The internet is broken, and BuzzFeed wants to fix it.

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BuzzFeed announced today (yes, the same BuzzFeed that made its name online over a decade ago with its popular listicles and quizzes) that it's tired of the current state of social media, so it's creating a new platform "built specifically to spread joy and enable playful creative expression."

'Social media is overun by SNARF'

The goal, BuzzFeed explains, is to focus on creativity and value, and to let creators make authentic content around their interests that stands on its own, instead of making content purely for clicks or to fit within an algorithm.

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In a 3,000 word manifesto posted this week, BuzzFeed Founder and CEO Jonah Peretti details everything wrong with the internet today. In short, social media is overrun by what he calls SNARF, or content designed specifically to be addicting and to please algorithms. That acronym represents different ways creators manipulate algorithms, like exaggerated Stakes, manufactured Novelty, manipulative Anger, retention hacking by holding a payoff to the end, or simple Fear.

The best of the internet

The new BuzzFeed platform will provide human curation of "the best of the internet." You'll be able to follow the biggest trends, find hidden gems, and be in the loop, the company says, without wasting your time and damaging your mental health with doom scrolling. Instead of anger- and fear-driven content, you'll see the funnier and more ridiculous side of culture -- and you'll actually see content from creators you follow, instead of trusting an algorithm.

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Aside from content by individuals, the platform will showcase content from other platforms under the BuzzFeed umbrella -news from HuffPost, food entertainment from Tasty, and long-form and premium content by BuzzFeed Studios. It's not clear if this new platform will be photo-based, linking to outside content, photo content like Instagram, short-form video like TikTok, or a hybrid.

How to join BuzzFeed Island

Details are sparse right now, but the new platform appears to be named Island, or perhaps BFIsland, based on the URL. There's a signup link signup link if you want early access.

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