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Key Takeaways
- 921 responses from the community, 43% were HoloPort owners
- 80% of you believe your data is safer when you store it yourself
- Nearly 80% rate yourselves as highly technical
- 53% of you want to host, but don’t yet have HoloPorts
- 75% prefer open-source software
A sincere and heartfelt thank you to all who participated in the Holo Community Research Survey that we concluded earlier this year. With a whopping 921 responses, we gained critical insights into the values and priorities of our community. The data has not only confirmed what we've heard anecdotally from you in our HoloPort owner focus groups, but it has also given us increased clarity of what you desire for a decentralized future.
The survey results highlight a strong desire for data privacy and self-sovereignty. An overwhelming 80.1% of you believe your data is safer when you store it yourselves. This powerful sentiment is further underscored by the finding that 44.2% of you "strongly disagree" that you trust most companies not to misuse your data. Only 9% of respondents strongly trust companies with their data, and a majority are uncomfortable granting companies rights to their data in exchange for free services.
The reality for those of us who value data privacy is that threats to personal data are increasing in frequency and intensity. The EU's "Chat Control" proposal, which has gained support from 19 member states, would mandate the scanning of private messages and files before they are encrypted. This includes popular encrypted messaging applications like WhatsApp and Signal. Signal has taken the position to never weaken its privacy promises and has indicated it would stop offering its service in the EU if the legislation required compromising end-to-end encryption. This recent legislative push simply underscores why the fight for data sovereignty is so critical, and it further reinforces our community's core values.
The survey also provided key insights into the community's technical confidence and its clear preference for peer-to-peer and open-source software. The average technical confidence rating among respondents was 3.9 out of 5, indicating we have a highly skilled and capable community. This technical confidence is further demonstrated by the fact that 40.7% of respondents have experience setting up a personal server, with the most common uses being file/photo storage (27.5%) and web hosting (23.6%).
This technical aptitude is matched by a strong belief in the value of open-source software. A significant majority are committed to open-source principles:
- 43.6% are willing to accept some inconveniences to use open-source software where it is a viable alternative.
- 32.3% prefer open-source software but wouldn't go out of their way to choose it.
Conversations with our most dedicated and passionate community members reinforced that the desire for a more open, community-driven, and self-sovereign network is a core priority.
A New Internet for the People: The Vision from Our Community
The survey responses to "What drew you to Holo?" and "Why is a new Internet needed?" tell a powerful story. The community was originally attracted to our fundamental promise of a decentralized, peer-to-peer internet that challenges big tech. Common keywords in these survey responses included "decentralization," "privacy," "peer-to-peer," and "not a blockchain." These responses also identified the problems with today's web, including the control of data by a few tech giants, surveillance, and a lack of individual agency. You came to Holo because you saw a different path. You share a vision for digital autonomy and data ownership. You are here to help shift the paradigm from a centralized, data-driven web to a distributed, agent-centric one. This is a powerful mandate from our community, and we are paying close attention.
Your passion and vision for a better Internet are what drive us. With clear majorities reporting a high technical competence, and favoring open-source software, we feel confident that the Holo community’s potential is unbounded.
Click here to read Holo's Community Research Survey.