Thoughts on building a communication platform that respects people. On privacy, product decisions, and why the internet doesn't have to work the way it does.
Algorithmic feeds were not designed to show you the best content. They were designed to maximize the time you spend inside an application. That is a fundamentally different goal — and it comes at a real cost.
The phrase gets thrown around a lot. Here is what it actually means for your conversations — explained without the jargon.
The modern internet was largely built around one insight: human attention can be captured, measured, and sold. We think that was the wrong foundation to build on.
The tools for building private, performant communication have never been better. The need for them has never been clearer. We started Conch because we believe those two things meeting is an opportunity worth taking seriously.
Recommendation systems were supposed to help people find things they love. In practice, they often reward outrage and novelty over genuine connection. Communities should not work that way.
When you pay for a product, that product works for you. When advertising pays for a product, the product works for advertisers. The business model is not a technical detail — it shapes everything.
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