There aren’t too many Facebook competitors with good traction. Not even Google Circles is doing great. And, the current Facebook alternatives all treat the users as a bunch of advertising zombies.
Say Ello to Ello a new social network created by a small group of designers and creators. Most things about this new Facebook alternative are different. The CEO, Paul Budnitz, is a toy maker. They aren’t doing a big marketing push. Currently Ello is invite only. Ello’s push seems to be a social network that doesn’t whore out its users. Time will tell how things play out… but I like the idea!
This is the Ello manifesto
Your social network is owned by advertisers.
Every post you share, every friend you make and every link you follow is tracked, recorded and converted into data. Advertisers buy your data so they can show you more ads. You are the product that's bought and sold.
We believe there is a better way. We believe in audacity. We believe in beauty, simplicity and transparency. We believe that the people who make things and the people who use them should be in partnership.
We believe a social network can be a tool for empowerment. Not a tool to deceive, coerce and manipulate "” but a place to connect, create and celebrate life.
You are not a product.
been testing it for a week, so far Ello is buggy and slow as hell, with many failed links asking to refresh, but I like the overall idea