In light of the recent privacy policy problems with Facebook, four NYU students are aiming to build and launch an alternative open-source Facebook called Diaspora.
The students, Daniel Grippi, Maxwell Salzberg, Ilya Zhitomirskiy, and Raphael Sofaer, believe they can create an improved platform while maintaining the privacy of users’ data. Watch the videos after the jump for their explanations and ideas.
The Vision Behind Diaspora
The four students began the project with an aim to raise $10,000 before June 1 to help them create Diaspora during the holidays. They had reached this goal in less than two weeks and have now raised $100,000 through the Kickstarter funding website. This overwhelming support highlights the public’s desire for a social media platform that prioritizes user privacy and data security.
How Diaspora Works
The intended platform will allow users to install their own ‘seed’ to share information, photos, and videos and let them control and own all the data. This decentralized approach means that users can host their own data on their own servers, giving them full control over their personal information. Unlike traditional social networks where data is stored on centralized servers, Diaspora’s model ensures that users’ data is not vulnerable to mass breaches or misuse by a single entity.
Diaspora’s architecture is designed to be modular and flexible, allowing users to customize their experience and integrate various functionalities as needed. For instance, users can choose to connect their Diaspora account with other social media platforms, enabling seamless sharing across different networks while still maintaining control over their data.
Community and Future Prospects
Diaspora’s open-source nature means that it can benefit from the contributions of developers worldwide. This collaborative approach not only accelerates the development process but also ensures that the platform remains transparent and accountable to its users. The community-driven development model allows for continuous improvement and adaptation to emerging privacy concerns and technological advancements.
It sounds like a really great project, and it will be interesting to see how the guys get on and what they’ve accomplished by the end of the summer. The success of their Kickstarter campaign is a promising start, and with the support of the community, Diaspora has the potential to become a viable alternative to traditional social networks. Good luck to the team!
Via Only Gizmos Via Diaspora
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