Connector

Found it! is an occasional blog series by ArtsPond Founder, Jessa Agilo. In this article, Jessa reflects on their dissatisfaction with established social media networks and what to do next. 

Social (dis)connection

Are you feeling dissatisfied with the lack of care in established social media networks? You are not alone. Many of us are questioning whether these platforms truly serve our needs, particularly as policies shift in troubling directions. Let’s start a conversation about how we can stay connected as things change.

Take a moment to fill out this brief connector and let us know what resonates with you. Your voice matters. From online gatherings to alternative platforms, we want to hear your ideas for staying connected and deepening our understanding of one another.

Why I am leaving Meta

I have made the personal decision to leave Meta in February 2025. This isn’t a decision I have made lightly. Recent developments have made it impossible for me to stomach staying. Meta’s new policies no longer protect vulnerable groups from harmful and hateful content. According to Wired, CNN, The Guardian, CBC, BBC, and other sources, it’s now permissible on Meta platforms to refer to “women as household objects or property” or to label “transgender or non-binary people as ‘it.’”

Even more alarming, their policy revisions allow for “allegations of mental illness or abnormality” based on gender or sexual orientation. The justification? Meta no longer considers protected groups a policy priority. This change opens the door for public figures to further marginalize communities already facing hate and discrimination. In an era where harmful rhetoric dominates public discourse, Meta’s new approach feels like a betrayal of basic humanity.

Exploring new paths

This isn’t just about policies—it’s about how these platforms feel. For a long time, Meta hasn’t been a space of connection for me. My feed is littered with ads and promoted posts, with barely a trace of the voices of friends or colleagues. It’s a desert of engagement.

Like many of you, I have started experimenting with other platforms. Discord offers a more intimate, community-driven space. BlueSky feels fresh and promising. I have even begun tinkering with the idea of developing “Flow,” a social network tailored for arts and culture using WordPress plugins like PeepSo. These are places where I hope we can deepen our understanding of one another, create safe spaces, and reimagine what connection can look like.

Why stay?

For ArtsPond, this transition isn’t simple. With more than ten thousand followers on Meta platforms, we need to think carefully about how we move forward. As the founder of ArtsPond, I will need to keep my personal profile open on Meta while the board makes a decision about whether to stay or go. But personally, I’m done supporting it.

We want to hear from you. How can we create a new way of staying in touch? What options feel meaningful to you? Together, we can build something better.

Where to next?