Aave team's "Social Graph" Lens officially launched! Multiple ecosystem applications will be introduced to you one by one!
The social protocol Lens, built by the DeFi lending protocol Aave, officially launched on Polygon yesterday. Users who signed the public letter in early January this year can mint their personal data NFT on the official website and explore the developing Lens ecosystem. Currently, there are several apps available for use, let's explore some interesting protocols through this article together!
Table of Contents
Introduction to Lens Protocol
The Lens Protocol is a "social graph" built on Polygon, aiming to address the common centralization issues in social media. Traditional web2 networks rely on centralized databases to retrieve data, lack portability, and have data managed by network operators, leading to concerns about platform algorithm or policy changes, potentially losing their content, audience, and sources of livelihood.
The social graph created by Lens allows users and creators to have their own connections and data with the community, which can be brought to any application built on the Lens Protocol, with identity verification through encrypted addresses and NFTs.
Minting Lens Handle
Users who signed the Lens public letter in early January this year can claim their unique Handle on the official minting page. The Handle serves as an identity card within the Lens ecosystem, displaying personal information and links.
Once connected to the Metamask wallet and switched to the Polygon network, users can confirm if they can claim the Handle.
During the claiming process, users can set their follower criteria and avatar, and upon minting completion, the following page will be displayed.
Profile Settings
After completing the minting process, clicking on the option above will allow users to set up their personal profile. They can use NFTs on Polygon as avatars and add links to Twitter and personal websites, among other features.
Once all settings are completed, clicking the button on the top left of the page will allow the system to find users with similar backgrounds based on the user's web3 footprint, enabling mutual tracking and expanding social circles.
Explore Lens Ecosystem Apps
As mentioned, the social graph created by Lens allows users to explore a variety of applications built on the Lens Protocol. The official statement indicates that there are over 50 Apps available. Here are a few examples:
1. Lenster
Lenster serves as a social platform within the ecosystem. After connecting a wallet, it collects user Handle data and displays posts from oneself and followers. Users can interact with posts by commenting, retweeting similar to Twitter's Retweet, known as Mirror, and saving, among other functions.
Additionally, there is a group function similar to Facebook. By clicking on the Community section, users can join groups of interest. If a desired theme is not available, users can create groups themselves by clicking on More, even initiating crowdfunding.
2. Iris
Iris, similar to Lenster, is a social platform. Upon connecting a wallet and using Lens for login, users can see their posts and interact with followers. However, compared to Lenster, Iris offers fewer features.
It's important to note that most actions on Iris require payment in MATIC as Gas Fees, such as posting and liking. Additionally, posts on Lenster and Iris are synchronized, meaning that posts made on one platform will be visible on the other.
3. Clipto
Clipto is a video matchmaking platform where numerous video creators are available for selection. By paying a production fee, creators will produce exclusive videos and send them to the designated wallet.
Each creator can showcase three past videos as examples to attract customers. If interested, customers can express their video requirements for commissioning. Alternatively, individuals can apply to become creators themselves.
The Lens ecosystem is rapidly evolving. Even without obtaining a Handle, users can explore various applications using web3 wallets. In the future, the Lens ecosystem will offer more diverse applications such as monetization systems, music platforms, and even games, all likely to emerge soon.