a social network, reimagined
JOIN THE MOVEMENT
It's simple - Build movements, support changemakers, and drive action, at scale.
To bring together a global community that can systemically change the direction of corporations, governments and societies to achieve the cultural and environmental prosperity our world needs; and all on a safer, healthier platform that eloquently combines purpose with profits.
Everything associated with Curv must align with our Principles. From the content that is posted, to the way we do business.
This is extremely important and we want to be held accountable to that statement.
If you have any questions or feedback on any aspect of what you are about to read, please do share, as it’ll help us refine what each Principle needs to be to create a safer, healthier platform for all.
Catch us at hello@joincurv.com.
The following 5 points are designed to give you clarity on how Curv manages moderation and maintaining a community-led culture, defined by our Principles (see below). We hope they are clear and we welcome any feedback!
Social media is about the free exchange of thoughts, ideas, and knowledge. However, we have all seen on other platforms how communication can become corrosive when users communicate without thought or responsibility. Curv aims to be better, making sure that we encourage the free flow of speech whilst protecting the wellbeing of our community.
The question to ask yourself — does this content cause harm?
Key definitions
What do we mean by harm? A post or piece of communication that is hateful, bigoted in opinion or encourages violence, of any form.
By hateful we mean language or content that clearly evokes psychological harm.
By bigoted we mean the sharing of opinions that present unnecessary prejudice against a person or group, and;
By violence we mean anything that could or does galvanise physical and/or emotional harm to others. This includes any form of sexually explicit, illegal or negligent activity.
A note on productive discourse
We are in support of ‘Productive Discourse,’ in that we encourage people to passionately share their considered opinions, even if others disagree. We believe that there is public value to open and frank discussions, and we insist that such dialogues can, and must happen, whilst adhering to the Humane Principle.
Progress is at its most powerful when you have multiple voices, from multiple perspectives, feeling free to share their knowledge and ideas. For this to happen, conversations must be open and inclusive. Recognising and embracing difference is extremely important if we are to build a better social network.
The question to ask yourself — is this content prejudiced?
Key definitions
What do we mean by prejudice? A post or piece of communication that includes preconceived, discriminatory opinions, presented obtrusively or subtly, about a person or group.
In effect, any content that is seen (by the Curv team) as evidently racist, sexist, homophobic, ableist or any other known form of discriminatory slur, will be removed.
A note on the nature of language
Words shape culture and culture shapes prejudice. Thanks to this, we encourage you to always post with other community members wellbeing in mind and to be considerate with your choice of words.
A Note on AI
The exponential growth and ubiquity of artificial intelligence today is structurally, systematically, and psychologically altering not only local and global society, but what it means to be human. In the midst of concerns around the biases of AI, datasets that create discrimination, as well as the ethical implications surrounding AI, Curv will, as we develop, make active choices to decolonise such mechanisms by putting a diverse range of creators and technicians at the forefront of any future builds or data-led decisions we make. Please also note that we very much intend, as soon as we have the means to do so, to build algorithms that purposefully work against human nature to ‘support our own’, which almost inevitably leads to the minority being left unheard. Instead, we will actively build a system that amplifies such voices. We’ll share more on what this will look like as we develop.
The world is experiencing an epistemic crisis, largely fuelled by social media. Our ability to rely on information has been damaged by the proliferation of disinformation (deliberate) and misinformation (accidental). For social media to win back the trust of its community, it must address these two problems and provide an environment that is trustworthy. This includes the identity of its users, as well as the information they provide.
The question to ask yourself — does this content contain ‘sound’ information, to the best of my knowledge?
Key definitions
What do we mean by sound? A post, profile or piece of communication that is free of deceit or unsubstantiated claims.
In effect, we will remove any content, or accounts, that, in our view, purposefully uses Curv as part of a Disinformation Campaign or as a corporate tool for ‘Content-Washing’. More on this below.
A note on Accountability
The Sagan Standard states ‘extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence’. Therefore, we encourage all our members to back up any stats, facts, or polarising statements by pro-actively sharing where you got your information from. Any content that could cause harm by failing to present the appropriate evidence/context/integral information required, may be removed.
A note on Organisations & Content-Washing
Content-Washing is the purposeful attempt by any form of organisation to use Curv as a means to share socially and/or environmentally friendly content that is not backed up by real-life, operational action.
We do not support brands that use one-off ranges/product lines to present a certain ‘people & planet friendly’ persona and will therefore always judge a brand or corporation by its overarching intentions and actions.
