Who should control our social platforms?
We don’t have to settle for the way things are — we all have a choice in creating a future where the platforms we use match our personal values.
Who should control our social platforms?
We don’t have to settle for the way things are — we all have a choice in creating a future where the platforms we use match our personal values.
Having stewards work with neighbors to discover their unique interests and shared connections is invaluable — something algorithmic suggestions just can't replicate.
Deborah Tien emphasizes the importance the positive feedback loop that helps them discover and share new aspects of their neighborhood and its stories.
How Common Agency is piloting new tech to bring people together
(newpublic.substack.com)
@adoran2 Yeah, they are curating it pretty carefully. They suggested folks can reach out to Erin Spence or Ellery Wong on LinkedIn if they're interested in attending.
The Connective Tissue framework aims to regenerate American civic life through 150+ actionable policy ideas across 13 areas, including Housing, Civic Infrastructure, and Big Tech.
Whether you're a policymaker, community leader, or advocate for social change, these transformative ideas could reshape how we engage and support one another, on- and offline.
Have recent experience with Facebook’s API? New_ Public needs your help!
We’re especially interested in learning more about data from public Facebook Groups to help our research. DM us and let’s chat.
Next Tuesday, September 24, hear from New_ Public Co-Director @deeptidoshi at Tech Together. She’ll be sharing our learnings from the critical work of community stewards, the hidden pillars holding up local digital public spaces.
Going to be in NYC? Join leaders in tech, investment, and philanthropy working towards a future where technology truly serves public interest for a day of insightful discussions.
The Fund is a shared space for philanthropists to leverage one another’s expertise, incubate investment strategies to advance visionary concepts, and catalyze big ideas that can transform the use of technology to serve the public interest.
(www.publicinteresttech.fund)
Is Venmo quietly embodying the original spirit of social media?
While other social networks chase entertainment and engagement, Venmo has become a tell-all of our unfiltered, everyday moments, intentionally shared or not, without the interference of algorithmic rankings or clickbait tactics.
Venmo has become the best way to see what the people you know are up to.
The Atlantic (www.theatlantic.com)
Big news — The Trust for Civic Life is accepting nominations for the first-ever Civic Entrepreneur grant from now through Sept 25th!
Know a moderator or admin who's helping make their community more healthy, strong, useful, and fun? Nominate them for a chance to receive resources and support to further their impact.
At Budapest Forum on September 18, New_Public Co-Director @elipariser will unpack how online algorithms fuel echo chambers and polarization.
Join online (unless you’re lucky enough to be in Budapest!) to explore key issues shaping democracies during this pivotal election year in Europe and beyond.
Budapest Forum conference. Pact of Free Cities, building sustainable democracies. Join to our webinar, register on eventbrite!
Budapest Forum (budapestforum.org)
RESEARCH: Focusing on under-regulated aspects of social media — like account creation, user interfaces, and recommendation systems — might be more effective at changing people’s behavior than solely relying on content moderation.
These design tweaks could reshape how people interact with platforms without treading on contested issues like free speech.
Two new exciting part-time opportunities at New_ Public this fall:
We are hiring a Social Media Fellow and a Research Fellow to help us drive impactful change in the future of online communities.
For both:
20 hours a week
$40 per hour
Remote U.S. or Canada
@knbrindle haha I think we're doing just fine in that department these days
Niche apps like Strava, Letterboxd and Goodreads turn everyday activities — like going for a run, watching a movie, or reading a book — into shared experiences, giving people a new social space to connect and celebrate the small joys that shape their daily lives.
But are some hobbies better without algorithmic feeds?
Important lesson here: a block party can bring a neighborhood together, so can the planning of a block party and bonding over a shared desire to make your community better!
How Common Agency is piloting new tech to bring people together
(newpublic.substack.com)
Signal’s president Meredith Whittaker on breaking away from toxic norms in tech and pioneering new models for a healthier future:
“How do you disarm the massive platforms, draw down their cloud infrastructures, the fact that they control our media ecosystem, the entire nesting-doll of toxic technologies that we’re seeing from this, while building alternatives that actually interconnect the world?”
On its 10th anniversary, Signal’s president wants to remind you that the world’s most secure communications platform is a nonprofit. It’s free. It doesn’t track you or serve you ads. It pays its engineers very well. And it’s a go-to app for hundreds of millions of people.
WIRED (www.wired.com)
New_ Public’s Local Lab is working with local online groups and forums, and we need your help to uncover their needs and challenges!
Become our Research Fellow to drive impactful change through user research and help us gain deeper insights into local leaders and the communities they support.
Is social media lifting us up or holding us back?
Join Harvard's Applied Social Media Lab this Thursday online or in person for panel discussions exploring bold ideas for healthier online conversations and new tools that could spark more dialogue and trust.
https://cyber.harvard.edu/events/beyond-discourse-dumpster-fires
Since the X ban in Brazil, millions have been flocking to alternatives. Bluesky saw over half a million sign-ups overnight, while Threads and Mastodon had far fewer.
Ryan Broderick explores why: familiar features, niche lists and starter packs, and possibility for endless pockets of conversation.
Why is it so hard to meet your neighbors? It can feel so nerve-wracking and high stakes, but also, too easy to put off forever.
There’s still hope: Founding Steward of Common Agency Deborah Tien shares how they are building hyperlocal online infrastructure to help make lasting connections in communities throughout the US.
How Common Agency is piloting new tech to bring people together
(newpublic.substack.com)
How do other countries tackle the spread of viral lies during elections?
Tech Policy Press compares India’s government-heavy approach with Taiwan’s community-driven strategy, highlighting the different roles that governments can play in combating mis- and disinformation.
https://www.techpolicy.press/india-and-taiwans-divergent-paths-to-combat-online-disinformation/