RTRO launches an algorithmfree social app for friends, creators and brands

News Summary

  • Ahead of Meta’s launch of a text-based social network, female-founded social networking startup RTRO is launching its app this week with the goal of connecting brands, creators and their fans and followers in a more positive environment focused on human connections and communities, not algorithm-driven content.
  • This puts users more in control of what sort of content they see in their feeds, the company says.“You can go to that channel and you can explore brand and creator content — so you’re in full control of seeing what you want to see.
  • This type of experience does not currently exist in an app,” Falco touts.However, the offering is similar in some ways to TikTok’s test of dedicated, topical feeds.In addition, creators can choose to create a private circle and post to it within their channel space.
  • So far, that’s been a bust for Snapchat — where its users recently panned the app’s introduction of the My AI feature, dubbing it “creepy” and asking for its removal.Other apps have seen better luck merging AI and social.
  • Brands can sponsor these prompts, if they choose.Meanwhile, the other side of the app — aka RTRO TV — is an algorithm-free space where brands and creators intersect with their audience in a chat-style environment.
  • Ghost’s mobile messaging app that allows friends to post anonymously in group chat just rolled out an iMessage extension and added functionality that lets users create mini-apps using ChatGPT.
Ahead of Metas launch of a textbased social network, femalefounded social networking startup RTRO is launching its app this week with the goal of connecting brands, creators, and their fans and fo [+6414 chars]