Raise your hand if you are in a toxic relationship with Twitter? Well, we have good news, Hive Social is here to release you from the shackles of the bird app we all once loved and dedicated so much time to over the last 16 years. We say once, because Twitter no longer feels like a safe space and many users want out. Ever since Elon Musk’s acquisition of Twitter, things seem to have gone into complete disarray.
Be it the dodgy algorithm that favours popular or celebrity posts over your own friends that you actually want to engage with; or the hate speech discourse; or the paid verification status; or the overwhelming ads and boosted posts; or the fact that featured moments — the 2022 equivalent of reading the morning paper — has been axed – it’s not looking good. We don’t mean to use profanities, but it’s giving sh*tshow…
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Fear not though, if you’re sick of Twitter or Elon’s antics but still want a fun social app to turn to, where you can find community, read news, engage with people different or alike, then Hive might just be ready to sweep you of your feet. Raluca Pop, 23, created Hive Social back in 2019 to tackle many of the concerns users on social media faced daily. Many creators or people that used the apps to merely engage with their peers have struggled with the algorithm of social apps such as Instagram and Twitter, where their posts are not seen by many of their friends. The constant pressure of keeping up with these complicated algorithms meant they were put off by using it all together.
However social media is supposed to be a fun space, and Raluca who started it off as a passion project while studying along the side, decided to create something that served as the antidote to that.
Trust us, this is one you will want to find phone storage for…
Now Hive has hit over 1.5Million users as of November 2022 and continues to welcome thousands of new users each day. The app has already secured number one status on the top free social apps on the Apple App Store.
However, the Hive Social is currently going through some deep maintenance and will be back up and live in a few days. Users are all over Twitter are begging for the apps swift return. One user says: “Me waiting for @TheHIVE_Social to come back online. So I can stop scrolling through toxic Twitter.” while other echoing the similar chants: “Ffs @TheHIVE_Social YOU GOTTA GROW FAST, I GOTTA GET OUTTA THIS ACCURSED PLACE”
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The demand is heavy, loud and clear.
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Raluca however, doesn’t see Twitter, Instagram or any of those social apps we’re obsessed with as direct competition. She told Newsweek: "I know we have been called either an Instagram or Twitter alternative, but I would think of it as a competitor in general in the social media space. We're really just establishing our brand and making it our own."
“In short, I think we're in trouble…”
What is the HIVE Social App?
HIVE Social App is a mobile-only social networking app, where users have a personal feed as well as a discover page to explore trending content and profiles. Much like Instagram and Twitter the interface mixes pictures and text which can be posted and engaged with via likes, replies, saves and reposts. However, unlike Instagram, Twitter, TikTok and the likes, the feed is not curated with an algorithm, it works in chronological order.
How does the HIVE app differ from Twitter?
If you’re trying to figure out why so many Twitter users are choosing to make the switch to Hive then look no further. The biggest difference is that at Hive Social the feed leads without an algorithm. So that means that you see the posts in the order they were posted, i.e chronologically, as opposed to the order your code assumes you may want to engage with the most, or what the algorithm decides to push at any given time. Other social platforms such as Twitter, Facebook and Instagram use an unpredictable algorithm that supposedly analyses your interest and curates your feed accordingly.
When you first create an account, the app will also prompt you to choose “interests” sort of how you did on that dire app, Clubhouse *throwback alert*. This is because even though your feed will remain chronological, the interests are used to curate your discover page. There will be no fancy blue checkmarks, and no ads from social users, so you won’t be able to pay to boost a post.
There are better customisation features than we’re used to on social network apps too. A cool one is that not only can you post a profile picture and cover photo as you do on Twitter but you can also pick a colour theme and have buttons to match. Since we’re also generation-aesthetic, we truly appreciate this little ode to Myspace and Bebo (those who know, know). You can also add pronoun names and astrology signs of which we like to call VIF *very important features*.
You can add pictures, videos, text, gifs, and even polls too, but unlike Twitter, there is no character limit.
How can you join the app?
The App is currently under a beta phase where only beta testers can sign in, so they can work on some strong updates and optimise the app. In a few days the app will be available for all. You will be able to join Hive Social using your email address, phone number, or a Google or Apple account. The Hive Social app is available on iPhone or Android.
Sound good to us. So Twitter fam, what’s the general consensus? Are we sticking to what we know or are we switching sides?
For more from Glamour UK Beauty Writer Shei Mamona, follow her on Instagram @sheimamona
