iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Gander Social @gandersocial.ca · 26/09/2026

Running dark mode through its paces. Or, as one member of the Gander team described it: “The cozy kind of dark mode.” Right in time for fall.

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Gander Social @gandersocial.ca · 25/09/2026

Groups are coming to Gander. (Once we are done testing them). Open and invite-only communities + cozier spaces for your closest people. They'll even be able to share into the main Gander feed. We’re following the ATProto Spaces alpha design, interop groups are the goal.

Mock-up of the Gander Groups interface showing the “Buy Nothing Canmore” public group. The page lists 3.2K members and 43.7K posts, with a description inviting Canmore neighbours to give away and find free items. Below, a group post offers a solid wood coffee table for free pickup.

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Gander Social @gandersocial.ca · 17/09/2026

Well worth a minute of your time to watch this. This is pretty much why there’s a Gander. A quick note on "sovereignty" in the context of this speech: We want to be governed by Canadian law. We don’t want the power of government. Nobody elected us.

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Gander Social @gandersocial.ca · 01/07/2026

We’d ask you to sign up for Gander. But honestly, we’d rather you didn’t. It’s Canada Day. Put away your phone. Talk to your friends. Get some fresh air. Touch grass if you can. It's what we'll be doing. Sign up for Gander tomorrow. It’ll still be here when you get back.

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Gander Social @gandersocial.ca · 30/06/2026

On voit plein de nouveaux visages par ici. Bienvenue 👋 Techniquement, on « lance » demain. Mais vous pouvez très bien passer un peu d’avance, jeter un coup d’œil, goûter aux grignotines et vous trouver une bonne place où vous installer. Trouvez-nous dans l’App Store ou sur Google Play.

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Gander Social @gandersocial.ca · 30/06/2026

Seeing a bunch of fresh faces. Pleasure to meet you👋 Technically, we "launch" tomorrow. But you're more than welcome to come on by a bit early and check things out ahead of time, sample the snacks, and find a good spot to chill. Find us on the App Store or Google Play.

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Gander Social @gandersocial.ca · 29/06/2026

It's in the feed settings -- you can find them at the top of any feed right here. We put it here so it's nice and handy but... they could live in the Content and Media settings too. Will talk to the product team!

Screenshot of the Gander app home feed with the “Settings · On Gander” option circled in red.

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Gander Social @gandersocial.ca · 07/06/2026

Another section from our submission on the future of online safety legislation in Canada. What's the minimum amount of information a platform actually needs to know in order to operate safely? 1/8

Minimalist editorial-style graphic featuring the statement “Platforms should only collect the data they actually need.” in bold black typography on a light grey background with a clean, modern editorial layout.

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Gander Social @gandersocial.ca · 05/06/2026

Continuing our discussion on online safety legislation in Canada... another one we've wrestled with: How do you reduce bots, fraud, and impersonation without turning platforms into giant collectors of sensitive identity data?

Minimalist editorial-style graphic featuring the statement “The safest sensitive data is data a platform never collects.” in bold black typography on a light grey background with generous white space.

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Gander Social @gandersocial.ca · 04/06/2026

Créer un meilleur réseau social, c’est aussi le rendre plus accessible. Nous travaillons avec des membres de notre communauté qui utilisent des technologies d’assistance afin de rendre Gander plus accessible. Envie d’aider? gandersocial.ca/acce... #SemaineNationaleDeLaccessibilité

Texte blanc indiquant « Les réseaux sociaux devraient fonctionner pour tout le monde. » sur un fond rouge uni.

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Gander Social @gandersocial.ca · 03/06/2026

Building better social media also means making it more accessible. We’re working with people in our community who use assistive technologies to help improve the Gander experience and make it more usable for all. Interested in participating? gandersocial.ca/blog... #NationalAccessibilityWeek

White text reading “Social should work for everyone.” centred on a solid red background.

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Gander Social @gandersocial.ca · 02/06/2026

A few days ago, we shared some of our recommendations on the future of online safety in Canada. Privacy, accessibility, safety, participation... we've been wrestling with this for months. Your turn. How do we better protect young people online without creating new barriers for everyone else? 1/6

Minimalist editorial-style graphic featuring the statement “Protecting children online should not require mass surveillance.” in bold black typography on a light grey background with a clean, editorial layout.

