New Non-Profit Aims to Bridge Gap Between Social Media Platforms

The social web has long been a topic of discussion, with many arguing that it’s not as open as we’d like. However, a new non-profit organization is emerging to challenge this status quo and promote a more inclusive, decentralized online community.

A New Social: The Mission

At the helm of A New Social are Ryan Barrett, founder of Bridgy Fed, and Anuj Ahooja, an engineering leader and writer. Their mission is clear: "We believe that a healthy ecosystem competes on innovative features, not critical mass." They argue that the social web should be centered around people, not platforms, and that artificial walls shouldn’t deny users the relationships they’ve built online.

Bet on Open Protocols

A New Social is betting big on services built on open protocols like ActivityPub and ATProto. These protocols enable seamless communication between different platforms, allowing users to connect with others across various social media networks. The non-profit emphasizes that it will work directly with developers to ensure competition in the open social web, advocating for users every step of the way.

Early Stages

A New Social is still in its infancy, and Barrett and Ahooja are busy recruiting a Board of Directors, identifying cross-protocol projects, and reaching out to developers to collaborate on tools and services needed for community building. However, they’ve already made significant strides, including the announcement of their first project: Bridgy Fed.

Bridgy Fed: A Key Project

Bridgy Fed is a service developed by Barrett that enables users to share their posts from Bluesky with ActivityPub-based platforms like Mastodon (also known as the fediverse) and vice versa. This innovative solution allows for seamless cross-platform communication, bridging the gap between different social media networks.

Big Players in the Open Social Web

A New Social is already making waves by partnering with influential players in the open social web, including Bluesky, Flipboard, Mastodon, and Meta. Ahooja notes that these platforms have made significant promises to their users, such as federating (which Threads is doing in baby steps) or decentralizing (Bluesky’s stated end goal). He argues that A New Social needs to be vocal when these platforms fail to keep their promises.

The Challenge of Sustainability

One potential concern for users investing in open social web projects like Bridgy Fed is sustainability. Another project Ahooja worked on, sub.club, was recently announced as shutting down. How can users trust that these initiatives will continue to thrive? Ahooja acknowledges this challenge and emphasizes the importance of working with platforms, not just users.

A Cross-Network Approach

Barrett highlights that individual platforms and tools will grow and shrink over time, but overall, decentralized social media platforms are gaining mindshare. A New Social is taking a cross-network approach to ensure long-term success. By promoting collaboration between different networks and services, they aim to create a more connected online community.

Conclusion

A New Social’s emergence marks an exciting turning point in the open social web movement. With its commitment to promoting innovative features over critical mass, A New Social is poised to challenge the status quo and advocate for users’ rights. By partnering with big players and developing essential tools like Bridgy Fed, they’re taking a significant step towards creating a more inclusive online community.

Timeline of Key Events

• A New Social is formed by Ryan Barrett and Anuj Ahooja.
• The non-profit announces its mission to promote innovative features over critical mass in the social web.
• Bridgy Fed is identified as the first project under the A New Social umbrella.
• Partnerships are established with influential players in the open social web, including Bluesky, Flipboard, Mastodon, and Meta.

Resources

For more information on A New Social and its mission to promote a healthy ecosystem in the social web, please visit their website at www.anewsocial.org.