Minds

This social media platform which was launched in 2015 as a direct response to concerns relating to Facebook for its privacy invasion takes into account a very innovative approach. The fact that its code is open-source represents its transparency and so any expert can view it. The information is not stored on the company’s server but is stored as a decentralized app in a blockchain. What distinguishes Minds from Facebook is the fact that for the latter any interesting content is appreciated through likes but for the former users can exchange tokens to expand their profile and increase their reach. They can opt for US dollars, Bitcoin or even Ether for payment. Minds is based on exploring the idea of linking the art world with NFTs by merging content with cryptocurrency. The only way of earning through this app is to include paid subscriptions for unlocking additional options available. Freedom of expression and clarity is one of the pillars of Minds. The developers do not need to curate the content but whatever is considered illegal is removed at the first instinct. What’s more is that anyone can express their controversial opinions which would be blocked on other social media apps for being too extreme. However, Minds consists of several other common features such as users sharing information with each other on their personal walls or through group chats.

You can access this Facebook alternative via the browser or through iOS and Android. There is a chronological timeline that is not moderated, monetization options for users. There is a focus on data privacy and security and the working is just like Facebook such as posting or finding friends online. The user base is very active. However, a disadvantage may be that it attracts people with extreme views. Working out how the Minds tokens work can also be slightly confusing at first but users become accustomed to it later on but you need to be skilled in cryptocurrency to make money on this app.

Vero

This app was originally developed in 2015 but its use increased in March 2018 when its CEO, Ayman Harari, worth billions of euros, announced an increase of more than three million users. In comparison to its previous version which only had 200,000 active users. The features like free lifetime membership and effective influencer campaigns are what drew the users in. Vero is available on both iOS and Android and will be in use through a paid subscription in future. The main source of income which will be through this annual subscription will finance the development of the company, Vero Labs. The app’s success will continue as long as it does not monetize income through unnecessary advertisement and exploit user’s personal data. The merchants who sell products through Vero app and make use of the ‘buy now’ button. Even though Vero has similarities with other social media apps like Facebook and Instagram like timeline, newsfeed and structure, there are other appealing additions to the app. This includes the option of dividing your contacts into four categories like ‘followers,’ 'acquaintances,’ ‘friends’ and ‘close friends.’ If you only want your preferred audience to view your post then you can even select or deselect these groups. Similarly the messages on your timeline are not controlled by any algorithm and are entirely spontaneous. Video call option is available too and to make an account on Vero you need to enter your personal contact number.

What makes the app unique is its fresh and stylish smartphone design with premium features. Connecting with your phone’s contacts helps you find friends online very easily. Similarly the chronological feed never lets you miss any post by a friend. Nevertheless some drawbacks include the fact that this social network is an app-only service, having no web version so it becomes somewhat troublesome to share your profile with others. New members might also be required to pay a fee thus limiting the expansion of the app as Vero is planning to transition to the paid model version. Current users do not need to worry about it for their account is free for life. Many celebrities use the app meaning some authenticity and premium quality is what makes Vero different.

Reddit

The best alternative to Facebook when it comes to spreading social news is Reddit. Users can up-vote or down-vote the content they like or dislike and so interesting pieces of news remain prevalent on the newsfeed while those with the least interaction are made to disappear based on user preference. One major purpose of this is to earn Karma Points and those users which have a large number of these will be most respected amongst the online forum. The Reddit website is split into subforums known as subreddits which cater to any topic of interest. Any topic of mutual fascination for a large number of people can be shared ranging from business to politics or education. Moreover the very common features available on other social media apps are absent on Reddit. This includes the fact that you do not need to enter your real name to browse through the app. Instead any username can work and an email address might also be added.

