1. TikTok will sell.
That being said, the “people’s bid” led by Frank McCourt’s Project Liberty offers a new way to imagine TikTok.The Decentralized Social Networking Protocol (DSNP) empowers users with full ownership of their data, prioritizing privacy, transparency, and interoperability across platforms by eliminating central control and adopting fair monetization models.
Today Kevin O’Leary, known to millions as Shark Tank’s “Mr. Wonderful,” joined forces with the “people’s bid.” O’Leary’s crowdfunding effort for individuals to register interest at WonderfulTikTok.com will now be folded into the “people’s bid,” which will help ensure individuals and small businesses have a stake in the future of TikTok. This makes the McCourt effort a growing force for change.
2. Gen Z will pioneer new digital spaces.The exodus from mainstream social media will accelerate in 2025 as Gen Z abandons algorithm-driven platforms for more authentic digital spaces. Rejecting the passive consumption model of traditional social networks, young users will gravitate toward intimate communities built around shared values and active participation. Five distinct types of platforms will emerge to serve this shift: Truth-Seeking Communities where transparent communication and fact-checking reign supreme; Ethical Digital Communes organized around sustainability and social justice; Mobilization Networks enabling rapid organization around causes; Value-Based Commerce Spaces that blend conscious consumption with community building; and Dialog-Driven Platforms fostering genuine discussion over viral content. These emerging spaces will fundamentally challenge current social paradigms by prioritizing genuine connection over engagement metrics and community impact over individual influence.
Key Predictions:
- Small-group platforms limiting communities to 100-200 members will see rapid adoption.
- At least three major niche platforms will reach 10 million monthly active users by focusing on authentic connection over scale.
- Real-time, ephemeral content will replace algorithmic feeds as the primary form of communication.
- User-owned communities will emerge, with governance and moderation controlled by members.
- Traditional influencer marketing will decline as peer-to-peer recommendations become the dominant form of social commerce.
