I guess there have been many attempts to build new social
networks aiming to avoid Facebook privacy issues. None of them have been
successful enough that I know.
Ello is different. The company, which was launched in early
August 2014, is currently receiving more than 10,000-invitation request every
hour.
What is Ello and what does it make it so attractive?
It is a very minimalistic-style web where anonymous users
can mainly exchange pictures and messages. It is kind of a mix between
Instagram and Twitter.
The singularity of this new network is its free-add policy.
The company promise they will not track or use your personal data for any
purpose. They feel so strongly about that idea that they have even written a manifesto:
The web also allows its users to remain anonymous. Actually
the company was launched in response to the new and controversial FB policy
that forces users to display their real names.
However, this privacy features do not seem to me the key of
its success. I believe its design is a very important reason. The website is very
good-looking, extremely neat and minimalistic. The users and their content are
the focus.
Signing up is not easy. The same way FB started, Ello is
trying to create an exclusivity feeling by allowing users to join only by
invitation.
Ello has not any innovative feature. As opposed to Google+
they did not try to change the way people interact in current social networks.
Actually it does not even have a like button. Simplicity seems to be their
priority.
Journalists are skeptic about Ello’s promise to remain
add-free forever. The company claims they will be able to make money by selling
enhanced features and services.
We need to wait to have a better understanding of this new
model but it already represents a significant threat for facebook.
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