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Gander Social @gandersocial.ca · 01/06/2026

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Gander Social @gandersocial.ca · 01/06/2026

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Gander Social @gandersocial.ca · 31/05/2026

The community has spoken, so we're building. Here’s a peek at what's just been released, what we're working on, and what we're noodling on at Gander. A bit of healthier social, a bit of fun, some growth, and a dash of self-sufficiency. Anything here you’ve been hoping to see? Something else?

Minimalist roadmap card with bold black typography listing recently released Gander features including French language UI, GIF support, Discovery Cards, Sponsored Feed capabilities, and OTP via SMS.

Minimalist roadmap card with bold black typography listing current Gander development priorities including verification, public and private groups, browser version, ethical algorithm updates, FYP v3, Flicks v2, accessibility testing, and a post scheduler.

Minimalist roadmap card with bold black typography outlining upcoming Gander features including accessibility improvements, continued work on groups and browser version, dark mode, and Nests v3.

Minimalist roadmap card with bold black typography showing experimental and exploratory Gander features including threaded posts, post editing, language labels, Indigenous language support, Composer v3, creator tools, ATmosphere interoperability, migration tools, and localization.

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Gander Social @gandersocial.ca · 28/05/2026

We were invited to share recommendations with the Office of Minister Miller on online safety legislation in Canada. It's a nuanced topic, and if the internet has taught us anything, it’s that simple “fixes” can have very real unintended consequences. Some thoughts + our submission below. 1/10

A minimalist graphic featuring the text “Privacy and safety should advance together.” in large bold black type on a light grey background. The layout uses ample white space and an editorial-style design.

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Gander Social @gandersocial.ca · 28/05/2026

Jen discusses our decision to add verification to Gander for folks who want to post, comment or chat. Our approach keeps ID info out of our hands and adds a layer to reduce bots, bad actors, and harm to kids. Does everyone love it? Nope. But that's what friction is. gandersocial.ca/blog...

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Gander Social @gandersocial.ca · 26/05/2026

We’re building Gander to give Canadian video creators a better space of their own. Flicks is where you can scroll with a little less dopamine and a little more oxytocin. Where you’ll find storytellers, comedians, artists, and people who just really need to show you a bird they saw yesterday.

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Gander Social @gandersocial.ca · 25/05/2026

Thanks @betakit.com for naming Gander a 2026 Most Ambitious honouree in the Sovereign Stack category. There is no sovereignty without technology. The spaces where we connect, organize (and the data we create doing it) need to be our own.

Black BetaKit Most Ambitious graphic naming Gander Social, based in Ottawa, Ontario, as a 2026 honouree. Presented by Uber, DMZ, and National Bank of Canada.

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Gander Social @gandersocial.ca · 22/05/2026

Our COO Jen Mitchell shares some of the thinking behind our moderation policies and community guidelines. No small task when your goal is balancing civil conversation with freedom of expression. We pushed into new territory and the community on Gander is proving it was worth every minute.

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Gander Social @gandersocial.ca · 21/05/2026

Have you checked your inbox? Like, scoured it? It's official: we've sent over 47,000 invites to Early Access members, testers, and investors. If you haven’t spotted yours yet, try searching “Gander invite” (and maybe check Promotions or Spam while you’re at it). Can't wait to see you in there!

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Gander Social @gandersocial.ca · 21/05/2026

When we started building Gander, we hoped we’d attract thoughtful community. We didn't expect that it so soon. 7,000 beta testers helped shape the app and somehow stay incredibly kind through all of it. Thank you all for setting the tone for what Gander could become. ❤️ More in the comments.

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Gander Social @gandersocial.ca · 20/05/2026

For most people, it’s getting harder to tell credible reporting from complete nonsense. That’s why we show publisher reputation on shared news links using Media Bias/Fact Check. Will it solve the scourge of disinfo? Heck no. But at least it gives our users a fighting chance.

A Gander Social interface mockup showing a smartphone displaying a news article preview with publisher reputation and political bias labels. Text beside the phone explains that users can see where stories come from, understand sources at a glance, and view credibility and bias information before sharing or engaging with news content.

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Gander Social @gandersocial.ca · 19/05/2026

This Hour Has 22 Minutes is on Gander. So if you joined the Early Access Program and haven’t checked your inbox lately… now might be the time. 🇨🇦 Your problem uncle is probably not there. You’re good.

Smartphone mockup showing a post from This Hour Has 22 Minutes on Gander. Beside the phone, large text reads: “22 Minutes is on Gander. Because your uncle’s Facebook comments got out of hand.” Minimal black typography on a light-grey background.

