The corporate-owned platforms we rely on for professional and personal communities are increasingly failing to meet our needs. Major social media networks have become saturated with advertisements, data mining, and algorithmic controls that hinder authentic engagement. This shift poses significant threats to the integrity and autonomy of our online interactions. We need alternative platforms for communities and events.
The threats to online communities
Professional, cultural, and social online communities are at risk. Xitter is in the final stages of enshittification. Facebook is inundated with advertisements and extensive data mining practices. LinkedIn groups’ algorithms bury most comments and reduce the visibility of posts with links. While private groups on major platforms remain functional, opaque and ever-changing algorithms control what users see, and the future viability of these groups is uncertain.
In addition, all corporate platforms are vulnerable to changes imposed by the owners, who can sell them at any time to new proprietors with different visions for operation or monetization, potentially further compromising the user experience.
The Case for Alternative Platforms
To safeguard the integrity of our communities and events, it’s imperative to explore and adopt alternative platforms. Platforms that billionaires don’t own, platforms that prioritize user control and authentic connection. Decentralized, federated networks, such as those in the Fediverse, offer promising avenues. Platforms like Mastodon for social networking, Mobilizon for event organization, and Pixelfed for photo sharing operate on open-source principles, free from corporate ownership, manipulative algorithms, and intrusive advertising.
By transitioning to these alternative platforms, communities and their members can regain control over their interactions and what they see, ensuring that the focus remains on member-initiated engagement rather than corporate profit. Such a shift not only preserves the authenticity of connections but also protects against the unpredictable changes inherent in privately owned platforms.
An example—Mobilizon
Developed in 2019, Mobilizon is a federated platform designed to help communities and their members find, create, and organize events and groups.
On Mobilizon, you can create a detailed page for an event and publish and share it. You can search for events by keyword, place, or date. And you can participate in events (even without an account), and add them to your agenda.
You can also create and participate in groups, which can include discussions, information about upcoming group events, and resources.
Here’s an introduction to Mobilizon and a community index of Mobilizon sites.
Barriers to the adoption of federated community-owned platforms
Currently, alternative platforms for communities and events suffer from the network effect, which reinforces the dominance of large social media platforms. Platforms become more valuable as more people use them, making it difficult for alternative, community-owned solutions to gain traction. Users often feel locked into platforms where their connections, content, and engagement already exist. This makes the transition to independent platforms a significant challenge.
Solutions
To counter the network effect, communities must be intentional about migrating to decentralized platforms, promoting their use, and fostering engagement outside of corporate-controlled spaces. This transition requires collective action, sustained advocacy, and a commitment to long-term digital independence.
Conclusion
Using open-source platforms, folks with tech skills can set up a server to connect and support a community. My hope is that this becomes easier. We need community server boxes anyone can plug into the internet, and software distros that can be installed with a few clicks on any of thousands of independent hosting companies.
The current trajectory of major social media platforms underscores the need for communities and event organizers to proactively seek alternatives. Embracing decentralized, user-centric platforms is not just a preferable option but a necessary step to maintain the autonomy and authenticity of our online communities and their events.