What We Learned from You: Making the Digital World a Better Place.
Here's a sneak peek into some of our UX research and what we learned!
The bright minds behind TAO Social initially connected on one similar concept: An ethical, user-first social media platform that puts everyone, especially creators, on the center stage. A platform that puts the power back in the hands of everyday people, ensuring it cannot be sold off to a billionaire or corporation.
We want to make sure our platform is as valuable to you as it is meaningful to us, so we conducted an in-depth research study with ten amazing participants. Their insights are worth their weight in gold, and we want to share those treasures with you through total transparency.
The sole focus of these interviews was to help us gain a deeper understanding of exactly what users do and do not like about other social media platforms so we can build a platform to fit the standards of those who it belongs to: You.
We asked the participants to explain their favorite features, their frustrations, and what they wish other platforms did differently. Below is a summary of what we found and how we plan to use it to shape TAO.
What Users Want from Social Media
Data Control: Privacy is a top concern, and users desire active control over when and how their own information is used.
Creator Support: Users are concerned that big tech companies are prioritizing their own financial gain over that of the creators that make their platforms desirable.
Smart Discovery: While everyone loves a good deep dive down the rabbit hole, people also want to have control over their algorithm.
Engaging Conversations: Features such as TikTok’s “stitch” seem to be favorable as they act as a way to keep conversations going, allowing people to feel more connected.
User-Friendly: Many of the participants expressed that technology and social media alike should be working for the user, not against them.
The Barriers to Posting
Fear of Judgement: Many users seem to feel overwhelmed by the process of creating content and building a brand for themselves.
Editing Tools: TikTok’s editing features were said to be too limited, making it difficult for creators to produce polished, quality content.
Tip Culture: Users enjoy supporting their favorite creators. However, they’d prefer more dynamic ways to do so apart from tipping.
Features We’re Exploring
Hubs: Small, creator-driven spaces where communities can be built by like-minded users from all corners of the world. Think Facebook Groups, without having to use Facebook. Something our participants seemed to show a collective interest in is micro-courses, a feature that allows users to learn and grow together. Hubs can also be used as a base for hosting live events and engaging in meaningful, endless conversations among peers.
Local Hubs: A dedicated space for local content such as local events, businesses, and creators.
Algorithm Control: Users seemed excited about the idea of temporary algorithm changes, which would give people the ability to switch content categories manually when they need a break from heavier topics. Another algorithmic feature that seems popular is inverse algorithms, which would allow people the ability to see content opposite to their usual preferences as a way to break out of echo chambers.
Creator Support: We want to create a better process for supporting creators. Since TAO is not beholden to shareholders, creators will receive a larger percentage of revenue generated, and we’re exploring a variety of ways to monetize. As always, we welcome your ideas on Reddit.
Video Editing: Users seem to enjoy tools such as CapCut because they’re easy to navigate and produce high-quality content. We are researching ways to match or enhance these capabilities. An idea we’ve come across is AI-powered features that assist with editing content without replacing creative control.
Get to Know our Participants
Of the ten participants, two were open to sharing their bios and photos with us so you can learn a bit about them!
Dettee Duveaux: A content creator and performer known as The Abstract Witch.
TikTok: @theabstractwitch - @Wanderinglanternproductions
YouTube: @theabstractwitch
Mastodon: @theabstractwitch
Facebook: @Wanderinglanternproductions
https://beacons.ai/theabstractwitch
Dettee Duveaux is a content creator, spiritual educator, and performer who is passionate about empowering people to claim their own path—whether in spirituality, creativity, or the fight for systemic change. As The Abstract Witch, they blend witchcraft, a hobbyist's understanding of quantum physics, and cultural awareness to help others craft intentional, ethical spiritual practices. Their work isn’t just about magic—it’s about understanding power, autonomy, and the forces that shape our world.
With a background in theater and social work, Dettee has spent years examining the ways systemic control influences access to knowledge and resources. They are deeply invested in empowering people to share and equip themselves with education in an effort to disrupt the current financial and governmental influence over social media and information sharing. Their work in education, content creation, and performance has given them a unique perspective on the intersections of media, culture, and accessibility.
Beyond their spiritual work, Dettee is a stage actor, burlesque performer, and a proud member of Wandering Lantern Productions, where they help bring nostalgia-driven, immersive theater to life—most often at the historic Redford Theatre in Detroit, Michigan. Burlesque, in particular, has been a source of empowerment and self-expression, providing a deeper understanding of the systemic attempts to control art, the body, and free expression. Through performance, education, and digital media, their work remains rooted in storytelling, connection, and challenging the status quo.
McKenzie Shelton: Owner of Embody Media & Design/ Professional Photographer
LinkedIn: Https://WWW.linkedin.com/McKenzieSheltonMedia/
McKenzie Shelton (she/they) is an interdisciplinary artist and community organizer exploring the nuances of human connection. Anchored in relational aesthetics, her practice treats conversations, gatherings, and moments of focused attention as creative mediums. Through photography, events, and AI-supported journaling, McKenzie facilitates experiences that deepen presence and play, untangling what it is to be intra- and interpersonal. Lately, she's been asking herself whether a work has to be publicly showcased for it to be "art." Can art be strictly personal, held quietly and secretly to yourself; a letter you wrote but never sent, a dish you chipped but you like it better that way? Or does something simply need to be noticed to be art? If you read this bio, did it, in the act of the reading, become art? If reading it prompts you to think about what constitutes and coincides with art, are you having an artistic experience?
Anyway! :) In her professional consultancy role at Embody Media + Design, McKenzie assists small businesses in realizing their social missions and financial objectives by weaving compelling visual storytelling, fine-tuning marketing strategy, and managing impactful events. McKenzie is proud of being named Durham's Best Photographer in 2024 by Durham Magazine, and excited to be supporting TAO Social as it grows into its own very cool social/tech/creative/community-building experiments!
To Sum Up
With your support, we’re building TAO with transparency and user input at the core. Our research concludes that people want a platform that is privacy, creator, and user-control friendly. This is only the beginning.
As TAO develops, we’ll continue to put our community’s needs first and share our progress every step of the way. We’d love to hear your thoughts. Which potential new feature is most exciting to you? What else would you like to see on the platform?
Let’s build this thing, Together As One.