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Recommended Free Speech Friendly or Privacy-focused Social Networks

Use a platform that's not controlled by a Big Tech giant.

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Mass censorship and the invasion of privacy are mainstays of modern social media, killing the idea of the open and free web.

There are several alternatives to major Big Tech platforms. Some are privacy-focussed, some are more about liberty and free speech. Some are both.

Check out some of these alternatives to the likes of Facebook and Twitter:

Gab

An open source social network that champions free speech, individual liberty, and the free flow of information.

Gab uses the First Amendment of the United States constitution as its standard for content moderation and allows written expression that is protected political, religious, symbolic, or commercial speech under the First Amendment.

Gab is one of the few social networks that owns its servers which means it isn’t dependent on third-party hosting companies to stay online.

The platform’s features include groups, lists, and custom emojis. Pro users can also unlock additional features such as the ability to schedule posts, bookmark posts, and create self-destructing posts.

It integrates seamlessly with Gab’s other products which means you can use your Gab account to interact with GabTV (Gab’s video sharing platform), Gab Trends (Gab’s news aggregator), and more.

Minds

An open source, free speech-friendly social network that’s built on a decentralized, open source infrastructure.

Minds’ content moderation policy is based on the First Amendment and you can also appeal some content moderation decisions to a Minds Jury which has the power to vote on and overturn these decisions.

In addition to this, you can make your posts resilient to censorship by taking advantage of Mind’s integration with the Permaweb – a blockchain-based, decentralized content storage system from which posts cannot be removed.

Minds lets you monetize your content via tips, memberships, and a rewards pool. All Minds users are paid in Minds Tokens but if you upgrade to Minds Pro, you can also get paid in US dollars, Bitcoin, and Ethereum.

Other notable features include end-to-end encrypted chat and the ability to boost your content with Minds Tokens.

Nostr

Nostr, short for “Notes and Other Stuff Transmitted by Relays,” is a decentralized social networking protocol designed to promote free speech. Unlike centralized platforms, Nostr is not controlled by any single entity, reducing the risk of censorship and allowing users to freely express their opinions. This decentralized approach is crucial for preserving free speech, as it distributes control and decision-making across a network of independent nodes or relays.

To access and interact on Nostr, users need to use a client, which is a software application that connects to the Nostr network. These clients can vary in features and design, but all serve the same basic function of allowing users to read, write, and transmit information across the network. By requiring a client, Nostr ensures that users have the flexibility to choose an interface that suits their preferences, further supporting the ethos of decentralization and user autonomy.

The combination of a decentralized network and the requirement of a client makes Nostr a unique platform in the realm of social networking, particularly in its commitment to upholding free speech in the digital age.

Truth Social

Truth Social is a social media platform launched with the aim of promoting free speech, particularly in response to what its founders perceive as censorship and bias in traditional and mainstream social media networks. It was created by Trump Media & Technology Group, an organization associated with former US President Donald Trump.

The platform positions itself as a haven for free speech and open discourse, appealing to individuals who feel their voices are suppressed on other social networks. Truth Social emphasizes minimal moderation to ensure that users can express their opinions without the fear of being de-platformed or shadowbanned for their views, as long as they adhere to legal standards and basic community guidelines.

Truth Social, like other social media platforms, requires users to sign up and create an account to participate in the network. The platform allows users to share thoughts, pictures, and videos, and to interact with others through likes, comments, and reposts. The design and functionality of Truth Social are similar to other popular social networking sites, providing a familiar user experience with a focus on upholding the principles of free speech.

Mastodon

A free, open source, decentralized, peer-to-peer, federated social network that’s powered by the ActivityPub protocol.

The distributed setup means that there’s no centralized authority to censor content. Instead, anyone can start an instance and set their own rules. If you aren’t happy with the rules on a particular instance, you can move to another instance or start your own.

All Mastodon instances are interoperable and can connect with other Mastodon instances and other platforms that support ActivityPub such as Friendica and the video-sharing platform PeerTube. Once connected, users on one instance can interact with posts and accounts from these other instances.

Since Mastodon uses open standards, you can choose from a selection of apps with Tusky, Amaroq, Pinafore, and Whalebird being some of the many that are available.

Mastodon’s standout features include custom emojis, spoiler warnings, the ability to redraft posts, and the ability to set focal points on any images you post.

If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net.

Tired of censorship and surveillance?

Defend free speech and individual liberty online. Push back against Big Tech and media gatekeepers. Subscribe to Reclaim The Net.

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