# Intro

### Why Junto Exists

Today's social media platforms have produced alarming rates of addiction, mental health issues, and privacy concerns. Their harmful design patterns and monopoly over our data have contributed to a digital culture that promotes superficial and competitive social dynamics, enables echo chambers and misinformation, and manipulates our behavior by aggregating our data at scale and targeting the vulnerabilities of our psychology. 

### The Evolution of Social Media

The evolution of social media begins with redesigning the fundamentals. New product features are great, but not when they are designed from the existing intentions of maximizing virality and attention.

The following is our holistic solution to ignite a shift in our digital culture to be more authentic, privacy-focused, and interpersonal.

#### **Human-centered Design**

The forms we communicate through are as important as the messages themselves. We've designed new patterns to shape a digital culture that inspires authenticity and connection. No ads or AI-powered echo chambers.

#### **Distributed Technology**

Junto will be powered by a scalable, distributed technology called Holochain. This means we don't store your information in centralized servers run or owned by us. You own your data and we won't sell it to third parties. Our initial release will be centralized, but open source.

#### **Not for Profit**

Junto is a nonprofit organization registered in New York. It exists independently of any shareholders or special interests. This movement belongs to all of us and none of us.

## Writings

* [**The Medium is the Message**](https://medium.com/juntolove/the-medium-is-the-message-644837313afb)**,** Eric Yang
* [**JUNTO - Rebalancing Our Relationship with Technology**](https://medium.com/juntolove/junto-rebalancing-our-relationship-with-technology-52c1213fe60a)**,** Eric Yang
* [**How Junto is better than chicken soup**](https://medium.com/juntolove/how-junto-is-better-than-chicken-soup-a59164819917)**,** Yaz Owainati
* [**You're an individual, not a statistic**](https://medium.com/juntolove/how-junto-is-better-than-chicken-soup-a59164819917)**,** Eric Yang

## Find us on...

* [**Github**](https://github.com/juntofoundation)
* Slack
* [**Substack**](https://junto.substack.com/)
* [**Twitter**](https://twitter.com/juntofoundation)
* [**Telegram**](https://t.me/juntofoundation)

## **Join us on Junto**!

* [**Download Junto for iOS**](https://testflight.apple.com/join/LT9d0ob1%E2%80%8B)
* [**Download Junto for Android**](https://play.google.com/apps/testing/com.junto.juntobetamobile)