However, the direction of travel is important. We take the line that if a brand is showing a genuine desire to change its practices, across the entire company, we believe it is right to support their work, because without such organisations moving forward, the world cannot move forward.
If you see a brand purposefully Content-Washing, we encourage you to report them and/or their content, ready for review by our team. Please note that we are a small team and therefore ask for your patience as this process may take time, but please know we will do all we can to remove any form of Content-Washing as quickly as we are able.
A note on Impersonation
We do not support and will remove any profile that purposefully impersonates a person, community, brand, or corporation. Where appropriate and possible, details of the impersonator will be passed on to local authorities, alongside any evidence we can gather.
And whilst verification (to the levels we aspire too) will not be in place from day one — it is worth noting that once it is, this will enable a swift and where necessary, permanent removal of anyone misusing our platform for this reason.
If you suspect an account of impersonation, we encourage you to report that profile as soon as possible.
A note on Misinformation
Misinformation is a major threat to society. That is why, alongside further development of the Source Feature, we will soon look to develop a labelling functionality, alongside an algorithmic design that will prevent potentially misinformed content from reaching a mass audience. We are learning as we go on this one, so more to follow on the subject soon.
Movements are a shared space, centred around a passion and taking action. They are designed to encourage collaboration and participation, in a way unseen on any other social network. Updates to Movements will be released in phases, with more functionality to come into play over the coming weeks and months, so watch this space.
Movement Applications
You can apply to have a Movement on Curv via the Movements tab on your Profile. Movement applications will be considered with the following questions in mind:
a) Does this Movement align with our Principles?
b) Will this Movement bring value and/or originality to our community?
c) Is this a Movement that others can easily participate in?
We will endeavour to come back to every application as soon as we are able. Please keep in mind we are a very small team.
Creating a Movement
When you create a Movement, you will need to share the following —
You can also add external links if you wish.
All of the above will inform the Curv team on whether to bring your Movement live or not. If we have any questions, we’ll send you an email and you’ll receive a notification!
Content Challenges
Key to the entire Curv experience are Content Challenges. These Challenges can only be created by Movement Builders and are in place to encourage the entire Curv community to take and participate in your Movement. The best challenges will do the following:
Most Engaged
Most Engaged simply presents the most engaged individuals that have joined that Movement. And by engagement, we mean a) participated in the Movement’s Challenges b) tagged the Movement more broadly and/or c) reacted/responded to other members posts, within that Movement.
We are currently only showing a maximum of 10 people, but this may be levelled up to 30, soon enough.
Movement Grid
The Movement Grid celebrates all of those that are getting involved and participating in that Movement. How? Any post that is tagged to that Movement will be seen within this grid.
The Movement Builder does have the right to hide posts where they feel appropriate, pin posts at the top of the grid, and soon feature posts via Feature view (coming soon).
When you tag a Movement, you participate in something bigger than yourself. You join a community who stand for a passion or cause. Thanks to this (and our love for Movements), we encourage you to do just that, tag Movements, at every possible opportunity.
To tag a Movement, simple tap ‘Tag Movement’ on the caption screen, and select the appropriate Movement by tapping.
You can also participate in Content Challenges, set by the Movements, from this same screen. Simply tap the Movement and then tap the appropriate Content Challenge you would like to participate in. If a Movement does not have any live Content Challenges, then no options will appear.
Directly link your post to an Action by simply tapping Add Action and adding the appropriate URL. This URL enables you to go beyond an image/video, and instead easily convert your post into something more meaningful. Actions could include — read this article, listen to this podcast, watch this documentary, sign this petition, cook this recipe, and so much more…
Any links that, in themselves, break our Principles, will not be accepted.
Actions are different to Sources, in that they should be centred around Action, as opposed to presenting the source of your information.
Back-up your claims or share where you received your information from using the Source feature. Simply tap ‘Share Source’ on the Caption screen and add the appropriate URL, along with a name that best represents the link. If you do not, your content may be removed.
The community can request a source if they feel a source should be added.
Any links that, in themselves, break our Principles, will not be accepted.
It’s also worth noting that this feature is only in its infancy. We have plans to —
Themes help categorise your posts, Movements and Challenges, enabling others to find what they are looking for. More importantly though — they will be used to encourage collaboration, between Movements, in a way unseen on any other network. These Theme-focused Features will be released in phases over the coming weeks and months, so watch this space.
If you have any suggestions for new Themes on Curv, we would love to hear them! Tap ‘Share Feedback’ from the top menu on your Profile and share your ideas from there.
Reporting
You can report any post or profile, directly from the source in question. Simply press, ‘Report’.
