Cozy web
The cozy web is the name for the areas of the social internet that are gated in some way. You might need an invitation link or even a full-blown application to visit. These spaces allow you to interact with others in a way that offers respite from the darker sides of the “wider public”, whether that’s ad trackers, trolls, bots, or people who know you in real life. It was originally coined by Venkatesh Rao.
Examples
- Slack communities
- Discord servers
- Whatsapp groups
Non-examples
Further reading
That second link includes the following illustration drawn by Maggie Appleton:
Pages that link here
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