Not only commercial companies can be tokenized through ICOs or digital art through NFT tokens, but online communities and their "social capital" as well. Community tokens, which are tokens issued in limited quantities for a particular community, can provide more benefits to their owners compared to other types of tokens.



These tokens act as access tokens, offering its owner the right to participate in the community. The blockchain stores the list of token owners, which is the same as the list of community members. Users can also easily identify each other on the network by checking for community membership.

Moreover, tokens can function as a whitelist, providing a filter for users who want to join or leave the community. It becomes expensive to be part of the community, and it limits the number of registered users, making spam protection much simpler.
 To limit the total load on the decentralized online environment, tokens can also limit the number of any objects created within the community.

Tokenization shifts the focus from technology to the community itself. As long as the list of participants is stored, it doesn't matter how the community communicates with each other. If the current communication technology becomes obsolete, they can easily change it to a new one or combine different communication technologies using the same list of participants from the blockchain.

Online communities typically have active authors who publish most of the content or actively participate in forum discussions. During tokenization, such authors can receive a significant share of the issued tokens to incentivize their active participation in the community and receive a measurable profit.

Tokenization also eliminates the need for a small group of initiators or owners to manage and profit from the growth of the community. Instead, each participant becomes a co-owner and benefits from the development of the community by increasing the value of their tokens.

An analogy can be drawn between community tokens and industry conferences where purchasing a ticket grants access to the event. Similarly, purchasing or earning a community token gives access to a particular online community.

Companies can also invest in tokenized communities to gain influence without having to fully support it themselves. This type of asset could become more popular than NFT image tokens due to its practical uses.

Overall, tokenization provides an innovative way to invest in social capital and eliminate centralized ownership and management within online communities.

Communication involves message exchanges while broadcasting doesn't entail any exchange. By making message sending/receiving equivalent to sending/receiving funds, spam can be fought through the "thank you for your attention" approach.

Through a full-fledged dialogue, both parties will generally have an equal balance since the same amount will go back and forth, leaving the balance near zero. Spammers will have to pay more, while recipients will receive compensation for the inconvenience.

The Basic Attention Token (BAT) is a corresponding token that supports content creators and optional advertising. It would be interesting to see its evolution towards messaging and spam-free email.

The actual mechanisms behind "tokens" are unclear. Acquiring a community token implies questions on the opportunities, rights, and obligations that come with it. Tokens are just a mechanism, whereas community building starts with defining goals and means to achieve these by the community. Without this, tokens just become meaningless.

Anarchy might sound good in theory, but it doesn't work in practice. Community power either comes from within, leading to some members accumulating power and resources or it comes from outside sources.

The ability of community tokens to serve as access tokens, granting members tangible ownership and participation rights, is a particularly compelling aspect. This model has the potential to foster a stronger sense of community identity and investment, as individuals would have a vested interest in the success and growth of the group. The transparent and immutable record of token ownership stored on the blockchain could also streamline administrative tasks and help combat issues like spam or disruptive behavior, enhancing the overall integrity and cohesion of the community.

The idea of using tokens to incentivize content creation and active participation is especially intriguing from a journalistic perspective. By rewarding the most engaged community members, this model could help sustain a thriving, self-perpetuating ecosystem of user-generated content and discussion. This could lead to a more equitable distribution of the community's "social capital," empowering a wider range of contributors rather than concentrating power in the hands of a few central figures or administrators.

One of the key technological advantages you highlighted is the flexibility and future-proofing offered by community tokenization. By decoupling the community's identity and membership from any specific communication platform or technology, this model could enable seamless migrations and adaptations as communication tools and protocols evolve over time. This could help ensure the long-term viability and adaptability of these online communities, which is a crucial consideration for their sustainability and growth.

The potential investment opportunities presented by community tokens are also worth exploring in depth. As you noted, these tokens may become a more attractive alternative to traditional digital assets like NFTs, as their practical utility and collaborative nature may resonate more with investors than purely speculative art or collectible-based projects. The prospect of corporate investment in tokenized communities is particularly intriguing, as it could introduce new models of engagement and influence, potentially blurring the lines between commercial and community interests.
I'm eager to further investigate the real-world implications and use cases that emerge from this innovative approach to community-building and social capital. It will be fascinating to explore how community tokenization shapes the future of digital communities, social interaction, and the broader landscape of the internet and digital economies.