When doing any form of reporting, we will ask that you pick a Category first, enabling us to manage the process as efficiently as possible. These Categories are different depending on the type of report you are sharing (post, profile or feedback). If no particular Category applies — simply choose ‘Other’.
To keep this platform as safe as possible, we need your help. So please do use this feature whenever you see one of our Principles broken, sharing as much detail as you can. We will respond and take action on such matters, as quickly as possible.
And whilst striving to create a safer, healthier platform for all is both possible and plausible, we know it won’t come without controversy. You may disagree with our actions. If you do, stick with us — we want to talk. You can appeal a report by emailing the team at hello@joincurv.com, using the subject line, ‘Appeal’. We will come back to you as quickly as we can.
Verification
Curv will, when we are able, proudly verify all our community members before they are allowed to post content. Why? We do not need another dangerous platform that fails to keep its users safe and allow misuse or even illegal activity to flourish.
Research from the University of Southern California & Indiana University has found that Twitter alone has over 48 million ‘fake’ accounts, whilst Statista report 27% of internet users have experienced ‘severe harassment’ online. Such statistics present how broken the current system is. Especially when removing an account does very little in preventing the worst actors simply starting a new profile and going again.
Curv must (and will) go further than any other network to protect its community. Verification will play an important role in that quest.
More on this to follow soon.
What Data Do We Take?
To understand this fully we recommend checking out our Privacy Policy here. Below are the highlights.
Curv securely stores the following data on you: your Full Name, Email Address and Mobile Number (including International Code).
This is what we need to set up your Profile. If you are willing, you can also share your Pronouns, Ethnicity and Disability Status as part of the onboarding process, which enables us to track how diverse our community and experience is. More on this below.
Alongside this, we will also track the following data, data we will only present outwardly in a quantitative manner (X% of the Curv community selected she/her as their pronouns for example).
Data points include-
These data points are used internally to help us learn what works most (and least) effectively on Curv. They will also play an integral role in our algorithm (and therefore, overall experience) in helping us boost the right posts and voices, out of nowhere, that are showing great potential to drive action, at scale. When we introduce our Alignment Model (see How Curv Will Make Money section), we will use some of these data points (in a quantitative manner only) to help potential sponsors make informed decisions.
Why Sharing Your Pronouns, Ethnicity & Disability Status Is Important
We must create a fair, ethical, and diverse experience for all. One that means wherever you come from or whatever you look like, you can be seen and heard on Curv. For us to do this effectively, we must first understand where we are and what is happening on the platform, which is where these key data points come in, including the simple tracking of international codes to help guide us on location.
Beyond giving us a far better understanding, they also enable us to maintain a fairer and more ethical algorithm, in that we will know if certain demographics are being lost and not heard, and in return, purposefully work against such challenges and actively promote such voices as we go, based on real, live data.
Will We Share Your Data?
We will not share qualitative, personal data with any third party or organisation, beyond technical suppliers that enable us to run the platform successfully, for which, even then, we are extremely stringent in what information we share.
Internally, there will be very few people with access to this information, whilst the majority of data analytics we do will focus on broader, holistic statistics (as opposed to personal information) such as number of active users, number of Actions taken, etc.
Once we bring in a revenue model, Organisations will be interested in obtaining your personal data to promote their own initiatives to their target audience. We will not comply on this level. Instead, we will only ever share the same, holistic details attached to Movements / Communities (not you personally). We will never be in the business of selling your personal data.
Today, the algorithm is simple — everyone on the platform sees the same thing, in order of when it was posted.
As we grow, this will change.
The Anti-Echo Chamber Effect
Our plans, once we hit thousands of posts landing per day, are centred around what we are calling the Anti Echo-Chamber effect.
Can we create a shared system in which your Discover Feed delivers not just the most engaging content, but also, the most inclusive? Can we deliver a pre-actively diverse and global feed, centred around Movements and Content Challenges that do an amazing job at encouraging participation?
Furthermore, can we focus attention on the content that is extremely good at speaking to people outside of their regular ‘interest bubble’? The posts that change opinions. The Movements that successfully bring people into their community who do not tend to spend their time in such circles? The Content Challenges that encourage participation from people all over the world?
By focusing our algorithm on the content that genuinely brings us together, we believe we can create a model far healthier and productive than any other platform.
We have not started this journey yet, but the foundations are in place. And we are excited to work with you throughout this process. Together, lets reimagine the role algorithms play in our day-to-day lives.
How do we enable fair & ethical representation?
We want to create a level playing field, where anyone has the opportunity to be heard, regardless of gender, skin colour, location and more.
