What alternatives to Facebook are there? Are you looking for a good Facebook alternative? You are in good company. Whether opaque terms and conditions, data protection problems, or platform guidelines - the reasons to look for an alternative to Facebook are increasing, and more and more users are turning away from the California social media top dog. The market for similar networks is of course huge and a large selection of platforms is available to catch Facebook fugitives. In our guide to social media platforms, we have already presented the largest and best-known networks.
But regardless of whether Twitter, Instagram, or Google+: concerns and reservations about privacy and data security are also appropriate with the other social media giants. What particularly annoys users about Facebook: The newsfeed algorithm decides what is displayed and what is not. And there would also be the problem with personalized advertising, which of course is only possible through the provision of personal data of the users. You notice: the list of criticisms is long. It's good that there are now some smaller alternatives to Facebook on the market. Some of these Facebook alternatives offer less advertising, improved data protection, and other functions that Facebook does not offer.
Sites Like Facebook
Table of Contents
- Diaspora
- Ello
- Vero
- Clubhouse
The best Facebook alternatives at a glance
Diaspora
According to its own statements, the Diaspora platform is a “social online world in which you have your data in hand”. The range of functions is similar to that of Facebook. Users can publish status reports, share and comment on posts and pictures. You can control the target group of your own posts in a similar way to Facebook. In Diaspora, too, hashtags are used to classify contributions and can also find people with whom you share interests. Linking to the Facebook profile is also possible, and there is also a chat function. Behind Diaspora is an open-source project.
One speaks here of a decentralized Facebook alternative which has to do with the technical background: The platform consists of many interconnected sub-networks. User data is not collected centrally from a provider, the infrastructure is distributed among the users themselves. This works via so-called pods. If you have enough technical know-how, you can operate your own pod or server. This ensures that the private data remains in your own hands. For less tech-savvy users, “Open Pods” are available in the network. With (estimated) around 750,000 registered users, Diaspora is of course a little light compared to Facebook. However, the decentralized system and the associated control over one's own data is a major advantage for users with data protection concerns. In addition, Diaspora is completely free of advertising.
Homepage of the online platform Diaspora
Diaspora is a little light compared to Facebook, but with its decentralized structure, it offers many advantages in terms of data protection. / Source: https://joindiaspora.com/
Advantages
- Safe alternative to Facebook
- Programming knowledge required for your own pod
- full control over private data
Disadvantage
- Comparatively few active users
- Decentralized system
Ello
Since it was founded in 2012, the operators of Ello have adjusted the orientation of the network somewhat: If they wanted to establish Ello initially as the leading ad-free alternative to Facebook and other social platforms, the target group has now been reduced. The platform now focuses entirely on designers and photographers.
At Ello, no user data is passed on for advertising purposes, and that should not change either. They want to finance the platform through cooperation with companies and sales commissions: Artists have the opportunity to sell their works at Ello. Official statements on the number of users are still in vain, but one assumes at least one million registered users, whereby the proportion of active users is likely to be relatively low.
One of the principles of Ello is not to introduce any real name requirements, which at the time caused outrage on Facebook at times. At the start, Ello appeared as a closed network. Registration was only possible by inviting other users. However, the platform is now open to anyone interested. Critics accuse Ello of not being a real alternative to Facebook because it lacks many basic functions. High-quality content is in the foreground, so Ello offers the ideal environment, especially for artists and photographers. Above all, Ello convinces users from the creative sector with its clear, minimalist design.
The Ello website
The Ello network is worth a look, especially for users from the artistic or creative sector. / Source: https://ello.co/
Advantages
- No advertising based on user data
- Little range
- No real name requirement
Disadvantage
- Only rudimentary functions
Vero
The Vero social network is an exciting Facebook alternative that was released in 2015 but has only recently seen an enormous influx of new users. The billionaire CEO Ayman Hariri was able to announce an increase to over three million users at the beginning of March 2018, after Vero had led a niche existence for months with around 200,000 active members. Not only do effective influencer campaigns play an important role, but above all the current offer of free membership for life: the app for iOS and Android is available, should in the future only be usable with a paid annual subscription. However, the offer was initially extended until further notice.
However, the annual fee is intended to serve as the main source of income for the developing company Vero Labs in the long term, because the platform - according to the manifesto of the alternative to Facebook - should remain free of advertising in the long term and not use any user information profitably. In addition, income is generated through transaction fees that retailers have to pay when they sell products via Vero and the "Buy now" button implemented for this purpose.
Although Vero is similar to competitors such as Facebook and Instagram in many respects (profile structure, timeline, newsfeed), the platform offers quite interesting unique selling points: The messages in the timeline are not pre-filtered by an algorithm but appear in chronological order. In addition, make contacts in the four categories "followers," "acquaintances" friends "and" close friends " divide. These groups can then be selected or deselected as a target when an article is published so that only the desired audience is informed.
A private telephone number is required to create and verify a Vero account.
Vero info page in the Google Play Store
The Vero apps for Android and iOS are free and can be downloaded as usual from the Google Play Store or App Store.
Advantages And Disadvantage
- Unfiltered, chronologically sorted timeline
- A private telephone number is required
- Ad-free
- Chargeable in future
Clubhouse
A mixture of messenger and podcast: The Clubhouse app attracts users with innovative features and the promise of exclusivity. The principle of the platform is based purely on audio: While Facebook works primarily through images and text, you can talk to each other at Clubhouse. Users open up their own rooms that are dedicated to a certain topic in order to give a lecture there or to hold a discussion with others. Listeners sign up with a virtual show of hands and can then, if the moderator so wishes, take part in the discussion by the microphone.
Initially, the app was primarily intended for a business talk in Silicon Valley, but the range of topics has since expanded significantly. This is also ensured by influencers, who are gradually invited to the platform and sometimes operate their own rooms there. In the USA there are celebrities like Oprah Winfrey or Kevin Hart. In Germany, for example, TV starlets or politicians have joined the app.
In addition to these top-class members, the artificial shortage - and the associated FOMO - is the main reason for the great interest in Clubhouse. You can only become a member of the network if you are invited by another user. In addition, the app is (at least currently) only available for iOS. However, the developers have already announced that they want to open the application to other devices as well.
In addition to the elitist approach, data protection, in particular, is criticized: users of the app should share their entire phone book. This means that data from third parties are transmitted to the service. It is also not yet clear whether Clubhouse also complies with the GDPR.
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Advantages And Disadvantage
- Innovative approach
- Registration by invitation only
- Opportunity for thematic discussions
- Currently only available for iOS
- Privacy concerns
The so-called social news aggregator Reddit has long been an alternative to Facebook, without really wanting to copy the big top dog. The principle of the platform: You publish or distribute content, which is then voted up or down by other users. In this way, interesting contributions should be promoted and boring or undesirable content quickly disappears. As a drive to post quality posts, Reddit has karma points. Members with many of these virtual points, therefore, enjoy a high level of prestige on the platform.
The website is divided into various sub-forums - so-called subreddits. In terms of content, Reddit is so broad that you can find a subreddit for every topic. From memes to pop culture to economics and politics, you can in principle exchange ideas on everything. Typical functions of social networks, such as gathering friends, are dispensed with. This also has to do with the lack of real names. To join Reddit, all you have to do is choose a username; the specification of an e-mail address is optional.
While the network is very popular in the USA, it still leads a niche existence in Germany 15 years after it was founded. That's why most of the conversations on Reddit are also in English.
Reddit has a discussion on every conceivable topic. / Source: https://www.reddit.com/r/popular/
Advantages And Disadvantage
- No real name requirement
- Rather unknown in Germany
- Different subject areas
- Few social media functions
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