Why Peerkola exists

The bubble we read in

Most feeds show you what you’re likely to react to. And the thing we react to most reliably is what we already believe. With every click the feed learns a little more and shows you more of it. Your views get confirmed, disagreement shows up less often, and at some point your own view of the world starts to look like the whole world.

You can’t see this from the inside. The feed feels complete. For hobbies that’s harmless. For knowledge and politics it isn’t: if all you ever get is confirmation, you start taking a small slice for the truth.

We want a feed to also show what’s being read outside your own bubble. What reaches you should depend on what others find worth reading, not on what suits you. That includes people who think very differently from you.

Optimized for the algorithm, not for people

Anyone who wants reach on a big platform quickly learns what gets rewarded: sensational headlines, bold claims, as many posts a day as possible. Whatever gets people worked up gets reactions, and reactions bring reach. If that’s too slow, you buy clicks or followers. Misinformation often spreads faster than its correction, because it triggers more reactions.

In the end, a careful, honest post has a harder time than one tailored to the algorithm. Good content loses to well-optimized content.

We think a post should earn its reach through what it says. Whether it goes further should be up to the people who have read it. A sensational headline then doesn’t help much if what follows disappoints. Posting a lot should cost more, and reach shouldn’t be for sale at all.

The same chance for everyone

On most platforms, reach grows with reach. People with many followers get seen, and people who get seen gain more followers. That’s how influencers happen, and new voices hardly get through.

We want every voice to have the same chance to be heard. A post should go far because it convinces people, not because its author is already well known. So every post should start the same way, no matter who wrote it, and reach should be impossible to build up or buy. Reading should count as much as writing.

The post counts, not who wrote it

Whoever forwards something should judge the post, not the person behind it. The majority shouldn’t decide for you either: how often a post has been forwarded should only be visible after you’ve made your own decision. And anyone who wants to should be able to post anonymously.

Everyone helps filter

On many platforms, you see a scam, misinformation or bullying, report it, and hope someone deals with it eventually. Until then it keeps spreading.

We want everyone to be part of the filter. Anyone who sees a scam, misinformation, bullying or disturbing content should be able to stop it right away instead of just reporting it. Drop a post, and it goes no further through you. If enough people drop it, it shouldn’t get far at all.

Percolation: the idea behind the name

Peerkola combines “peer” and “percolation”. Percolation theory describes when something spreads through a whole network and when it gets stuck. A forest fire is a good example: every burning tree sets its neighbours alight with a certain probability. If that probability is low, the fire dies out after a few trees. Above a certain threshold, it spreads through the whole forest.

On Peerkola, a post is the fire and people are the trees. Someone who likes a post catches fire and passes it on to a few more people. If enough of them like it, it spreads through the whole channel by itself, without anyone pushing it. If too few do, it goes out.

Nobody should decide what matters. The only question should be whether enough people find a post good enough to pass it on. Everything else on this page follows from that idea.

What we won’t do

• Sort your feed by what you’re likely to react to.
• Sell reach. No sponsored posts, no paid boosts, no tokens for money.
• Hide how it works. The rules described on this site are the rules the app follows.
• Measure success in time spent. Five minutes can be a good visit.

What still has to prove itself

The principle is new and still has to establish itself. Some parts, such as moderation or the price of posting, will have to prove themselves as development goes on, and we’ll keep adjusting them. If you have thoughts on any of this, write to us.