The hacking collective, Anonymous, has made a call to its followers to support a new social network called Minds.
Minds describes itself as "the world's first free and open source social network app". The social network also boasts end-to-end message encryption and a point system that rewards users with reach.
Anonymous stated in a Facebook post: "Anonymous is initiating a global call to hackers, designers and creators to unite! Let us collaborate to build Minds.com and other open source, encrypted networks to co-create a top site of all the people, for the people and by the people."
The group previously accused Facebook of selling user information to government agencies and information security firms. It threatened to "kill Facebook" in 2011. However, four years later, the group still has a presence on the social network, in the form of a Facebook group, "Anonymous ART of Revolution", with more than a million followers.
Minds.com launched its Android and iOS apps yesterday and there have been more than 500 downloads of the Android version. Minds.com CEO Bill Ottman said in an interview with CNET that prior to launch, there were already 30 000 users on the Web site.
The registration process is simple and once signed up, the Web-based profile page looks and feels like a combination of one of the first versions of the 'Facebook Wall' circa 2008 and the WordPress dashboard.
The social network states on its Facebook page one of the reasons it was developed was a reaction to Facebook changing its newsfeeds algorithm to favour paid-for content. On Minds, users are rewarded with points for using the network, which can then be redeemed for post reach.
"For every mobile vote, comment, remind, swipe and comment, users earn points which can be exchanged for views on posts," states the site. There is also the option to purchase these points and the feature is similar to Facebook's paid-for "Boost" option on posts.
"The strategy is this. Give the people access to an audience as well as the very source code powering the app and you have an unprecedented ecosystem empowering users rather than abusing them," states Minds on its official blog page.
The apps are all in beta, and users are encouraged to give feedback on their experience.
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