2026-07-09 –, Open Social Space
Diverse communities deserve better than Big Tech and they know it. So, why is it so hard for them to join the Social Web ‘alternative’ and what is the Newsmast Foundation doing to reduce the friction? Join an interactive session on how we can turn black holes into Day-Glo symphonies. Content warning: strong language and dark matter.
The Newsmast Foundation is onboarding new communities to the Social Web through their Apps for Change programme, helping charities, non-profits, news publishers, and campaign groups reconnect on their own social apps. Based on this work, the Foundation was Grand Prize winner at the inaugural Open Social Awards in Amsterdam.
Taking real-world learning, this session will explore the barriers to the Social Web flagged by so many of these communities and explain how the Newsmast Foundation’s approach reduces friction and packages the Social Web as a desirable location. It will draw on real examples from the Newsmast Foundation partners, including UK news publishers, Brazilian memory institutions, multi-national African education and scientific charities, and more.
The Newsmast Foundation joined the Social Web in 2023 with a mission to encourage knowledge sharing and community building on social media. Their young, diverse, and non-techie team brought new perspectives to the many issues still faced by the Social Web. Join Michael Foster, Director, to learn how that different perspective allowed the Newsmast Foundation the opportunity to avoid common pitfalls, make connections and start conversations with organisations all over the world.
A pioneer of early stage digital media and interactive messaging, Michael is co-founder of the Newsmast Foundation, working to strengthen and grow communities in digital spaces built for them, connected across the open social web.