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Gander Social @gandersocial.ca · 16/05/2026

Save it for later… or share it with someone now. With Boards, keep the things that matter. Posts, thoughts, videos, or that one meme meant for exactly one person. You can keep boards private, or share them with your pals.

Board: Gander’s Boards feature displayed on a phone with saved collections for recipes, family, dogs, and memes. Text reads: “Board. A place to pin recipes you’ll totally never make.”

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Gander Social @gandersocial.ca · 30/04/2026

No murky, manipulative algorithms around here. Feeds on Gander display the newest content first. If you want to see more content from someone, follow their account or add them to your Nest. Easy as that.

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Gander Social @gandersocial.ca · 28/04/2026

Turns out we can still be nice to each other on the internet. (Sharing with permission, thanks Corey)

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Gander Social @gandersocial.ca · 10/02/2026

A little context goes a long way. On Gander, when a news article is shared you’re provided with some basic information around source bias and factuality. While we still recommend reading the article before sharing or reacting, this is one step toward more informed (and civil) dialogue.

Screenshot of a social media post by @tjcaul replying to @gander.social. The post says they’re coming from Meta and are happy to see Canadian news on social media again, adding that bias scoring is “the cherry on top,” with a cherry emoji. Below is a preview of a post linking to a CBC article titled “How Team Canada stacks up against its Wint…,” showing a photo of a Canadian flag and labels reading “Center-Left” and “High Factuality,” with an information icon.

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Gander Social @gandersocial.ca · 04/02/2026

A few posts from over on Gander Social (shared with permission, of course). Like inviting your friends over to see your new place. And we can’t wait to invite everyone else by.

A Gander post by @fastdogs that says visiting other social media raises their blood pressure, while Gander feels like a quiet coffee shop, with a coffee cup emoji at the end and engagement icons below the text.

A social media post from Gander Social by @balmoralgirl reading “Canadian winters are so beautiful,” above a four-image grid showing snowy trees, snow piled on branches and a deck railing, and sunlight filtering through a winter forest.

A post in the Gander app by @jess that reads, “Genuinely happy to scroll a feed that’s entirely Canadian. Different pace. Better conversations. Feels like home,” with a video thumbnail of a person wearing glasses speaking indoors.

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Gander Social @gandersocial.ca · 28/01/2026

After a few months of getting our flippers wet, we realized something: Gander is a bit of an odd duck in tech, especially in how it gets built and supported. Traditional venture capital funding doesn't fit a benefit company like ours. Likewise with a lot of government programs.

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Gander Social @gandersocial.ca · 27/01/2026

A few months ago, Gander advisor Blaine Cook from New_Public reached out to say he wanted to introduce me to Catherine Tait, who previously served as CEO of the CBC. We're really glad he did.

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Gander Social @gandersocial.ca · 28/11/2025

Gamgam's timeline is getting dark. Big thanks to the fine folks at @betakit.com for hosting Ben, the convo, and for sharing this video with us.

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Gander Social @gandersocial.ca · 03/11/2025

Exgoose-moi ? Tu finances Gander… comment ? On invite les Canadiens à devenir copropriétaires. Déjà 1 500+ personnes ont investi entre 255 $ et 10 000 $ — plus de 1,2 M $ ! Deviens proprio et parle-en à ceux qui veulent de meilleurs réseaux sociaux au 🇨🇦 frontfundr.com/fr/gandersoc...

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Gander Social @gandersocial.ca · 03/11/2025

Exgoose me? You’re funding Gander how? We're inviting Canadians to become co-owners. Over 1.5k Canadians have invested from $255 to $10K or more, totalling $1.2M so far! Become an owner! Tell friends, family, frenemies... anyone who wants better socials in Canada 🇨🇦 frontfundr.com/gandersocial

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Gander Social @gandersocial.ca · 30/10/2025

Ahem. We give you Gander. The app. On a phone. Not public yet… but it’s real, in our hands, and soon in beta. The timing is a bit nuts… given we just opened investment to all Canadians (at frontfundr.com/gandersocial) but we’re over the moon. Amazing what can get done with community.

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Gander Social @gandersocial.ca · 11/09/2025

Canadians log on to platforms built under American rules where hate speech is protected. In the wake of the assassination of Charlie Kirk and another school shooting in Colorado, days before a nationalist 'Canada First' rally in Toronto, it’s time to enforce our Charter and laws online.

