A computer science student argues that the core idea of social media is sound, but current implementations are broken. The problem isn't the technology itself, but the corporate structures that design platforms for profit over user welfare. The user experience suffers from a lack of competition and weak privacy laws.

The author points to monopolistic consolidation and outdated US privacy regulations, like the 1988 Video Privacy Protection Act, as key culprits. This environment allows companies to hoard user data and use DRM to lock down software, preventing modification that could benefit users. The result is a gradual 'enshittification' of online services.

Fixing this requires systemic change, not abandoning the technology entirely. The focus should be on antitrust enforcement and new data rights legislation to restore market competition and user agency. The future of social networking depends on rebuilding the ecosystem to prioritize people over shareholder value.