HyperTexting: A Social Feed for the Modern Web
In an era where social media feeds are dominated by algorithms and endless scrolling, a new app called HyperTexting is offering a refreshing alternative. It's like having a personalized social feed, but without the ads, algorithms, or AI slop. The app, built by Caleb Hailey, a 20-year tech industry veteran, aims to return the modern web to something closer to its original form, free from the influence of social giants.
HyperTexting allows users to follow any feed they can find online, from news outlets to independent journalists and content creators, as long as it has an RSS feed available. The content is then put into your feed and shown on a reverse-chronological timeline, with the newest content appearing first. This means you can scroll down to see what happened earlier in the day, without the endless distractions of social media.
One of the key features of HyperTexting is its ability to show content from specific outlets you follow, like a social media profile page. But it also has an 'Explore' tab, which shows you what content is trending, similar to Nuzzel, a social curation app that was killed by Twitter. This allows you to discover new content outside of your own feeds, without the need for algorithms to dictate what you see.
HyperTexting is essentially a new wrapper for RSS, a method of keeping up with your favorite parts of the web that has largely died out since the rise of social media. But RSS feeds are great, simple, easy to manage and customize, and largely free of the bullshit that clutters the modern web. If it takes putting that into something that resembles a social feed to get people to engage, so be it.
In my opinion, HyperTexting is a refreshing take on the social feed concept. It's a great alternative to the endless scrolling and algorithm-driven content that dominates social media. Personally, I think it's a step in the right direction for the modern web, offering a more personalized and engaging experience without the distractions and bullshit. What makes this particularly fascinating is the way it combines the simplicity of RSS feeds with the social feed concept, creating a unique and refreshing experience. From my perspective, it's a great example of how technology can be used to enhance our online experiences, rather than control them.