To kickstart this complex and layered issue, we will first track, through the data points shared above, what is actually happening on the platform, naturally. Once we have a better understanding we will make informed decisions on how best to achieve our goals.
We are anticipating that the unconscious bias of you, our community, will have an impact. It is human nature to support people we (consciously or subconsciously) view as ‘like us’. If this leads to minority voices being lost in the algorithm, we will positively discriminate content by boosting particular minority groups (of all types) that the data is telling us are not being received as well as they should/could be.
This is important because, for us, Curv must a platform that actively introduces you to a broad range of themes, from a wealth of different voices and perspectives, but all the while, presenting engaging content with real potential to drive action, at scale.
Achieving this we hope will enable you, our community, to see the world (both online and in life) more holistically and inclusively.
Our Purpose x Profit Commitment
Nearly every major social media platform relies almost solely on advertising to generate income. This has led to the rise of social feed addiction and late night scrolling, thanks to experiences that are designed to hook you in, so you can watch more ads.
Alongside this, the content creators are often not rewarded anywhere near enough for this exercise and therefore must turn to paid partnerships themselves, thus creating an even stronger consumerist culture. This scenario also focuses the influencers mind on chasing likes and chasing followers, in that the more you have of each, the more potential income you can make. A cycle that can perpetuate into low self-esteem, controversy for the sake of controversy, and a narcissistic outlook on what these platforms are actually for.
The point — if you get the revenue model wrong. You get the entire vision wrong.
We have to do better. Furthermore, we have to right some of their wrongs. Our goal is to create a revenue model that genuinely combines purpose with profit, in that the more money we make, the better the outcome is for society and the planet. The two must co-exist.
And whilst for some this may sound fantastical. For us, it is and must be possible.
No Ads on your Feed, EVER
Brand exposure takes place on the Explore and Movement screens, not on the feed, which is a subtle, but important distinction. Why? If brands lived in the social feed, we would be financially rewarded by you becoming addicted to your feeds. But when brands are presented via Explore, or via Movements (see details below), we are financially rewarded by your engagement, and levels of interest in finding and participating in principled Movements and communities. This is productive. Scrolling endlessly, is not.
Curv Coins
Curv Coins will be a subscription feature that’ll enable you to financially support the Movements and Content Creators you love. From £1 to £1k per month, you’ll get to select who you support, and how much you give, as you go, thus creating a centralised, giving experience that connects you to the grassroots Movements worthy of your support.
The result? You can financially back initiatives you connect with in a manner that feels manageable and accessible; whilst the Creator and/or Movement Builder is motivated to keep going and is rewarded for the work they are doing.
99% of proceeds will go directly to the community, whilst Curv will take a 1% commission + any administrative costs associated to managing the varying exchange-rate scenarios.
The Amplification Model
In coming weeks or months, the Explore Page will include an Amplification model, for which we will feature a diverse range of Movements and Content Challenges. Some of these features will include paid-for slots.
It’s worth noting that because no Movement goes live without going through a check-in process first, we can state with some certainty that every paid-for amplification will align with the Principles of Curv, and therefore, you, our community.
Furthermore, if Curv can become a global influence on society (like Twitter or TikTok has become), this ethics-first model could genuinely shift the way businesses think about doing business. Just imagine, if tomorrow Tik Tok decided to only allow brands on their platform that hit a certain ethical standing — it would create seismic waves across the entire business world.
The Alignment Model
In the coming months we will introduce an Alignment Model that enables Movement Builders to generate revenue directly through Sponsors that match their values. In return for their financial support, these Sponsors will be given space on the Movement page to present their brand.
Alignment is the important word here. Our goal is to create a scenario in which Brands can connect with their primary audience whilst Movement Builders can be financially supported by organisations that align with them and the values of their community.
No organisation will be allowed to sponsor a Movement on Curv if they do not align with our Principles. And all Movement Builders have the right to say yes or no to a potential sponsor.
This model will also come with a revenue split in place (45% going toward the running of Curv, 45% to the Movement Builder & 10% to an appropriate Charitable Partner), thus creating a win-win-win-win scenario:
The Sponsor wins because they can financially support a Movement they believe in, whilst simultaneously reaching their primary audience with click-through capability.
The Movement Builder wins because they can be financially supported by an organisation that matches both theirs and Curv’s ethical standards.
Curv’s stakeholders win because they/we are financially rewarded for enabling the whole scenario to take place.
And our selected Charitable Partners, from around the world win thanks to the consistent financial backing they will receive via the platform.
