In the wake of Elon Musk's Twitter takeover, hundreds of thousands of people are signing up for Mastadon, an alternative that's billionaire-free. As people become tired of legacy social media platforms, they're prioritising community-operated spaces that allow for co-creation and moderation.

Gas is a social media platform beloved by US high schoolers that encourages them to say nice things about each other. Young people are increasingly disillusioned by legacy social media and are turning to alternatives that allow for more candid interaction and legitimate connections.

Social media platform Geneva has become popular among Gen Zers who wish to connect privately and directly with other users who share similar interests. As people reject performative social feeds in favor of authentic online interactions, how are community-oriented apps keeping users engaged?

Political polarization in the US is fueling heated debates and widespread outrage around censorship – whether that's in the form of deplatforming or book bans. But who is being most deeply impacted by such restrictions? And what can brands do to navigate tensions around free speech and self-expression?