Blockchains separate the backend from the frontend. @LensProtocol takes this further by specialising the backend for social interactions. Here's how it works.

Originally posted on yashkarthik.xyz

Everything is an NFT! Literally.

Profiles, comments, follows, mirrors(retweets) are all nfts, or represented using nfts. This enables direct ownership of content and, programmability (cuz nfts are basically programmable objects).

The main nfts are:

• ProfileNFT: ownership over this nft gives you control over your profile.
• Publications: these are posts, comments, mirrors all posted to a user's profile and stored in the user's wallet.

A key feature of nfts is their inherent programmable nature. Lens Protocol leverages this in the form of modules.

Modules

Modules are whitelisted contracts that adhere to a specific interface.

• They have state and contain logic to be executed when a certain event occurs.
• Follow Modules: called when a user tries to follow a profile.
• Collect Module: executed when a user tries to collect a publication.

... etc.

These modules allow for logic such as "fee-on-follow" or even a "subscription" model. Basically any logic you can think up!

Monetization

Because creators own their content via the Lens Protocol, they can allow their followers to purchase that content as nfts. A creator can attach a collect module with arbitrary logic.

Web2 turned websites from digital newspaper to social networks and shopping stores. It leveraged the programmable nature of the webpages. Similarly NFTs are programmable objects. By leveraging this @LensProtocol has built a decentralised, composable, user-owned social graph.