By cryptoadmin 
I believe it’s secure to say that almost all people on this planet are rising, how can I put this frivolously, weary of the present billionaire stewards of our social media ecosystem. X is a hateful mess. Meta is attempting to change into a hateful mess. TikTok is probably going on its manner out. Social media is simply not that enjoyable or helpful anymore.
Nonetheless, a cadre of celebrities and notable ex-Twitter customers are attempting to “save social media from billionaire seize” by creating one thing referred to as FreeOurFeeds. These people need to construct a brand new social media ecosystem, one that’s centered on the general public good as a substitute of profit-driven incentives, as reported by User Mag.
So thrilled to be working with people like @audreyt, @doctorow, @shoshanazuboff, @Moonalice and @jimmy_wales on #FreeOurFeeds.
We’ve received an opportunity right here: Bluesky’s open protocol is an unimaginable alternative to reimagine social media and take it again from fickle billionaires. https://t.co/QSjbg6MAIV— Eli Pariser | @elipariser@mastodon.social (@elipariser) January 13, 2025
A number of the huge names behind this venture embody actor Mark Ruffalo, actor/director Alex Winter and sci-fi author/journalist Cory Doctorow. Brian Eno is concerned, as is Jimmy Wales (the founding father of Wikipedia.) The plan includes constructing new social media apps on prime of the pre-existing AT Protocol, which is a decentralized framework that Bluesky runs on. This is able to ostensibly give customers vital management over their information, algorithms and your entire on-line expertise.
“The final twenty years have seen the world sleepwalk right into a scenario the place a handful of corporations dictate our complete social media expertise. Now, for the primary time we now have a chance to rewrite the principles. Bluesky’s underlying expertise, the AT protocol, might supply a brand new pathway for the social net.” stated Sherif Elsayed-Ali, Government Director of the Way forward for Know-how Institute.
There are a few main hurdles right here. Bluesky continues to be backed by enterprise capital, so the crew has to lift cash to make sure the underlying expertise is put “on an unbiased pathway, in order that the way forward for social media may be free of the whims of anybody firm or group of billionaires.”
The inspiration additionally requires cash to begin constructing important infrastructure. All advised, the group hopes to lift $30 million over the subsequent three years. There’s a GoFundMe proper now, with the intent to lift an preliminary $4 million. Preliminary funds will likely be spent to launch a public curiosity basis that may try and make “Bluesky’s underlying tech totally immune to billionaire seize.”
Earlier than you dismiss this notion as a bunch of wealthy celebrities holding out a donation can, let’s keep in mind that even the wealthiest celeb doesn’t maintain a deal with to the billionaires that management the levers of energy. Mark Ruffalo, possible probably the most notable member of the group, is value round $30 million and Alex Winter is value $4 million.
Elon Musk is value $416 billion and Mark Zuckerberg’s value is creeping up on $220 billion. Musk is value, look forward to it, round 14,000 instances greater than Ruffalo. The distinction between million and billion is fairly critical.
This text initially appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/celebs-and-tech-luminaries-including-mark-ruffalo-want-to-create-a-fully-open-social-media-ecosystem-174641161.html?src=rss