In a surprising move that has sparked a debate in the crypto community, popular DJ and crypto investor 3LAU, also known as Justin Blau, recently announced his departure from the decentralized social media platform Friend.tech. The decision, as explained by 3LAU, was rooted in concerns over potential regulatory risks associated with the platform.
3LAU, who is well-known for his involvement in the crypto space, took to Twitter on September 15th to share his reasons for stepping away from Friend.tech. He expressed his admiration for the platform but revealed that he found it to be too risky for his taste, emphasizing his responsibility to avoid engagement in unclear regulatory areas.
A risky departure
3LAU’s primary concern revolved around the platform’s automated market maker (AMM) feature, which facilitates the trading of user keys. He noted that while he doesn’t believe the risks are exceptionally high, he didn’t want his brand associated with an AMM in this context. According to 3LAU, the AMM feature operates in a regulatory gray area that could potentially lead to complications for users in the future.
Crypto community reaction
3LAU’s decision to exit Friend.tech triggered a significant response on Twitter, with users sharing a wide range of opinions on the matter. Some users accused him of offloading his shares on his followers or using them as “exit liquidity.” However, 3LAU later clarified that he would reimburse anyone who had purchased his keys on the platform.
Friend.tech, which was launched in mid-August, enables users to tokenize their social presence by buying and selling keys. These keys can have financial implications, as they are bought and sold, leading to fluctuations in their value. 3LAU’s departure highlights the complexities that arise when users no longer wish to participate in this type of social media platform.
Compensation and clarification
Responding to the drama surrounding his initial announcement, 3LAU made a follow-up post outlining his plan to compensate impacted key holders. He mentioned the creation of a split contract to return all the ETH received from selling his keys to Friend.tech key holders on a pro-rata basis, based on the block at which he sold the first key. Despite his exit from the platform, 3LAU reaffirmed his commitment to donating the full value of his keys to charity.
