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Spill, introduced in mid-June, is a novel Black-owned social media platform that promises a more inclusive and safer environment for diverse communities. Its aim is to evolve as the ‘go-to’ place for global cultural exchanges.
The Spill Story: A Safer Twitter Alternative
Created by Alphonso “Phonz” Terrell and Devaris Brown, both ex-Twitter employees, Spill was built around prioritizing safety for culturally diverse communities aka ‘culture drivers,’ a term coined by the founders. With Twitter seeing a rise in hate speech, there is an increasing need for a more secure digital space. This is where Spill steps in, with its AI closely monitoring and controlling hate and abuse against communities of color.
The Appeal of Spill
Despite being in its beta phase and accessible only through invites, the app already garnered about 130,000 sign-ups in early July, ranking third in the most downloaded apps on the Apple App Store. The app has a unique feature called “Fresh Tea,” a tab that displays trending content. Parallelly, another tab called “My Brew” shows posts from accounts the user follows, while the content posted is referred to as a ‘spill.’
How Does Spill Compare to Threads?
The current top app on Apple App Store, Threads, a Meta-owned social media application, is another Twitter contender. Threads allow users to register via their Instagram accounts, providing an easy cross-platform social experience. However, Threads account deletion requires Instagram deletion too, a perhaps discouraging feature.
However, Spill is proposed to be more gif and photo oriented and offers monetization for viral posts. This unique feature will enable users to earn money from their content. The platform also ensures rightful credit to creators by using blockchain technology to keep records.
Future of Twitter Losing its Shine?
Reports suggest a steady decline in Twitter usage with Pew Research Center stating that former active Twitter users are posting less, and around 25% of American users are planning not to use Twitter in the upcoming year. Twitter’s advertising revenue also witnessed a significant (around 60%) dip from April to May.
Thus, the emergence of safer, inclusive, and user-friendly platforms like Spill could potentially disrupt Twitter’s dominance in the social media world while fulfilling the urgent requirement for hate-free social engagement.