freeQ shows the world how social media can be safe, kind, and liberating for queers.
The entire social media sector is effectively unsafe for LGBTQ+ users, according to GLAAD’s Social Media Safety Index, a survey of the leading social media platforms. We totally agree.
Read that again and let it sink in. GLAAD, a leading LGBTQ+ advocacy group, analyzed social media and found all of the leaders are unsafe for us as LGBTQ+ people. Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, TiKTok, Instagram are all unsafe for us. That's plain wrong.
We as LGBTQ+ community, and allies, can create our own safe online spaces, where we meet new friends and celebrate our queerness. We have a long history of creating our own spaces, like gay and lesbian bars and Pride. We can also be safe online, and we at freeQ already started!
As queers, we can liberate ourselves together by organizing a new type of social media platform, developed by us, for us. That’s where freeQ comes in! We believe in accessibility, inclusion, kindness, safety, joy, and love. freeQ offers amazing, live, LGBTQ+ virtual events that connect and uplift the community.
In freeQ’s first year, we have hosted over 3,000 people on our platform at over 100 events! It’s real. All freeQ events are organized by LGBTQ+ leaders and are moderated live, in real time, to ensure safety. Our virtual events tech is developed by our Co-Founder Riley (Pigeon) Lamey, who ensures user safety and privacy on a sleek system that has no AI or algorithms installed.
In short, freeQ treasures you as a LGBTQ+ person. You rock! We refuse to participate in exploitative, oppressive social media and tech models. We can do this better, and we’re proving it with every successful event!
You are not a commodity. We love you and see you as a partner in our thriving. It’s really that simple.
GLAAD’s Social Media Safety Index platform responsibility checklist calls for:
Greater protection of LGBTQ users in community guidelines - done. freeQ’s guidelines are all about us!
Improved content moderation (and multiple related and overlapping areas including hate speech and misinformation mitigation, enforcement, transparency and accountability, user-reporting systems, self-expression, etc.) - freeQ currently uses a live events model and all content is moderated live, in real time.
Mitigating algorithmic bias and bias in artificial intelligence (AI) - freeQ has a no AI and no biased algorithm policy.
Addressing privacy and outing (including data-privacy & micro-targeting) - freeQ protects your privacy and will never sell your data.
Overall transparency and accountability - freeQ is an open book!
LGBTQ hiring, inclusion and leadership - the entire team at freeQ is LGBTQ+.
Engagement of independent researchers and social scientists - we’d be happy to do so! Bring it! In fact, we’d love to engage experts now as we are building.
Engagement of affected users/communities, especially underrepresented groups - this is our fundamental business model.
Promotion of civil discourse - every single event freeQ offers is about civic engagement, civil discourse.
In fact, freeQ goes even further than the GLAAD model, and we’d love to do even more!
freeQ pledges to never participate in surveillance capitalism. Our earning model is based on partnerships and sharing, not exploitation. freeQ promises we will never: spy on you, record you without your consent, use biased algorithms, or sell your data.
As we grow, freeQ will organize as a Certified B Corporation. This means we value our employees and the environment, in addition to profitability.
freeQ is developing a forward-thinking community consent policy so all safe communication rules are clear and uniform across the platform.
Do you have more ideas on how freeQ can create a new type of platform and do you want to partner with freeQ? Please get in touch with us! sarah (at) freeq.love