BuzzFeed, the company that reveals which Harry Potter character you’d most likely marry based on your favorite flowers, is up to something big. The New York-based company, known for its online quizzes and YouTube video content (but mostly Keith Habersberger), posted about the deplorable state of social media at the moment and revealed its solution. BuzzFeed is working on a social media platform.
We see social media sites pop up all the time, and many of them target the largest platforms we use like Instagram, Facebook, Threads, X, Reddit, and so on. So, you never know where your next favorite source of doom-scrolling will come from. However, it’s still a bit surprising that BuzzFeed is developing a social media platform. So, what’s the reason for this?
BuzzFeed is building a social media platform, and it’s out for blood
“For years, major social platforms have abandoned their responsibility to content and culture, instead handing over control to deep learning algorithms that optimize for one thing: engagement at all costs.” This is a quote from Jonah Peretti, the founder and CEO of BuzzFeed. This statement is true. Social media algorithms prioritize popular content to keep users engaged and flipping through posts. The more engagement, the more ad revenue the companies can rake in.
The statement continues, “The result is a digital world dominated by what I call SNARF — content that thrives on Stakes, Novelty, Anger, Retention and Fear.” While SNARF sounds like the name of a magical furry creature from a 1980s Saturday morning cartoon, it pretty much sums up the sort of landscape that we experience with modern social media. It’s also something that most new social media platforms try to combat.
This is the main inspiration behind this platform. Peretti believes that social media should be about connecting with others, sharing your thoughts, and being in a community with like-minded individuals. However, he feels that social media revolves around addiction. This is something that we all want, but not all of us are in a position to do something about it.
Well, BuzzFeed is! The company is “taking matters into its own hands,” as stated in the report, and, “developing a next-generation social platform from the ground up, built with user agency, creativity, and joy at its core.”
What will this platform have?
Those are some inspired words, but let’s not kid ourselves, that quote sounds like the advertising copy for any new social media platform coming out. What will make this platform different?
Well, it will focus on algorithm-free feeds, which is something that we already have. However, it’s still nice to see. Along with that, it will introduce “quirky, weird, and joyful” experiences, and we’re excited to know what that means. One thing that catches the attention is that the company said that it will bring a focus on “interactive storytelling.” That’s not something we hear when most other companies advertise their social media platforms. That will be interesting to explore further.
Capping off the announcement, BuzzFeed said that it will bring cutting-edge AI tools to help with personal expression. Maybe it will bring AI filters, which is a popular tool. Who knows?
Information is…. well
Right now, we don’t know anything about this platform. Heck, we don’t even have a name for it! Everything is under wraps, so if you want to know more, you’ll have to wait.
However, if you just can’t wait, then you can sign up for early access. There’s no telling when the company will release a test build, but signing up won’t hurt.
