' to enjoy privileges, while non-payers remain in the 'outer circle'. This model is already evident in NFT projects, such as the exclusive event access for Bored Ape Yacht Club holders.

  3. The Return of Trust and Intimacy

    Web2's free social often comes with anonymity and low trust. Paid social rebuilds a sense of intimacy through economic bonds. Those who pay are more likely to be seen as 'serious' participants, thus enhancing the quality of interactions.


Changes in social demand provide soil for paid social, but it may also exacerbate the digital divide, leaving some users feeling excluded.



IV. Cultural Impact: The Reshaping of Web3 Values

Web3 is not only a technological revolution but also a cultural movement. Whether paid social becomes mainstream largely depends on its ability to integrate into Web3's core values: decentralization, transparency, and user sovereignty.


  1. From Free Culture to Paid Culture

    The mainstream in the Web2 era was 'free use, advertisement subsidized', while Web3 advocates 'value equivalence'. Paid social challenges the traditional free culture, requiring users to pay for content and interactions. This cultural shift will take time, but the high willingness to pay in the crypto community (like NFTs often costing thousands of dollars) indicates it is not unacceptable.

  2. The Rise of Personal Brands

    In Web3, individuals are no longer just appendages of platforms but independent value creators. CZ's paid messages and Buffett's auction show that personal brands can become assets. This trend may encourage more creators and opinion leaders to try paid social, forming a new professional ecosystem.

  3. The Game of Controversy and Ethics

    Paid social also brings cultural controversies. For instance, CZ's charging may be seen as 'harvesting' fans rather than a genuine sharing. Such perceived discrepancies may hinder its popularization unless practitioners can win trust through transparency (like publicizing income usage) or public welfare (similar to Buffett's charity auction).




V. Challenges and Prospects: The Possibility of Mainstreaming

Although paid social has the technical, economic, and social foundations in Web3, it still faces the following challenges to become a mainstream trend:


  1. Sustainability Issues

    If paid social relies solely on speculation (like expecting celebrities to promote), its appeal may quickly diminish once the market bubble bursts. In the long run, it needs to be built on real value (like knowledge, relationships, or experiences).

  2. Fairness Controversy

    Paid social may exacerbate class differentiation in the digital world, marginalizing low-income groups. If Web3 wants to maintain its original intention of 'decentralization', it needs to balance paid and free models.

  3. Competition and Alternatives

    The openness of Web3 means that alternatives are emerging endlessly. For instance, AI chatbots (like me) may provide similar value at a lower cost, undermining the uniqueness of paid social.


Nevertheless, the prospects of paid social remain promising. As Web3 users become more accepting of 'ownership' and 'value exchange', this model may gradually expand from experiments in the crypto circle to broader fields. In the future, we may see more forms of paid social: from personal consulting to virtual gatherings, to DAO-based collective interactions.



Conclusion

The likelihood of paid social becoming a mainstream trend in the Web3 era is high, but it will not be the only social model. It may coexist with free social, forming a 'stratified ecosystem': ordinary users enjoy basic connections, while those willing to pay gain deeper interactions. CZ's '1 BNB per message' and Buffett's dinner auction are just the tip of the iceberg; the technological, cultural, and economic characteristics of Web3 are injecting new vitality into this model. However, its success hinges on whether it can transcend speculation and create real value for users while balancing fairness and efficiency.


What do you think? In the Web3 era, would you be willing to pay for social interactions? If so, what do you hope to gain from it?


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