Hedgehog: The Social Media App That Aims to Fix the Divisive Discourse

Tech entrepreneur John Matze, the co-founder of Parler, has launched Hedgehog, a new social media app that aims to combat the divisive discourse prevalent on other platforms. Hedgehog focuses on fostering a community of engaged and respectful users who value thoughtful conversations and productive discourse.

On the heels of his experience with Parler, tech entrepreneur John Matze embarked on a mission to revolutionize the social media landscape with his newly launched app, Hedgehog. Driven by the desire to address the divisive rhetoric that permeates many platforms, Matze envisioned Hedgehog as a sanctuary for respectful and engaging conversations.

"Hedgehog is a community we built for everyday Americans to get the biggest news of the day and have quality discussion about it," Matze told Fox News Digital. "We focus on a quality experience for people, and I think that quality experience that you get on Hedgehog, and just how different it is from other social media platforms, that's really the key to sustainable growth and really the core of our model — productive conversations and discourse, something you don't get anywhere else."

Central to Hedgehog's philosophy is the empowerment of its community. Users earn respect through thoughtful contributions, gaining influence and the ability to moderate content. This bottom-up approach ensures that the community's values shape the platform's culture.

"On Hedgehog, the community's really in charge of everything," Matze said. "When you're on Hedgehog, respectful conversation earns respect. And you can use that respect to determine, you know, what's OK on the site, you can invite friends, family, and the more respect you earn, the more prominence you have."

To maintain a positive environment, Hedgehog has implemented a multi-layered defense system. A team of human moderators, guided by clear guidelines, reviews potentially problematic content. Artificial intelligence algorithms further enhance this screening process, flagging posts for closer inspection.

"If it does pass those two, then it goes out to the public," Matze explained. "If the public has an issue with a piece of content, then they can go ahead and flag it and the community can remove any piece of content they would like using the respect score, in addition to that first layer of defense," he continued. "The final layer is, the person who created the post gets to determine what the conversation underneath it is like. And so, they can also have a say there. So, there's lots of safeguards."

Hedgehog's commitment to elevating the voices of everyday users sets it apart from other social media giants, which Matze believes have concentrated power in the hands of a select few.

"A lot of these companies are all centrally very powerful," Matze said. "So, what I mean is one or two small decision makers make all of these big decisions themselves for the platform. It affects millions of people," he continued. "And it's having, in my opinion, a negative effect on society."

Matze's personal experiences with Parler played a pivotal role in shaping Hedgehog's design and principles. Determined to avoid the pitfalls that plagued his previous endeavor, he emphasized the importance of prioritizing respect and community empowerment.

"After the headache of his last venture, Matze took a step back and carefully thought through his next endeavor," the article notes. "This is how we came up with Hedgehog," he said. "You have, of course, a place where the community is in charge and where everyday people are on display, not just these prominent, you know, influencer types," he said.

In line with this philosophy, Hedgehog has adopted a hybrid approach, offering a diverse range of news sources from Fox News and CNN to ESPN, catering to the interests of a wide spectrum of users.

"The platform aims to keep out trolls, scammers and bad actors, while high-ranking users have more power than unproven newbies. Hedgehog’s website notes that everyone is welcome on the site "except jerks," and explains the community can kick those people out," the article states.

Hedgehog's mission has garnered support from Fox Corp., the parent company of Fox News Media, which has become an investor in the platform.

As Hedgehog continues to grow, Matze remains optimistic about its potential to transform the social media landscape. By empowering the community, safeguarding against abuse, and prioritizing respectful discourse, Hedgehog aims to create a more positive and productive online environment for all.