Ethereum’s Vitalik Buterin Says He’s Leaving Centralized Social Media Behind in 2026

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin said he plans to return fully to decentralized social media in 2026. In the latest post on X, he explained that better mass communication tools are necessary for a better society while pointing out that the current platforms often prioritize short-term engagement over users’ long-term interests and fail to surface the best information, arguments, or areas of agreement.

He said there is no simple solution to these issues, but added that increased competition is an important starting point, which can be enabled through decentralization. According to Buterin, decentralized social media can support competition by relying on a shared data layer that allows anyone to build their own client on top, rather than locking users into a single platform.