Watchout Facebook! Ello is Here and According to Them 'You Are Not A Product.'

Watchout Facebook! Ello is Here and According to Them "You Are Not A Product."

It has only been a year when Ello was created. The private social networking has opened its doors to the public on an invitation basis only. It is now making big news on the Internet and the demand for those invitations is soaring high. Those who are lucky enough to get an invite are selling it even up to $500. Ello is getting up to 35,000 requests per hour and it will only get higher.

Ello offers nothing fancy - no elaborate scheme. Its message is simple: "Ello doesn't sell ads. Nor do we sell data about you to third parties." Simple but directed towards Facebook. Frustrated Facebook users are hearing the message loud and clear.

Ello's manifesto reads: "We believe a social network can be a tool for empowerment. Not a tool to deceive, coerce, and manipulate - but a place to connect, create and celebrate life. You are not a product." The company stresses that the habit of collecting and selling personal data and using it for profit "is both creepy and unethical."

Ello added, "Under the guise of offering a 'free' service, users pay a high price in intrusive advertising and lack of privacy."

The company is based on Vermont. Ello is a product of a group of artists and programmers led by Budnitz. They have vast experience in designing robots and bicycles. Budnitz said that they wanted Ello to be "simple, beautiful and ad-free."

People are welcoming Ello's fresh approach. Nathan Jurgenson, a social media researcher at the University of Maryland, said, "I love these moments of new social media when conversation explodes, moved to imagine how social media can be different, questioning core assumptions instead of just fretting and complaining - all before this paint even dries."

Another factor why Ello is gaining popularity is because Facebook started disabling accounts that do not use real names. The gay communities are using stage names and Facebook started disabling those accounts - Ello does not require real names.

Ello plan to offer its services for free but might charge a fee for premium accounts. Some wonders if Ello can succeed with their business plan.

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