The quiet death of Ello's big dreams (waxy.org)

Article summary

Ello, a social network launched in 2014, defined itself as an alternative to ad-driven platforms like Facebook and Twitter. The network's manifesto emphasized its commitment to user privacy and autonomy, stating 'You are not a product.' However, Ello's reliance on venture capital funding ultimately led to its demise, with the site shutting down in June 2023 and taking nine years of user contributions with it. The article suggests that Ello's failure was predictable, given the inherent tensions between its idealistic mission and the pressures of VC funding.

Main themes

• VC funding and its consequences
• social network sustainability
• privacy and user autonomy
• grifting and scamming in tech
• Public Benefit Corporations
• decentralized social networking
• corporate governance and accountability

What commenters say

• VC funding is often incompatible with a company's idealistic mission and values.
• The failure of Ello was predictable due to its reliance on VC funding.
• Federated social networks face the same challenges as centralized ones, including the need to attract and retain users.
• Some commenters believe that grifting and scamming are prevalent in the tech industry, particularly among companies that raise large amounts of VC funding.
• Others argue that it is possible for companies to balance their values with the need to generate revenue and grow.
• The concept of a Public Benefit Corporation is seen as potentially flawed, as it may not provide sufficient protections for users or the public interest.
• Decentralized and open-source approaches to social networking may be more resilient and less susceptible to exploitation.
• The importance of transparency and accountability in corporate governance and funding models is emphasized by some commenters.