folkdata.se
Plus1 Manifesto
## Social media platforms aren’t neutral tools
Social media platforms are equipped with an arsenal of tools for tracking, collecting and processing users’ browsing activity both on and off their platforms. This is done to trade in their personal information for the purposes of micro-targeted advertising, and to promote addictive, even manipulative and hateful content.
## Do not promote
Whilst it may seem strategic to use these platforms to reach the people who use them, that’s no reason to promote or legitimise them. It’s possible to use them and maintain a presence there without encouraging people to visit them via one’s own communication channels (websites, newsletters etc).
## Making information accessible elsewhere
Publishing exclusive content on commercial social media platforms reinforces their dominance by encouraging people to use them without any other viable alternatives. It is important that information is accessible through other channels (websites, email newsletters, content feeds, free and ad-free social networks).
## Plus1 – a small price for a better future
Plus1 means that you add at least one free open social media platform to your mix of social media. It’s a small extra effort to ensure a free and open social web for everyone.
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> > We will never win the competition for virality, but we can create a superior social network for all to enjoy on equal terms.
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### Background
The plus1 movement was inspired by Elena Rossini’s vision for the social web. **Elena Rossini: „I have a dream“ – A view of the Open Social Web in 5 years**
The plus1 term was coined by Ralf Stockman @rstockm@chaos.social and his talk **Von kommerziellen zu kulturellen Netzwerken**
And the philosophy of that it doesn’t have to be an either or, but a **plus one** , was introduced in the _Charte pour une utilisation modérée des médias sociaux publicitaires_ (Charter for a moderate use of advertising social media) by the anti-pub association in France. https://antipub.org/charte-medias-sociaux/
