Celebrities and Tech Pros Team Up to Create Open Social Media

Are you tired of billionaires controlling your social media experience? A group of famous people and tech experts, including Mark Ruffalo, think so too. They're working together to create a new social media system that puts people first, not profits. This system, called FreeOurFeeds, is built on a decentralized tech platform called the AT Protocol. It aims to give users more control over their data and online experience. The plan is to build new social media apps on this platform. This way, users can choose how their data is used and which algorithms run their feeds. It's like having a say in how your favorite park is managed, instead of just one person deciding everything. But creating this new system isn't easy. Bluesky, the company behind the AT Protocol, needs money to make sure the tech doesn't depend on any one company or billionaire. They want to raise $30 million over the next three years to make this happen. Right now, they're asking for $4 million to start a foundation that will ensure the tech can't be controlled by billionaires. You might think, "Why should I care about what some rich celebrities want? " But remember, even the richest celebrities aren't as wealthy as the billionaires who control our current social media. Mark Ruffalo, the most well-known member of this group, is worth about $30 million. Elon Musk, on the other hand, is worth around $416 billion, which is about 14, 000 times more. So, it's not just about money; it's about who has the power.