Tech Veterans Try to Build a Kinder, More Thoughtful Facebook
- Telepath is trying to avoid disinformation, hate speech
- Other new social networks have failed to gain broad traction
One of the most important investments Marc Bodnick’s old venture capital firm, Elevation Partners, ever made was putting $210 million into Facebook Inc. before the company went public. More than a decade later, Bodnick is trying to build a new social network without the flaws that Facebook and other platforms have come to embody.
The former venture capitalist and technology executive -- whose sister-in-law is Facebook Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg -- on Thursday formally unveiled Telepath, an interest-based service intended to foster online conversations. The network, which will be invitation-only to start, is trying to instill strict content standards from the get-go, including a rule against disinformation and hate speech. People have to use their real identity, and provide a valid phone number to sign up. “Be Kind” is the site’s first rule.