Farcaster

Technology

A decentralized social network protocol. Users create a cryptographically secured wallet that holds their "FID" - Farcaster ID.

This FID can be used to login to any client that operates on the Farcaster Protocol.

As an analogy, consider email: Email operates on a protocol that allows you to sign into any platform (client) with the same email address. All correspondence related to all of the platforms get sent to your single email address.

Similarly, you can use your Farcaster account to sign in to any number of Farcaster clients, allowing you to bring your single username, followers, following, and casts (posts) with you to all of these other clients.

Hence, decentralized social media, since you are not limited to one central platform to leverage your Social Graph.

For more on the practical impact on social media, read: Recalibrating 34: Shifting Social Media Paradigms

Etymology

The word "Farcaster" comes from the Hyperion Cantos by Dan Simmons, referring to a type of portal that enables people to teleport across the galaxy.