4 things you should know about Ello
Source: Carol Mangis
Facebook recently announced Atlas, its rebuilt ad platform that will allow marketers access to its enormous database of user information and target ads to them across the Internet. That should be good news for Ello, a new social network that’s been characterized as “the Anti-Facebook.” The company has vowed never to sell ads nor to collect data that could identify the user. There are many other differences, too, amounting to more user control than you have on the big social networks.
Ello is still in its beta phase and is invitation only, for now, anyway. But a little outreach on Twitter may net you an invite; it worked for us.
Here are some first impressions.
1. How to get started
Setting up a profile took us nearly no time at all. Ello doesn't require you to use your real name, a policy that could attract some unhappy Facebook users. Once you choose a screen name, you add a short bio, profile pic, and header image if you want to, and you’re pretty much done.
The settings are simple. For now, you can't prevent other Ello users from seeing your profile, but you can choose whether to make it accessible to people outside the network. Next, you can decide whether to let other users comment on your posts. You can also opt out of letting Ello collect anonymous information on you―that's right, despite Ello's pro-privacy stance, it does gather data on its default settings. And finally, you choose what kinds of notifications you want to receive.
For tips on staying safe and private online, visit our guide to Internet security.
2. How to connect with others
When you join, you’re automatically following the person who invited you. Ello has a Discover feature that lets you browse through other profiles. And you can search for specific people―but only by their user names, which means you may not find them. For now, you’ll have to ask them what they’re called. (I’ve seen many Twitterers posting their new Ello handles on that network.)
When you find a user you want to follow, you can put them in one of two categories: Friends or Noise. Despite the slightly pejorative sound of Noise, putting someone in that section just means you’ll see fewer posts from them than from Friends. They won't know what bucket you're placed them in.
3. What's the Ello experience?
Ello’s interface is far less cluttered than most, making much use of white space and a cool typewriter font. In fact, it’s is so simple that it’s not always immediately apparent how to post and navigate. Look for the little WTF icon at the bottom left of the page; that’s actually the FAQ, and it provides tips and explanations.
Once you get the underlying logic, it’s simple to post and to view others’ posts. The site puts no limit on how long a post can be, and it can handle large images too; no videos as yet. You can go back and edit posts (which you can’t do on Facebook) and delete them. And there is no “like” button.
Under a post, you can see how many comments and views it’s received (click the three dots to read comments). Emoji fans will love that you can insert them into your post―check out the “emoji cheat sheet” to see how.
4. Bottom line
If you’re intrigued by the idea of an ad-free network that won’t sell your personal data, you should try Ello. But to be successful, a social network needs to attract enough users who want to connect. As Ello works out its prerelease growing pains, we’ll see whether it can hit that critical mass.
Finally, one question on many potential users' minds is how Ello will support itself without ads or selling user data. The company says it will run on a "freemium" style model, eventually offering "special features" for a fee.
―Carol Mangis
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