Decentralized social media app to challenge Big Tech’s ‘walled gardens’

Layer-1 blockchain Ice Open Network (ION) is set to launch Online+ social media app, the first DApp built using the ION Framework, in August to bring the convenience of Web2 to Web3.

Mainstream social platforms controlled by Big Tech have quickly turned into digital walled gardens. They collect data without consent, algorithmically shape discourse and lock creators into ecosystems where monetization depends on opaque rules and middlemen. Users have little control over what they see and how their identities are managed, all the while their personal information fuels ad-driven business models they never agreed to.

Blockchain-based alternatives promise freedom from the strangleholds of Web2, but they usually fall short on usability. Essential actions to get onboard, such as setting up wallets and managing seed phrases, and the technical jargon involved deter mainstream users. The complex, unfamiliar user interfaces steepen the learning curves even more.

Users want privacy, ownership and seamless experiences, but few solutions deliver all three.

An all-in-one social app

Layer-1 blockchain Ice Open Network (ION) has developed the ION Framework — a modular, open-source infrastructure stack for building user-friendly decentralized applications — to solve these problems. Online+, its first reference app, is decentralized by design, yet intuitive enough for anyone to use.

Set to launch globally in August, Online+ mirrors the look and feel of mainstream social platforms, supporting familiar content formats like posts, stories, videos and long-form articles. The difference is that all content exists onchain and users retain ownership while avoiding all kinds of censorship.

*Feeds on Online+*Rather than requiring users to grapple with crypto concepts from the start, Online+ abstracts away complexity. Wallets are auto-generated, and users can sign in using simplified, “no-password” login methods. This design makes blockchain-based ownership invisible but ever-present.

Online+ integrates a chat feature. Conversations are protected by end-to-end encryption, ensuring no intermediaries can intercept or store private messages. As there are no intermediaries, monetization is direct as well. Users and creators can exchange tips, access premium content and even launch tokenized communities without paying commission, all powered by the native ION coin.

*Chat interface. Source: Online+*Just like limited monetization, algorithm-driven feeds that prioritize engagement over relevance are another major issue plaguing Web2 platforms. Online+ allows users to curate content based on their preferences, free from spam or manipulation.

Online+ is more than a single app — it’s a gateway to a broader ecosystem. Users can explore and interact with DApps directly from within the platform. Already, more than 100 Web3 projects are preparing to launch community hubs on Online+, and over 3,000 creators with a combined reach of over 500 million are currently being onboarded to the platform as part of its early access phase.

No-code DApp builder on the way

Online+ is built entirely on the ION Framework, a modular, open-source infrastructure stack designed to make Web3 usable for the real world. The framework includes four key modules: ION Identity (self-sovereign digital ID), ION Vault (encrypted storage), ION Connect (communication protocols) and ION Liberty (content delivery).

Together, they allow developers to build fully decentralized apps that meet today’s UX standards. The upcoming Online+ is the first reference app built on the ION Framework.

The backbone of this system is the Ice Open Network — a horizontally scalable layer-1 blockchain capable of processing millions of transactions per second. Since its launch, ION has reached over 40 million community members and brought over 200 validators online.

After launching Online+, ION will set to work to release a no-code DApp builder by the end of the year. The tool is aimed at democratizing development, letting creators, entrepreneurs and communities design their own decentralized platforms through a drag-and-drop interface. The goal is to make building Web3 applications as simple as building a website.

Internet built for people, not platforms

ION envisions a digital future where sovereignty, privacy and interoperability are built in from the start, and the decentralized technology is hidden under the hood of great experiences.

As explained by Alexandru Iulian Florea, founder and CEO of ION, Online+ is a step toward achieving this vision:

“The next billion users won’t care about Web3 — they’ll care about ownership, privacy and better digital tools. That’s what Online+ delivers. It’s a gateway to the new internet, and ION is its blueprint, offering the infrastructure and values needed to rebuild online life around people, not platforms.”

ION isn’t just building tools for crypto insiders — it’s building infrastructure for the internet’s next chapter. Online+ is the first glimpse of what that future might feel like: simple, secure and owned by its users from day one. By the following year, the ION Framework and the upcoming no-code DApp builder will empower users to create DApps with the same usability and ownership principles, powering the entire ecosystem.

Learn more about Online+

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• #Blockchain
• #Adoption
• #DApps
• #Social Media
• #Web3