Some Thoughts on the Flote Platform

Since the relatively recent exodus of users from Facebook and other conventional platforms, there has been a rise in privacy-focused social media. Most of them are blockchain-based, a promising technology linked to financial rewards, usually in crypto, for the more successful content contributors. One such platform is Flote, which I've been testing for the past few weeks. In this article, I'll present some of my thoughts based on my experience with it.

First of all, I'm not affiliated with Flote in any way, while no one invited me to join it either. So, I could have left at any time, especially since I have other platforms that I frequent and where I have established a network of contacts already. Still, I lingered in Flote because of its simplicity, clean user interface, and innovative model. I don't aspire to be an influencer there, but I enjoy the platform, while the fact that one of its founders, Erin Edwards, actively engages with the members of the platform offering help and promoting posts others may find interesting. I've only seen that in a couple of other places.

So, why Flote? Well, it's privacy-oriented, fresh, and big on blockchain tech. That's not to say that it's there yet, though. Also, the engagement you may get on a platform like this is bound to be linked with a very particular set of people. It doesn't feature the diversity of places like MeWe, but it has the potential to do so, perhaps once the beta-testing is over. Some features still don't work well on the mobile app, which is why it's still labeled as beta, while the whole platform seems quite minimalist for a social medium. Perhaps that's why some people view it as a Twitter alternative, even if it doesn't have the silly size limitations the well-known gossiping site features.

I've tried other privacy-focused platforms over the past two years, and although Flote seems quite promising, I don't think I'll drop my other ones any time soon to focus on Flote as my primary online socializing site. Still, I don't think I'll quit any time soon, partly because there is a feeling of authenticity in the users there. If you look past the biases of the user base, Flote is very open-minded and fosters debate, something most social media today have forgotten or even banned. So, if the attention we give to the sites we frequent counts for something, like a vote of sorts for what is worth spending time on, I feel that Flote deserves a chance, at least right now. After all, many places start great (e.g., Voice) and then take a wrong turn somewhere, turning into something undesirable.

If you are interested in platforms like Flote, i.e., it floats your boat, but you're open to other places too, you may want to check out my Privacy Fundamentals course on WintellectNow. There I talk about various privacy-related matters, with lots of practical advice on your online options. This includes but it’s not limited to privacy-oriented social media sites. So, check it out when you have a moment. Cheers!