If you spend enough time on social media, you know the platforms have highs – and lows.
The highs? Staying in touch with family and friends; building communities with like-minded people; speedy communication.
The lows? Cyberbullying; anxiety; addictive scrolling.
Now, Fort Lauderdale-based Sparkseeker is betting it can build a social media alternative that has all of the highs – and none of the lows – of platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok.
"We’re on a mission to connect people through the world’s first healthy social network," said founder and CEO Kalista Zackhariyas.
Sparkseeker, currently in beta testing, is a video-centric model free of likes and follows, features that are proven to contribute to cyberbullying. Instead, users – who the company calls "seekers" – can respond to content by posting "thank you" or a video reply. The platform's video model is intended to remove anonymity, another factor that can lead to online bullying.
"Study after study shows that chasing likes, follows and an unattainable lifestyle leads to increased depression and anxiety, and can cause extensive emotional damage," Zackhariyas said. "We wanted to eliminate this comparison-driven culture on Sparkseeker."
Instead of follows, Sparkseeker brings "seekers" together via conversation starter sessions called "Initiatives"; live video discussions known as "Campfires"; and "Actions," challenges that inspire seekers to create meaningful change in the real word.
Sparkseeker is also free of in-stream ads and other invasive practices that can stimulate addictive behavior, Zackhariyas said. To make that possible, it will charge a subscription fee of $3.99 per month. A portion of the revenue will go toward social impact solutions chosen by "seekers."
It looks like Sparkseeker's mission is resonating with internet users: The startup recently raised $12,000 less than a week after kicking off a crowdfunding campaign on IndieGogo, contributions that will help it launch worldwide this fall.
Zackhariyas said the crowdfunding campaign is helping Sparkseeker build a community of early adopters.
"To date, Sparkseeker is intentionally founder-funded," she said. "Now that we have a fully built product ready to launch in app stores and a proven need, we can confidently seek investors who align with our vision of people, planet and profit."
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