21/12/2021 Social media app Parler plans to expand into NFTs

Woman holding smartphone with Parler logo in front of displayed same logo in this illustration taken May 17, 2021. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic

Dec 20 (Reuters) - Social media platform Parler said on Monday it will expand its business into non-fungible tokens (NFT), in a move that underpins the rapid growth of the digital asset in recent months.

AnNFT, which is a digital asset usually bought with cryptocurrencies or in dollars, encompasses everything from images, videos to text. The ownership record is tracked on the blockchain, which serves as a public ledger allowing anyone to verify the NFT's authenticity.

Traded since around 2017, NFTs initially gained popularity in early 2021 and then around August.

Last week, former U.S. first lady Melania Trump launched an NFT and blockchain technology venture, which was spearheaded by Parler.

"Parler will continue building its digital offering with an NFT pipeline that builds communities and fosters creativity while furthering its commitment to free speech and security," the company said in a statement on Monday.

The app was launched in 2018 as a social-media site, styling itself as a free-speech space for those seeking an alternative to major platforms such as Facebook Inc(FB.O)and Twitter(TWTR.N). It quickly gained traction from supporters of former U.S. President Donald Trump.

Parler, however, went dark for about a month after being cut off by major technology platforms Apple Inc(AAPL.O), Google parent Alphabet Inc(GOOGL.O)and Amazon.com Inc that accused the app of failing to police violent content related to the deadly Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol by Trump supporters.

Arts

https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/social-media-app-parler-plans-expand-into-nfts-2021-12-20/

Interesting NFTs
Classical Collage
voronoi fun with some well known art
Poem by Motoyoshi Shinno, from the series One Hundred Poems by One Hundred Poets, Explained by the Nurse
Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849) Poem by Motoyoshi Shinno, from the series One Hundred Poems by One Hundred Poets, Explained by the Nurse late 1830s - Japan
Not Forgotten, But Gone
Not Forgotten, But Gone by WhIsBe
CryptoKitties
*waves*! I'm Kitty #454253. All you need to know about me is I hate ice cream with a passion. I once made a chimpanzee trot. I think you'll love me beclaws I have cattitude.
Who is Satoshi Nakamoto?
"Who is Satoshi Nakamoto?" is dedicated to the mysterious creation of Bitcoin, and acts as the showcase artwork within Javier Arrés’ exploratory series "Bitcoin, The Origin". "Who is the creator of Bitcoin?" The artist, Arrés, explores this question, and the feelings of doubt and mystery that accompany it, through his unique artistic language. An unknown, an enigma. It should be remembered that the name Satoshi Nakamoto is a pseudonym of Bitcoin's author or authors and gives us little insight into its true creator. For this Visual Toy, Arrés uses the signature claw machine, his famous half-operation, to symbolize our collective ignorance and unconfirmed belief: As soon as it has the stuffed animal within its grasp and appears to have solved the puzzle, the animal escapes again, and again. At present, there are three more public and studied possibilities who are either believed to be the creators of the currency or who directly claim the creation of it. It may be all or none of them, yet these three personalities leave us clues which are an important part of this interesting enigma. For this moment, it will remain unknown... In this artwork, Arrés elevates the claw machine from the apparatus, to an iconic pop art object serving as an important element to the Bitcoin creation narrative. Action is everywhere, with each movement serving an iconographical or metaphorical purpose related directly to cryptocurrency: Various ups and downs, roller coasters, mining points, robot, coins and more speak to a sense of hope, risk, mystery, randomness and possibility of pay out. Hundreds of manically thought out details make this creation one of the artist’s most complex Visual Toys to date. ------- "Bitcoin, The Origin" is a set of two Visual Toys, titled "Who is Satoshi Nakamoto" and "It’s Alive!" which reflect and explore the mystery and enigmas behind the creation of Bitcoin. Arrés presents these proposals to us in his signature style, full of iconography, fantasy, maniacal animations and a panoply of details (both subtle and overt) which simultaneously fascinate, hypnotize, and narrate this historical milestone through the singular vision of the artist. Through this series, Arrés freezes a crucial moment of cryptocurrency history, taking a still photo under his vision and turning it into two unique crypto artworks. ---- More info about Javier Arrés: https://javierarres.com/about.html