Ello in Real Life

Back in early October, I wrote a blog post regarding the hip new social network Ello. Based out of Vermont, this unique digital gathering place boasts an ad-free social environment and never sells user data to outside parties. Ello feels so strongly about this that it has published an anti-establishment Manifesto that begins with the line “Your social network is owned by advertisers.” It’s obviously a very different approach to social media than Facebook or LinkedIn.

Another unique feature of Ello: It’s currently invite only. If a friend doesn’t share one of their invites with you, you’re SOL. For those who haven’t received an invite, this is obviously somewhat of a deal killer---a dynamic that doesn’t exist on most social networks. Kik, Vine, Snapchat, Facebook, Instagram, tumblr, LinkedIn, Pinterest...they’re all begging people to join. Ello, on the other hand (and for the time being), is purposefully limiting its user population.

I finally received an invite from a fellow author friend and jumped on a few days ago. I can attest to the fact that Ello isn’t for everyone.

It’s incredibly artsy and design-oriented. And I’m not limiting this description to the Ello site itself. After you gain membership and begin using the Discover feature to find new “Friends” (who you simply follow; you don’t need their permission), you quickly get the feeling that the majority of Ello’s users are designers, photographers, and artists of one variety or another.

It sometimes appears---although this is a gross overstatement---as if Ello is mostly neck-bearded bohemians, attractive rock climbers, and alternative lifestylers who live in hipster cities like Portland, San Francisco, and Austin.

You also perceive a culture that’s intelligent, talented, possibly pretentious, and absolutely creative. If nothing else, most Ello members have an appreciation for leading edge design (I can see Apple executives enjoying Ello). Personally, I perceive this service to be populated by both successful and starving artists, cord cutters, nature lovers, and folks who are obsessed with art and photography.

Ello is receiving mixed reviews from actual members. A simple search of the hashtag #ello on Twitter reveals everything from affinity to indifference to recommendations of abandonment.

“I have Ello now, but I don’t see the point, unless you’re an artsy type and like to share images” said one member. Another queried, “Ok, fess up. How many of you joined Ello and have completely forgotten about it?”

Of course, there’s those who absolutely adore this quirky new service. “So in love with Ello,” said one. Another opined, “I got an invitation to Ello—it’s restored my faith in the potential of social media.” Regarding the site’s layout, one member

said, “Minimalism is the most appealing design these days. Kudos to being the bare minimum.”

Another member proclaimed the site’s potential greatness: “I made the leap. With a few tweaks, Ello could be huge.” Considering that it’s still in beta, those tweaks are inevitable. Ello’s success, however, certainly isn’t.

Some opinions regarding Ello are philosophical: “Simple, beautiful & ad-free. Is this how social networks should be?” However, the network’s minimal design is actually perceived by some to be overdone. “I’ve realised it’s too plain to hold my attention,” said one, while another quipped, “Just signed up to Ello—is the user interface supposed to be so borked?”

With so many new members, there are those intelligent souls who are waiting to get some time under their belt before declaring if Ello is worthy of being a part of their daily diet of social media. Said one newbie, “No opinions made up yet of Ello, but already amused that their Help page...is titled ‘WTF.’” Said another, “Just got invited to join Ello. I don’t know how to feel about this.”

Tasha James, a young entrepreneur from Pennsylvania, confessed, “My first impression is that it’s overly simplistic. I’m not exactly sure what I’m supposed to be doing there.”Jon Fahrner, an IT executive from San Francisco and another new member, facetiously summed up Ello’s culture: “Just guessing Ello, the new invite-only social network, is for creatives and designers. Just a guess...”

Whether you would enjoy Ello really depends on how much disposable time you have for social media and to what extent you appreciate art and alternative culture overall. It’s kind of like tree-hugging granola culture meets Silicon Valley geekdome meets the art scenes of L.A., New York, and London.

I doubt many will be dumping Facebook for Ello. In a way, that’s good. It means Ello is its own thing. While some in the media have dubbed this new, exclusive network the “Facebook killer,” that’s really an overly simplistic and ignorant label. It’s a totally different thing.

The only element Ello and Facebook seem to have in common is that they’re both social networks and they both allow you to have friends. Beyond that, they’re as different as a Ford F-150 pickup and a Porsche 911 sports car. In fact, Ello doesn’t even offer a Like button (but has announced a forthcoming “Love” feature that will serve to bookmark posts).

I’m glad Ello is around. It’s clearly a rebellious challenge to the internet’s status quo. Thankfully, it’s also a good hangout for those who hate ads, have an appreciation for art, design, and photography, or simply want to take the path less traveled.

Curt Robbins

Curt Robbins is author of the following books from Amazon Kindle:

Home Theater for the Internet Age ($9.95) Understanding Home Theater ($4.99) Understanding Personal Data Security ($4.99) Understanding Cutting the Cord ($4.99) Understanding Digital Music ($4.99)

Watch for future titles regarding home automation, streaming media, and electric and self-driving cars. You can follow him on Twitter at @CurtRobbins, on Instagram at curt_robbins, or read his Flipboard magazine Middle Class Tech.