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Gander Social @gandersocial.ca · 25/08/2025

Where’s Gander? We’re on it! Been a busy, heads down kinda summer, but this is a quick update. August Closed Beta has moved to September, but we still have plans to open up more broadly end of October. More to come!

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Gander Social @gandersocial.ca · 01/07/2025

Happy Canada Day. We’re all about small-p patriotism: recognizing there’s plenty of work to be done, but also that we’ve got something worth building on here. Another thread 👇

A scanned image of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The document has a cream-colored background with a red header at the top that includes the Canadian coat of arms and the words “Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms” in both English and French. Below the header, the text is organized into multiple columns, each outlining different sections of the Charter, including rights and freedoms related to expression, mobility, equality, legal protections, and language rights. The document has a formal, official appearance, resembling a historical or legal proclamation.

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Gander Social @gandersocial.ca · 27/06/2025

We were searching for someone to help us navigate community impact in Canada. "Oh, you mean Peter Dinsdale" came the reply. (You can follow him here: @peterdinsdale.bsky.social) Ben explains:

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Gander Social @gandersocial.ca · 26/06/2025

Meet Melody, our Lead Software Engineer. She wants to leave this world better than she found it. We'd say she's well on her way. Over to Ben for more: It’s Day 2 of Gander Gratitude Week 💛 Today, I want to talk about Melody L., our Lead Software Engineer.

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Gander Social @gandersocial.ca · 25/06/2025

Ben talks about meeting Taylor Owen (@taylorowen.bsky.social) for the first time, having his eyes opened, and the power of (consensual) hugs. A thread. Over to Ben:

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Gander Social @gandersocial.ca · 23/06/2025

In the spirit of saying thanks to the people (that's you) who have helped us get here, we’re showing our gratitude this week. Here’s a thread on what’s coming up👇

A close-up photo of a Canada goose staring directly at the camera with a neutral expression. The background is softly blurred greenery. A hand-drawn speech bubble above the goose says “Thanks.” in playful, casual lettering.

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Gander Social @gandersocial.ca · 18/06/2025

Spinning in circles trying to find your audience on platforms that reward views over value, are foreign-owned, and don’t get Canadians? Come hang at the Gander Social Creator Jam! Meet the team, demo the platform, help shape our tools. June 25, 6-9PM, TO. Register: lu.ma/9ibyo92a #TorontoTechWeek

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Gander Social @gandersocial.ca · 14/06/2025

Sometimes you get mentioned by @techcrunch.com. And in good company too. Adding a sprinkle of ketchup chip dust to the ATPro to surface Canadian voices and protect digital sovereignty.

Already, people are using the protocol that powers Bluesky to build social experiences for specific groups — like Blacksky is doing for the Black online community or like Gander Social is doing for social media users in Canada." The names "Blacksky" and "Gander Social" are green and underlined, indicating they are clickable links.

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Gander Social @gandersocial.ca · 08/06/2025

Being online is cool. So is logging off to read some books. Here’s what some of us at Gander are reading this weekend: data gaps in everyday life, smart forests, radical queer history, the future of the internet, and the enduring appeal of fancy vampires.

A stack of five books on a white shelf, partially surrounded by trailing green leaves. Titles include Finding the Mother Tree by Suzanne Simard, Eleven Minutes by Paulo Coelho, The Rise of Wolf 8 by Rick McIntyre, The Next Economy MBA, and Invisible Women by Caroline Criado Perez. A colorful bookshelf is blurred in the background.

Five books arranged vertically on a wooden floor. Titles include Bad Gays by Huw Lemmey and Ben Miller, Trick Mirror by Jia Tolentino, The Vampire Lestat by Anne Rice, Play It As It Lays by Joan Didion, and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid.

Three books leaning against a light grey couch cushion. Titles include Value(s) by Mark Carney, Nasty Women Poets, an anthology by Grace Bauer and Julie Kane, and a clothbound edition of 1984 by George Orwell.

Three books stacked on a green cutting mat in front of a pastel mechanical keyboard. Titles include Internet for the People by Ben Tarnoff, Not Wanted on the Voyage by Timothy Findley, and 1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus by Charles C. Mann.

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Gander Social @gandersocial.ca · 05/06/2025

Hear from Jennifer, our COO, about crying through Come From Away (as you do), finding kinship in Canada and why she joined the Gander team. #GetToKnowGander #HinterlandWhosWho

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