Cultural Narration and the Role of Privacy Substitutes in Social Media

A new revolution in social media is slowly on the rise: the revolution for privacy, data, and culture. This shift takes people from platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok to more personal and less centralized social networks. These new platforms provide communities with a chance to create, share, and develop their own narratives without being interrupted. At Confinity, we are also committed to providing tools and applications that promote privacy and cultural freedom.

Privacy-Conscious Social Networks

The use of traditional social networks has always been associated with data surveillance, algorithm manipulation, and the sale of user data. In turn, services that respect users' privacy, like Mastodon, Signal, and Diaspora, have become more popular. These platforms focus on the privacy of their users through safe interactions, ownership of the data, and no ad experience. Usually open-source and distributed, they allow people and groups to own and manage their data and communication.

For instance, Mastodon is based on the server model, which results in more community control of the social space. This approach has been particularly useful for cultural organizations, as it provides secure environments for documentation and the exchange of traditions. At Confinity, we view these platforms as important actors in the fight for privacy and cultural plurality in the digital world.

An Aesthetic of Narratives in the New Millennium

Cultural storytelling is best when the stories are told by those who have lived the experiences. Platforms like Pixelfed and Minds offer unique solutions by combining storytelling capabilities with privacy-focused designs:

• Pixelfed: An open-source, decentralized alternative to Instagram, Pixelfed offers uncluttered post timelines and no annoying algorithm or notification overload.

• Minds: This platform compensates creators for the content they produce and allows them to own it entirely, thus combining freedom and financial reward.

These tools help users express themselves and their culture and history without violating them. At Confinity, we endorse innovations that defend people's cultural and creative rights and privacy.

Privacy Meets Community

Beyond privacy and creative freedom, these platforms foster meaningful community connections:

• Nextdoor: Connects the online and offline worlds, allowing neighbors to exchange goods and services and organize events.

• Session: Provides encrypted messaging services for group chats and is suitable for cultural dialogues and project work.

Such privacy-protecting tools prove that secure applications can also foster a real community. At Confinity, we share this vision and create technologies centered on security, collaboration, and cultural support.

What Makes Privacy Important in Cultural Storytelling?

The trend of private platforms is a result of users' increasing interest in their identity and data ownership. For minorities, these platforms offer a way of sharing experiences and keeping the alternative stories of the world, which otherwise would be silenced or co-opted.

Mastodon, MeWe, and Diaspora protect privacy and encourage people to open and welcome communities. We support these initiatives and continue developing products that allow people and cultures to tell their stories and share them safely.