Here's a very interesting anomaly. We tend to spend more and more time on social media as years go by but to trust the content we see there less and less. Well, actually, it shouldn't come as a surprise when you think of it.
Social media has become an integral part of our lives. It's where we communicate with others; it's where we get ''unfiltered' information from the people we know and wish to know about. It's where we have the ability to show ourselves to the world. And yes, it is also where we entertain ourselves. Can social media faithfully fill all of these roles, which sometimes contradict each other?
Just like we carefully choose every letter we type in every word for our Facebook status, just like we carefully crop every photo on Instagram, just like we filter every 52-second video for TikTok, we also know that everyone else is doing the same. We know that the content we see on these platforms is not really authentic and unfiltered, but we still spend so much time searching for something there.
Why, then? What are we really looking for? Well, there's a new app in town that might be able to help answer that question.
What's all the Hype(list) about?
Social media is what it is. It's our way of being social in the age of technology and the media that comes with it (the World Wide Web). We need these platforms to stay a part of society and to keep up with its trends, taboos, behaviors, and so on. We know that the content we see there is not fully authentic, but we play the game anyway.
Or do we? People are still looking for unfiltered and unmediated connections with other human beings out there—and that's where apps like Hypelist, which is currently invite-only but set to launch for the public very soon, come into the picture.
Founded and created by Alfonso Cobo, of whom you've probably heard already (and if not, we'll make it short—he's the man behind the success of Unfold), Hypelist is here to give users what they lack and are desperately searching for in today's social media atmosphere.
Through Hypelist, users can share their recommendations, tips, and guides on any subject they wish with all of their followers—with no intermediates and no hidden ads. When you know that the advice and recommendations you post on Hypelist are authentic and straightforward, you also know that you can place a high degree of trust in the advice and recommendations you can get there from others.
"Hypelist was created with the goal of bringing back that element that social media once possessed—that element of being authentic," explained Cobo recently. "Instagram today is all about beautiful people living their perfect lives, TikTok is about attracting the spotlight and being the most watched/talked about. Everything seems optimized in order to entertain and grab attention. We want to go back to the days when you'd use social media just to be social."
Create, Curate, Connect
One of social media platforms' greatest strengths is also one of its greatest problems. We're talking about the fact that they've become the trendsetters of today's generation. How can you truly express yourself on TikTok when everything there's about trending hashtags and challenges? At the end of the day, we need a place where we can just be us and show the world what 'us' really is.
And Hypelist is exactly that. It's where you can share your obsessions, display your passions, and, yes, even confess your quirks. The key here is to be yourself, not try to blend in successfully on everyone's feed.
"Think about it for a moment," added Cobo, "let's say you're looking for some books that will amaze and inspire you. Who can you truly ask? Google's 'optimized' search results? Facebook's ad algorithms? Profiles you aren't sure are real? We're here to change that. Hypelist is your way of showing who you are to the world, and in the process, also helping others realize themselves. We're building a community with no physical boundaries, and hopefully one that will stand the test of time."
Anti-Social Social Media
Will Hypelist succeed in blowing that much-needed breeze of change into social media today? It is too soon to tell. But the potential is there. You can see that users are thirsty for something genuine.
Hypelist will start out as an invite-only platform in order to build and maintain itself as a reliable source. Want to know more? Want to sign up and try it for yourself? It's all here.
