Facebook news ban fallout: Best alternative social networks to replace Facebook

More Aussie social media users are testing Facebook alternatives after the company banned news. This is where they’ve gone.

Facebook might have backtracked on its Australian news ban but experts say the user exodus has already begun.

Social media analysts say “anti-Facebook sentiment” is at an all-time high after the company’s bold move to ban hundreds of pages from its platform in Australia, and alternatives such as Australian made network LITT, hyperlocal network Nextdoor, and privacy-focused MeWe are signing up disaffected Facebook users.

The US tech giant banned all news from being shared or seen on its platform in Australia for eight days to protest news laws.

Anti-Facebook sentiment is high following its Australian news ban. Pictured founder Mark Zuckerberg. Picture: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images

But social media strategist Meg Coffey said the ban appeared to have backfired on the company, and would make users rethink how much time and effort they put into the platform, and smaller firms reconsider their Facebook investments.

“I think Facebook underestimated the Australian public and they will be looking for alternatives,” she said.

“The anti-Facebook sentiment has been growing over the years. It’s not that we’re spending less time on social media, we’re just not on Facebook.”

Those alternatives include the ad-free MeWe, whose founder Mark Weinstein told News Corp he expected a wave of new Aussie sign-ups following Facebook’s ban.

“We know there’s a group of 250,000 rugby players already using the app, and we see four or five per cent of our members coming from Australia,” he said.

Another Facebook substitute is LITT, an Australian start-up that launched last year and promises to reward members with credits for watching ads and offer more reporting tools.

Co-founder Peter Salom said the company had seen a spike in interest over the past week and “our numbers represent a surge in people looking for an alternative”.

MeWe is an alternative to Facebook – and promises no ads.

5 BEST ALTERNATIVES TO FACEBOOK

1. Nextdoor: This “hyperlocal” app only shows content from those living near you, has grown a sizeable audience since launching here in 2018, and could replace local Facebook groups.

2. MeWe: A genuine Facebook alternative, this app stands out by promising no ads, no algorithm to serve content, and greater privacy. It is funded by members who take out optional $7.99/m premium subscriptions.

3. Clubhouse: This audio-based iPhone app has been described as the social network for people who don’t want to read. Users find their friends, name their interests and can then join virtual rooms to listen or participate in discussions.

4. LITT: This unique, Australian made app is a social network where users can share photos and videos, but can also earn credits from the ads they watch to spend in local businesses.

5. Vero: This Facebook alternative feels a little like Instagram, offerings users the chance to share and like photos, music and articles. Messages and voice calls are also available and the platform boasts more than five million users.

Originally published as Facebook news ban fallout: Best alternative social networks to replace Facebook