Facebook has over one billion users, and a large number of them are likely wary of Facebook’s privacy policy; I know I am.
That’s where Ello comes in.
Ello, a new social media platform, offers a unique value proposition or “manifesto”; it won’t collect users’ personal data nor generate advertisement revenue. Instead, it will profit by offering add-ons at an additional fee, like a “freemium”.
Although Ello is invite-only, it has been rapidly gaining signups thanks to a flaw in Facebook’s business model. Not only does Facebook track and sell users’ online activity to third parties, its policy requiring users signup with real identities has left users (especially musicians, artists, and LGBTQ community) feeling exposed.
Image Source: CBS 99.7
Ello isn’t the first social network to protect user privacy from advertisers, but it’s one of the first to brand and position themselves as such. Their logo – a black circle with a white smile – seems welcoming yet protected. Consequently, Ello has created a niche in the social media market where they dominate – a niche Facebook cannot penetrate unless they restructure their business model and revenue streams.
However, this doesn’t mean I’ll be moving over to Ello now. It simply isn’t established enough yet. But, Ello does give users a glimpse at where social media is headed. Privacy protection is a point of difference Ello holds now, but it may be a direction other social networks follow suit in soon.
References:
Text Hyperlink: http://www.statista.com/statistics/264810/number-of-monthly-active-facebook-users-worldwide/
Image Source: http://cbs997now.files.wordpress.com/2014/09/ello.jpg?w=620&h=349&crop=1
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