The Least Terrible Social Networking Sites for Those Who Want to Be Less Unhappy
Almost everyone agrees that the huge arrays of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and Reddit are terrible, each in their own way. But these monolithic social media platforms are so ubiquitous that it’s easy to forget you don’t have to use them. This doesn’t mean you have to give up social media for good: there are less odious alternatives that will still allow you to participate in online life. These smaller social media platforms aim to either fix the most egregious mistakes their older siblings make or provide a niche experience that the big social networks can’t/won’t. Below are alternatives to the five most popular social media platforms. None of them are perfect, but they are at least different and perhaps less terrible. Also, if any of them really catch on, you might be the first to complain that they used to be so much better.
Ditch Facebook for MeWe: Free from Ads and Tracking
There are plenty of reasons to join the crowd running from Facebook – the horrendous targeted advertising policy , the rampant disinformation , people are using it to plan genocide, your cousin Gary – and only one reason to stay: the sheer number of users. Everything is on Facebook, and maybe that’s the problem.
The Facebook alternative I suggested, MeWe , offers many features that will be familiar to Facebook users – groups, private chats, tags, content permissions – and boasts a Facebook-like look and feel, but WeMe is less dangerous. It is completely ad-free and does not track or sell its users’ data, staying afloat by offering premium paid services. On the flip side: WeMe reportedly has 16 million users, which may sound like a lot, but it’s a drop in the bucket compared to Facebook’s nearly 3 billion users.
Switch from Twitter to WT.Social: news with less misinformation and hysteria
I have a Twitter account since 2010 but I can’t anymore. I just want links to interesting news and the occasional cute cat pic, but Twitter seems intent on spouting maddening, poisonous nonsense. The site is flooded with hysteria, disinformation, manipulation and bitterness. If you’re just tired of it, like me, check out WT.Social .
Launched in 2019 by Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales, WT.social is completely ad-free and dedicated to combating disinformation, allowing users to mark and edit any post, much like a well-known online encyclopedia. There are no advertisers to reassure as the service is paid for by voluntary donations, and WT.social says its mission is to “promote an environment where bad actors are removed because it’s the right thing to do, not because it suddenly affects our bottom line. ”
Switching from Instagram to 500px: Better Photos, Less Trauma
Instagram has long been known to be devastating to the mental health of young people. The photo-sharing platform has been linked to depression, self-esteem issues, social anxiety, and other issues . It’s run by the same people who run Facebook, who seem to be committed to making the social media experience as exciting as possible. If you’re a photographer and don’t want to support any of this just to show off your photos, you should switch to 500px.
The philosophy of the platform is built on quality images, so you can view and share images in high resolution. The algorithm that determines which photos are widely shared is based not so much on your number of followers, but on “likes” from people who don’t follow you. There are even opportunities to monetize your work.
Although 500px is aimed at photographers, if you just like looking at pretty pictures, this service might be for you. Unlike Instagram’s mix of images, ads, and videos, 500px feeds only feature photos and aren’t based on Zuckerberg-style algorithms, so you only see what you want to see.
Switch from TikTok to something
TikTok is an almost universal choice for young people who want to watch and share shorter videos. TikTok is so huge at the moment that it has no real rivals (other than old-school YouTube) and they are not visible on the horizon, but this does not mean that there are no alternatives. Here are a few video sharing apps that offer something that TikTok doesn’t.
- Thriller . This application makes the already simple process of posting videos online even easier. Triller uses artificial intelligence to edit videos to the beat of pre-selected music.
- Clapper . If you’re worried about TikTok censoring your important political views, this lightly moderated platform will let you spout any stupid nonsense you want.
- Collision . Created by one of Vine’s co-founders, Clash focuses on short videos and doesn’t so much challenge TikTok as it complements it: it allows creators with existing followers to engage with and monetize their audience in exciting new ways. But it also means that it will be easier for users to interact with their loved ones.
Switch from Reddit to Discourse: less stupid, more smart
It’s hard to believe now, but for a couple of years after Reddit launched in 2005, it was a discussion forum for smart people. Unfortunately, popularity and aversion to curation and moderation leads to content stupefaction and more hateful and boring users. For a smaller, more focused, discussion-based community, try Discourse. The stated goal of this open source forum platform is to “raise the standard of civilized communication on the Internet by adding the best discussion software.” In practice, this means that trusted regular users have a say in the governance of communities; it is easy to flag bad content; and there is robust and user-configurable curation. Also, it’s used by fewer people, so it’s not corrupted… yet.