This established platform where any possible topic is open for discussion is surging in popularity in the US since conversations flow very easily and participants face no discrimination as such. The user profiles look and work just like the ones for Facebook. However Reddit is more of a public platform and building connections with unfamiliar people rather than holding private conversations. Additionally the text-heavy design may even seem overwhelming for some users who prefer a laid back layout with more visuals than text. The focus on discussions here is amazing but it may disappoint people who favor Facebook’s user-centric Groups. Reddit is the best replacement for Facebook’s Groups Feature as there are forums for any community, theme, culture or topic that has ever been raised by an individual requiring input from a larger audience. The Reddit threads are very active and membership into them is increasing on a daily basis. Somewhere you will cook recipes being shared by food enthusiasts, Netflix series with plots being etched out by fans or SAT answers being discussed by students curious to calculate their predicted scores! All of it is present at this one stop station. Joining in conversations and posting your opinions is never very complicated. However, for new users it may seem tedious and confusing to navigate replies under a post that are sometimes collapsed and formatted in very baffling ways.

Ello

This ad-free app where no real names are used has this similarity with Twitter as well and poses a serious threat to Facebook to take away a large portion of its user base. The site is a Freemium one in which users will have to pay to access extra features. The Freemium model is the most downloaded one in the app store hence proving that people prefer this version and will readily pay for the privilege of this social network that remains ad free and does not engage in data mining. Ello was initially started as a private network of creative programmers and artists who used it for a year and then decided that they wanted to renovate it and open it to larger masses via private invitations. Co-founder and Kidrobot designer Paul Budnitz has been quoted as dubbing the site as the “anti-facebook” and perhaps Facebook’s controversy with the LGBTIQ community is what finally swayed many people towards requesting an invite on Ello. It had much popularity in 2014 when it was first launched as one of the major competitors of Facebook and has evolved from copying Facebook’s format and working to becoming a creative space of its own.

The artistic touch to this app just like a Pinterest inspired feed has been encouraged by not just asking the users to post about their day or interest but to share their paintings, photography or any other skillful work through which they can connect with content creators online and appreciate each other's art. People can collaborate on real-world events and shows to acknowledge great works of fashion, art and web-culture. Ello has several features already built, including an emoji autocomplete, NSFW settings and hashtag implementation, and is planning on adding others such as private messaging. The app also partnered with Threadless to sell specifically branded T shirts for earning revenue. The social network also introduced a ‘Hire Me’ button in August 2016 followed by a ‘Buy’ and ‘Collaborate Button’ soon after that. The ‘Hire Me’ and ‘Collaborate’ options allow community members to be approached by other users while the ‘Buy button’ can be added to any post and direct you towards the shop where the item is for sale.

1. Twitter

This very convenient online social networking app where people learn about the latest news as well as communicate in the form of very short messages called tweets. This is a form of microblogging where you post content for your followers to interact by liking, commenting or retweeting. You can discover interesting people, online businesses and celebrities to follow up. Twitter has over 30 million monthly active users tweeting about their day to day lives. The selling factor for this app is that the news stories mostly appear here first before being seen on any other app like Facebook or Instagram. Interacting with editors and journalists is also possible since a large influx of media personnel use this app. There is a strong support for both Web and app versions. There are few other apps on the internet that break news as rapidly as Twitter. It is very easy to use and has a large user base. Older relatives may find it hard to sign-up and be familiar with the mechanisms of this service so it is not the ideal site for keeping in touch with family. Similarly another flaw is that a lot of Twitter’s trending topics can be junk just like that of Facebook.

Twitter’s scan-friendly feature is what makes it attractive for you to interact with many users and read their content within a glance. There is a message size restriction meaning every tweet is limited to 280 characters. This clever and technical use of language to convey your message within very few words is what makes Twitter interesting and a popular social tool. You can make a free account anytime using a different username other than your real name. Then you can use it as a broadcaster or receiver. Send tweets at hourly, daily or monthly basis without any impediments. People who follow you can see your tweets on their feed and you can even send notifications to your friends to let them know that you are on Twitter. When people follow you, according to the Twitter etiquettes you are obliged to follow them back as necessitated. You can follow any account that appeals to you and unfollow anyone which disinterests you or you do not find the content as up-to-the mark.