Subsocial Advisors: Samuel Häfner

This is the third part of a series of articles interviewing our advisors. These esteemed individuals have helped the Subsocial team in a massive way, and we would like to give them some exposure as well as showcase who they are, and why they have chosen to advise us.

Today we are hearing from Samuel Häfner. Samuel is a Research Economist at the Web 3 Foundation, where he analyzes the incentives and tokenomics present in the Dotsama ecosystem. He is an applied microeconomic theorist with research expertise on contracts, contests, and auctions.

Can you tell us about your background in the crypto/Web3 space?

I am a research (crypto-)economist at the Web 3.0 Technologies Foundation, where I analyze incentives in cryptographic protocols, and, more generally, crypto markets.

What led you to start your advisory role at Subsocial?

The Subsocial team approached me to discuss mechanisms to incentivize content provision. The idea of running a social media platform in a permissionless setting was something new to me, but Alex was very patient in introducing me to its intricacies. These early conversations were very productive and fruitful, so we decided to take it to the next level.

Why do you think Subsocial is important?

I think there are at least two reasons. On a general level, I am convinced that there is a need for social media platforms that are censor-resistant and do not collect nor sell their users' data. The Subsocial team works on technologies that should enable just that. On a more ecosystem-centered level, I think that not only the Subsocial app but also the other tools that the team is developing (e.g., Sub.ID) will tremendously benefit the Kusama and Polkadot community and help to unlock additional network effects.

What aspect of Subsocial are you most looking forward to?

I expect that Subsocial will play an integral role in the Kusama/Polkadot ecosystem in the future. Without mentioning anything specific, I can say that the team is full of new, innovative ideas. And from my experience, they will have no problems delivering them.