A survey of blockchain-based solutions for secure social networks

Abstract

Online social networks have become essential platforms for communication and information sharing, yet their centralized architectures expose users to serious privacy, security, and integrity risks. Blockchain technology has emerged as a promising paradigm for addressing these challenges by enabling decentralization, transparency, immutability, and user-centric control over data. This survey aims to systematically examine blockchain-based solutions designed to enhance security and privacy in social networks. Following the PRISMA methodology, we review and analyze peer-reviewed studies published between 2016 and 2025, focusing on blockchain architectures, consensus mechanisms, smart contracts, and their integration with machine learning and deep learning techniques for malicious behavior detection. The survey categorizes existing blockchain-based social networks, compares centralized and decentralized models, and evaluates key trade-offs such as scalability versus security and privacy versus transparency. Additionally, regulatory and governance implications are discussed. The findings indicate that blockchain can significantly improve privacy, security, data integrity, and user empowerment in social networks; however, challenges related to scalability, usability, interoperability, and legal compliance remain. This survey provides a comprehensive overview for researchers and practitioners and identifies open research directions for the secure evolution of social networks.