The post Vitalik Buterin Says Decentralized Social Is the Path Forward for Better Online appeared on BitcoinEthereumNews.com.

Buterin argues that decentralized social and user control are key to fixing online discourse and avoiding manipulation. Vitalik Buterin has renewed his support for decentralized social media, calling open and competitive platforms essential for better online communication. He made the comments in response to Lens announcing that Mask Network will take over stewardship of the protocol. Buterin also said that his planned return to decentralized social in 2026 reflects a push for tools that serve users’ long-term interests. Vitalik Buterin Plans Deeper Move Into Decentralized Social Platforms Buterin stated that in 2026, he plans to be fully active on decentralised social platforms, adding that his shift has already begun. Since the start of this year, every post he has written or read has been done through Firefly. The multi-client tool connects platforms such as X, Lens, Farcaster, and Bluesky. In 2026, I plan to be fully back to decentralized social. If we want a better society, we need better mass communication tools. We need mass communication tools that surface the best information and arguments and help people find points of agreement. We need mass communication… https://t.co/ye249HsojJ — vitalik.eth (@VitalikButerin) January 21, 2026 He described this setup as an early example of how shared data layers allow many different clients to coexist while giving users choice and flexibility. According to Buterin, such tools should surface strong arguments, help people find agreement, and serve long-term user interests rather than chasing clicks.  No single feature can solve these issues, he said, but competition is a necessary starting point. Decentralization makes this possible by allowing anyone to build on top of shared social data rather than locking users into a single platform. Buterin also welcomed the transition of Lens stewardship from the Aave team to Mask Network. Aave was credited for laying the groundwork…

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Filed under: News - @ January 22, 2026 12:15 am