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New Social Media App from Twitter Co-Founder Promises to Revolutionize Face-to-Face Connections

New Social Media App from Twitter Co-Founder Promises to Revolutionize Face-to-Face Connections
New Social Media App from Twitter Co-Founder Promises to Revolutionize Face-to-Face Connections

In an era where social media often keeps us glued to screens, Evan “Ev” Williams, co-founder of Twitter, is steering the digital world in a refreshing direction. His latest venture, Mozi, is a social media app designed to encourage genuine, face-to-face interactions. Set to debut at this year’s South by Southwest (SXSW) conference in Austin, Mozi aims to redefine our online social habits by prioritizing real-world connections over virtual engagement.​

A Shift from Virtual to Reality

Williams, known for his role in creating platforms like Blogger, Twitter, and Medium, has observed a shift in social media’s purpose. He noted that traditional social apps have morphed into media and entertainment hubs, rather than facilitating true social interactions.

Mozi is his answer to this evolution—a private network devoid of public profiles and follower counts, focusing instead on fostering in-person meet-ups. ​

Features Designed for Real Connections

Mozi offers features tailored to bridge the gap between online planning and offline interactions. The app alerts users when their contacts are in the same city and displays which acquaintances are attending nearby events. Its “Local Plans” feature allows users to share their event attendance, enabling friends to join in spontaneously.

This design encourages users to step away from their screens and engage with their social circles in person. ​

Personal Inspiration Behind Mozi

The inspiration for Mozi stemmed from Williams’ personal experiences. While planning his 50th birthday party, he realized his social connections weren’t as robust as he desired. This led him to envision a platform that prioritizes meaningful relationships over digital metrics.

Williams believes that true social interactions are best nurtured privately, contrasting with the performative nature of public social media engagements. ​

You can read more about Williams’ inspiration by reading his Medium post announcing the launch of Mozi (click here).

Building a Team and Securing Funding

To bring Mozi to life, Williams collaborated with Molly DeWolf Swenson, who now serves as the CEO. Their partnership began after a chance meeting at a holiday party in San Francisco in late 2022.

Together, they’ve assembled a team of about 12 employees and secured $6 million in venture funding. Notable investors include Williams’ fund Obvious Ventures, Path co-founder Dave Morin, Foursquare co-founder Dennis Crowley, and Alex Hofmann, co-founder of Musical.ly (now TikTok). ​

Challenging the Status Quo

Mozi enters a market dominated by platforms that thrive on engagement metrics like likes and follower counts. By eliminating these features, Mozi challenges the current social media landscape, emphasizing quality interactions over quantity. This approach certainly aligns with growing concerns about digital wellness and the impact of screen time on mental health, particularly for young people.

Looking Ahead

As Mozi prepares for its official launch at SXSW this year, the app represents a potential shift in how we perceive and use social media. By encouraging users to focus on real-world connections, Mozi offers an alternative to the endless scroll and superficial interactions that characterize many existing platforms.

Whether it will revolutionize face-to-face connections remains to be seen, but it has definitely started a conversation about the future of social networks.

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