Show HN: Slow Social, a social network built for friends, not influencers (slowsocial.us)

Article summary

Slow Social is a new social network that aims to facilitate friendships rather than seeking attention from influencers. It achieves this by limiting users to posting at most once a week, allowing for more thoughtful and meaningful content. The platform also prioritizes private ownership and a 'business for good' attitude, with plans to potentially become a B-Corp in the future. The goal is to create a space where friends can share updates without feeling pressured to constantly produce content.

Main themes

• social media alternatives
• algorithm-free design
• paternalism vs user freedom
• business models for social platforms
• user experience and engagement
• social network adoption and retention

What commenters say

• Some users appreciate the restrictive post frequency as a means to encourage more thoughtful content and reduce the pressure to constantly produce updates.
• Others argue that such restrictions are paternalistic and that users should have the freedom to choose how they interact with the platform.
• The algorithm-free approach of Slow Social is seen as a refreshing change from traditional social media platforms that prioritize engagement over user experience.
• There are concerns about the potential for the platform to struggle with user adoption and retention due to the limitations imposed by its design.
• The business model of Slow Social is unclear, with plans to potentially charge for a 'plus tier' with additional features, which may deter some users from joining.
• Some commenters believe that the era of traditional social media has passed and that new platforms like Slow Social will struggle to gain traction.
• The idea of 'saving users from their worst habits' is debated, with some seeing it as a positive aspect of the platform's design and others viewing it as an overreach.
• The importance of giving users control over their experience and allowing them to make choices about how they interact with the platform is emphasized by some commenters.