Seventeen million dollars. That’s the war chest T-Rex is loaded with to further “turn online engagement into expertise.” A noble goal, right? A digital, free-market, Robin Hood, taking the wealth created by our clicks, noseboops and likes and redistributing it. But let's be real. The internet is now strewn with the remainders of utopian dreams. Is T-Rex the hero we deserve, but not the one we need? Or will he be a temporary blip in the ongoing gamification of our existence?
Equity or Empty Promises?
Web3 has all these big promises – the decentralization, the transparency, the user empowerment. T-Rex also has a pretty kickass browser extension that helps monitor your engagement on sites like TikTok and X. It virtually guarantees to give you some cryptocurrency in return for your engagement. Unlock exclusive content to earn even more points, then redeem for even more crypto! Simple. Too simple?
Consider Maria. She’s a single mom working two jobs. Even with her hectic schedule, she makes time to create stunning, detailed crochet patterns and shares her artistic talent on her Instagram account. She dreams of one day making her hobby her full-time work, getting out of the rat race. Could T-Rex be her ticket? Picture her receiving crypto payment for every view, every upvote, every retweet, every reaction emoji on her work. It could be life-changing.
Next, let’s say that Nike begins using T-Rex to incentivize users who view their advertisements. Who do you think earns more crypto? Maria, or a corporation that can afford to take over the platform with content?
This is the crux of the issue. Will T-Rex’s algorithm actually reward the creation of high quality content? Or will it simply become yet another super fun sand box where the deep pocketed get to continue gaming the system? Or will it further drown out myriad diverse voices, adding only to the tidal wave of corporate narratives we’re already gagging on?
Attention as a Commodity – At What Cost?
T-Rex isn’t solely focused on rewarding engagement. It’s designed to keep track of it. They use "zero-knowledge transport layer security technology" to protect your privacy, they say. Let's not be naive. Data is the new oil. Even with the best of intentions, even if the data is pseudoanonymized, it can still be leaked, hacked, or otherwise misused.
The "popcorn" icon, triggering the engagement tracking. Just a normal click, right? Wrong, it turns you into a data point, a cog in the T-Rex machine. You watch, you click, you earn. But at what cost to your autonomy? Are we really democratizing the internet? Otherwise it feels like we’re just training players to be even more glued to their devices while they run around trying to earn crypto tokens.
Think about it. The more you interact, the more T-Rex understands what you like and don’t like. They claim to use this data to deliver more relevant content. What if that content is intentionally curated to stoke outrage and fear, no matter how factual or true it actually is? What if it exacerbates biases already in place, churning out echo chambers of disinformation?
Community Power – The Only Hope?
Collective success with T-Rex will be largely determined by our unwavering commitment to community-led governance. This core dedication is what really democratizes the internet. Will T-Rex bring its users along and let them have a say on the platform’s content moderation policies and algorithms? Will they actually introduce a DAO (Decentralized Autonomous Organization) structure or some sort of alternative that provides users with a meaningful voice?
This goes beyond just allowing users to have a voice, though—it’s about making sure that the platform truly serves the interests of its community. It’s really about keeping T-Rex from being the next centralizing, corporate power broker that controls the flow of all information and therefore wealth.
Now picture an alternative world where the T-Rex community votes to fund content that fosters education, civil discourse, and critical discussion. Alternately, they vote to suppress content that promotes dangerous lies or racist propaganda. This is the power of decentralized governance.
T-Rex’s goal is to bring on more than 100 content creators by year’s end. It intends to increase its media collaborations. Volume isn't everything. The community’s priorities and values will determine T-Rex’s true legacy. How it chooses to govern itself will determine whether it becomes a force for good or simply another shiny object on the proverbial Web3 merry-go-round. Cultivate real relationships and create productive conversation. Give creators the tools to make and distribute their content however they choose, with no risk of capsizing or self-sinking by political hacks.
So, is T-Rex going to democratize the internet, or just gamify it? The reason, my friends, is still unwritten. Well, it all hinges on the decisions they make, the community they foster and the culture that they create and the values that they enforce. That willingness entirely depends on whether or not they are serious about empowering users or merely serious about making money.
And frankly, it depends on us. We, the users, the creators, the community. Let’s stop accepting the lack of transparency and accountability, or their superficial commitment to decentralization. We need to hold T-Rex accountable for its promises. Because the future of the internet—and maybe even the future of democracy itself—depends on it.
