Ask HN: Is there any social network you trust?

#1

Post by burlesona » Wed, Jan 30, 2019, 4:54 AM UTC

I've been thinking about deleting Facebook for a long time, and tonight I finally did it.

It's been a lot easier to tell everyone they should push that button than it was to actually press it. I admit I feel anxious thinking about people from a dozen years ago trying to reach out and being unable to find me. Though I suppose if someone really needs to reach me they'll be able to find a way.

So now I'm wondering, what, if any, alternative social network or connective infrastructure is out there? If I just wanted a private social graph with my friends on it, so that it's easier for us to keep in touch over time... where should I go?

Is there any social network that you trust?

Re: Ask HN: Is there any social network you trust?

#2

Post by mrtejas99 » Wed, Jan 30, 2019, 6:25 AM UTC

You can use tox. Check out their website https://tox.chat

Re: Ask HN: Is there any social network you trust?

#3

Post by bdibs » Wed, Jan 30, 2019, 6:35 AM UTC

I don’t trust any website, especially any that monetize the data you feed it.

The incentives on the business’ side are nowhere near aligned with my side as a user.

Re: Ask HN: Is there any social network you trust?

#4

Post by krageon » Wed, Jan 30, 2019, 7:21 AM UTC

I see a lot of people around me using Mastodon, but I've yet to actually try it myself (I don't really like social media). It's federated and you can run your own instance.

Re: Ask HN: Is there any social network you trust?

#5

Post by earenndil » Wed, Jan 30, 2019, 7:45 AM UTC

> If I just wanted a private social graph with my friends on it, so that it's easier for us to keep in touch over time... where should I go?

Email?

Not that they're replacements for facebook, but I like and have reasonable trust in HN, reddit, usenet, IRC (freenode, efnet, rizon, stuff like that).

Re: Ask HN: Is there any social network you trust?

#6

Post by throwaway8879 » Wed, Jan 30, 2019, 8:17 AM UTC

mrtejas99 wrote: post #2

You can use tox. Check out their website https://tox.chat

Yeah, I wouldn't use tox after reading this.

https://github.com/TokTok/c-toxcore/issues/426

Re: Ask HN: Is there any social network you trust?

#7

Post by franzwong » Wed, Jan 30, 2019, 8:29 AM UTC

You can just create an account, add your friends, and login occasionally. If your friend contacts you, you simply ask them to chat elsewhere.

Re: Ask HN: Is there any social network you trust?

#8

Post by apeconmyth » Wed, Jan 30, 2019, 9:12 AM UTC

krageon wrote: post #4

I see a lot of people around me using Mastodon, but I've yet to actually try it myself (I don't really like social media). It's federated and you can run your own instance.

I've just tried Mastodon recently and haven't been blown away by my experience so far, but I don't like social media either. It's more a Twitter replacement than Facebook. I'm looking to get out of FB as well...

Re: Ask HN: Is there any social network you trust?

#9

Post by suzairshah » Wed, Jan 30, 2019, 9:27 AM UTC

activeneighbor.com

Re: Ask HN: Is there any social network you trust?

#10

Post by maceurt » Wed, Jan 30, 2019, 9:31 AM UTC

earenndil wrote: post #5

> If I just wanted a private social graph with my friends on it, so that it's easier for us to keep in touch over time... where should I go? Email? Not that they're replacements for facebook, but I like and have reasonable trust in HN, reddit, usenet, IRC (freenode, efnet, rizon, stuff like that).

I have started trusting reddit a lot less after all their banning and quaranting of subreddits with little notice beforehand along with their non moderation of rule violations, blatant vote manipulation, vote botting, corporate posting, etc.

Irc is awesome though, actually feels like real communication with other people.