Ello Makes March NSFW Month, Decries Censorship
That fancy new ad-free social network, Ello, is getting into the news again by welcoming NSFW content onto their platform. March has officially been declared NSFW month in order to preserve free speech.
First, it was the LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning) crowd, many of which fled the far more stuffy Facebook over their censorship policies. Now, it is the turn of the NSFW (Not Safe For Work) community to run for the cover of the non-censoring, ad-free, and welcoming social media platform.
The biggest problem on the Internet, apparently, is that the advertising community doesn’t like to have their banners on pages they consider unsuitable. Websites would thus lose business by posting the wrong kind of content. Even Reddit has been taking varied stances on various different policies it seems.
However, wherever a major website kicks out a particular type of content, Ello opens its welcoming arms. In fact, anyone who visits the social site’s freedom of speech page is welcome and will receive an instant invitation to join the friendly invite-only crowd.
Ello Kicks Off ‘NSFW Month’ Ahead of Total Redesign http://t.co/l8LzRWNuNB
— nyo 2 (@nyomedia) March 2, 2015
Of course, the website does still have rules and regulations on how users should treat each other, but as long as everyone behaves, they can post pretty much whatever they like.
If you’re afraid you may someday get kicked off your social network or blogging platform because you post NSFW content, don’t sweat it. You’re always welcome on Ello.
Ello decided to take this stance mainly due to Google’s recent ban of all adult content from their Blogger platform. While Google did, apparently, reverse that decision, possibly realizing they would pretty quickly lose business to Tumblr and Ello, the latter decided to take advantage of the situation.
Oh cool it’s NSFW month on Ello. Cool. pic.twitter.com/JPcLLHJlCA
— Danimal/Armcannon (@armcannon) March 2, 2015
The Observer quoted Ello founder Paul Budnitz as asking, “Why would they do that in the first place?”
“It seems like the problem with the adult content is that the advertisers aren’t very excited about associating themselves with adult content.”
According to a Press Release on CNBC, the Ello web site launched in Beta on August 7, 2014 and has since attracted millions of members.
As Ello continues to grow, the social media network continues to attract all kinds of artists, displaying their work online and welcomes many other kinds of users. They have even, apparently gotten into selling T-shirts and have so far sold around 50,000, so it seems being ad-free doesn’t mean making no actual cash.
Speaking of the NSFW month and the content that is to be welcomed by Ello, Budnitz mentioned that this would consist of writing, art and animation and that a high proportion of their members are situated overseas. He explained how things tend to be done differently in other countries.
“More than half of Ello’s users are overseas, we’re at about 50/50.”
“The mores about what happens in France or Germany are just different than they are here.”
Reportedly, the team at Ello have been working on a site overhaul and are preparing to release their mobile app later this year. The website is still in an invite-only phase, which will continue for some time. In the meantime, users can take advantage of NSFW month.
The one thing that makes Ello’s founders really mad, however, is that everyone still keeps comparing them to Facebook.
“It’s like judging someone like a small clothing designer with a big store like Walmart.”
“We’re not here to create another place for all of the junk on the Internet. I don’t think that’s what people need.”
Ello’s final paragraph in their recent email to users asked everyone to help celebrate NSFW Month by speaking of free speech.
Help us celebrate NSFW Month on Ello by posting and discussing ideas about free speech, censorship, and why it’s important that Internet remain open and free.
Have you been invited to join Ello and what are your experiences so far? Let us know in the comments section below.
In other social media news, the Inquisitr reports on the case of Lacey Spears who got into trouble for her anti-social posts on the social networks.
[Image: Ello logo in the public domain]
