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FamilyLeaf (YC W12) - Your Family's Private Social Network

theatlantic.com

1–10 of 19 posts

Re: FamilyLeaf (YC W12) - Your Family's Private Social Network

#2
I'm not really in the target audience for the product at all, but it looks great.

What really interests me is that amazing ad unit -- it's a "sponsored article from Bank of America". I actually read it, unlike a banner ad, and while if I were at all in the market for a family social network, I'd now be interested in FamilyLeaf, it ALSO made me somewhat more positive toward Bank of America.

This seems a whole lot more effective than running banner ads.

Re: FamilyLeaf (YC W12) - Your Family's Private Social Network

#3
Looks all nice and such but the family member role at the time of the sign up, seems limiting. What if your family is small based on the available relationship in the dropdown? You wouldn't bother creating a new social network just for one or two people. If the "family incharge" (as per your FAQ) can possibly extend the family he/she creates later on, than I think it should be identified first.

I think ultimately, the emphasis on the private nature of all of these social networks has one single limitation issue: the building of network requires few people taking initiative of building the network (which you have identified as "family administrator"). Without such people taking initiative, these networks don't really go anywhere. And we know that not everyone takes those initiatives, especially when the site is brand new, unknown and/or not so popular.

Just some thoughts.

Re: FamilyLeaf (YC W12) - Your Family's Private Social Network

#6
The article mentions the competition for FamilyLeaf, but does not give any inkling of a clue as to how they'll overcome the competition and really the bigger competition from Facebook. Simply saying their confident it will fill the niche doesn't give me any reason to choose it over the myriad of other services lifted.

I'm also not really in the target demographic, but if someone asked me why they should choose to use this service instead of Facebook, I'd be hard pressed to give them a reason.

Re: FamilyLeaf (YC W12) - Your Family's Private Social Network

#8
post #7

I don't understand: how is this more secure? Maybe I don't understand the meaning of the word 'secure' in this context. Photos and everything is still stored on a remote uncontrolled server.

Indeed, I'd see it the same way - for individuals (and indeed families) it certainly is not really more secure - if anything, less so due to the likelihood and encouragement for families to put more intimate/sensitive and personal details into the environment.

This and things like Pair, the social network for couples, I would suspect are shooting for high 'value' - where value is correlated with selling that information to third parties (advertisers, at best; but other parties are possible customers too).

edit - after reading their privacy policy, they do currently seem to have a good standing; even so I'd generally be cautious

Re: FamilyLeaf (YC W12) - Your Family's Private Social Network

#9
post #8
post #7

I don't understand: how is this more secure? Maybe I don't understand the meaning of the word 'secure' in this context. Photos and everything is still stored on a remote uncontrolled server.

Indeed, I'd see it the same way - for individuals (and indeed families) it certainly is not really more secure - if anything, less so due to the likelihood and encouragement for families to put more intimate/sensitive and personal details into the environment. This and things like Pair, the social network for couples, I would suspect are shooting for high 'value' - where value is correlated with selling that informat…

I had expected from the title "Your Family's Private Social Network" a software to be installed on a private server, well knowing that this is only something for experienced users.
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