Bill Ottman was frustrated. Frustrated because the internet powers that be were spying on his every move online. Frustrated because he built several successful media companies, each with millions of followers, only to have Facebook tweak their algorithm to force him to pay to reach his own fans. Frustrated because the social media giants cared more about their advertisers than their users. That’s when he decided to build something better.
He decided to build a social network that put users’ privacy, visibility, and content at the forefront. One where users weren’t simply sold to advertisers, but instead had the ability to build a following based on the quality of their posts, not their paycheck. A truly democratized platform where users were rewarded for their time posting, engaging, and building connections.
Unlike other social networks, users on Minds earn points for using the platform, points they can exchange for impressions on their posts. The result? The more you use Minds, the greater reach you have on the platform. Now, With a new, sleek app, Minds is making waves on mobile.
Ottman seeks to replicate all the technologically successful aspects of Facebook, including the newsfeed, profiles, and chat, but with an emphasis on users.
Chat messages are encrypted, the newsfeed is user-curated, and a popular Minds profile can earn you, not the platform, money.
What’s more, Minds is open-source, meaning that its code is completely transparent to users and developers alike.
Time will tell whether Minds can generate the traction needed to develop as large a user base as its goliath competitors, but considering they’ve spread to over 1 million users on their beta, with a $0 marketing budget, and that they’ve just completed a successful equity crowdfunding round of $1,070,000 that allows its users to own part of the company, it seems that Bill Ottman wasn’t the only person frustrated with the internet powers that be.