• by Ray Schultz , February 11, 2025

BuzzFeed has announced a new social media platform designed to bring “creativity and connection, not addiction,” to the internet, says Jonah Peretti, the company's founder and CEO.

The new offering, details of which have not yet been fully revealed, will combine interactive storytelling, new content formats and AI tools, BuzzFeed says.

“For years, major social platforms have abandoned their responsibility to content and culture, instead handing over control to deep learning algorithms that optimize for one thing: engagement at all costs,” Peretti adds. “The result is a digital world dominated by what I call SNARF - content that thrives on Stakes, Novelty, Anger, Retention and Fear.”

Early testers will influence the new channel, which is intended as an alternative to algorithm-driven doomscrolling, BuzzFeed says. 

Peretti continues, “It’s time to bring back the internet we love, where everyone can find their people and unleash their creativity.”