The alternative networking site to Facebook: WeeShare! – The World’s Social Network.

A new social website has sub-merged, though it isn’t exactly “new.” We’re sure you’ve heard of the site “Ello” that recently appeared, and the rise and fall of Diaspora*, and now a new social network (a social discovery network to be exact) has merged claiming to be the alternative to Facebook: WeeShare!

WeeShare! is a website started by Jake Brunton all the way back in 2011; hence it not being so “new.” It started out as a mobile chat site, and then eventually adapted to be a desktop social network around the end of 2011/beginning of 2012.

WeeShare’s mission since 2012 of June was to be the world’s safe, fast, and open-source alternative to Facebook. It stands true to it’s open-source ways, being powered on the Open Source software “Oxwall” and with many functions/designs contributed by users and everyday people.

WeeShare’s owner and his colleague Mateo Celis continued the project without ever shedding more than a couple dollars on it; none of which went to advertising. The site made it to 800+ members by April 2014, right before it was removed by the host it was on due to a late bill.

Jake took the project on again and it was live as an [alpha] project in mid-July, now being live and online as a beta project for anyone to contribute to since mid-September of this year.

The goal of WeeShare! is to be the people of the world’s alternative to Facebook; to protect their info, data, and privacy while letting them connect with the people they know with similar tools to that of Facebook’s. Such features include non-filtered Newsfeed, instant chat, a sleek mobile website, photos, etc. Users are free to do this all while knowing they’re safe and their data/info and swapped messages and content are safe and are NOT used for marketing purposes, or used at all even except for making the website better.

WeeShare! stands by its claims over Ello, and other networks aimed at being Facebook alternatives by being a project: not owned by any company or business. WeeShare! is simply a project of the creator, and that’s that. Anyone can contribute code, designs, donations, suggestions, and more via the right resources like the About Website or the Developers Site (not live yet).

The project also has a list of Contributors that have made some more outstanding changes to the website. WeeShare! doesn’t seem to have any “invite only” registration, and users are free to customize their profile’s info and content at will. The entire site uses CSS and Javascript compressions to make sure it’s fast for almost all connections, and if a user can’t access via the desktop site; they can always use the mobile site that lacks some features but let’s user instant chat, message, post updates, photos, etc.

Despite being a project of the Ohio high school student for only 4 years, WeeShare! has been through a lot of changes and major blows. Since it’s initial start as a desktop site, the overall design has changed at least 20+ times, and features have been added and removed quicker than hotcakes at a restaurant. However, it is believed that those contributing to the project will leave the design the way it is as of now – with some minor customizations here and there in the future. It was also the target of a hacker from the UK that Jake and a friend got in a scruff with online – however nothing really happened.

The project had (up until it’s first time being live until removed) little to no budget for advertising and promotion. Jake and his friend Mateo both worked hard in their spare times by spreading the word online, at school, around town, and more – with little but still satisfying results. WeeShare! is also stated to have no main funding behind it since it is not the property of a business or company; it’s only monetary sources are any of Jake’s jobs, or donations from contributors.

The contributors and project creator knows that being a “alternative to Facebook” or anti-Facebook is a bold claim to make, but they have a full-page article telling users why they should switch from Facebook to WeeShare! It seems the project’s new promotional push is to inform users as to why Facebook isn’t a evil villain, but why it’s not a good social tool. Several reasons the about site lists are that Facebook limits you from truly unlocking social media power, filters your newsfeed; all the way to others like it being accused of spying on user’s chats.

Naturally, WeeShare! collects cookies on users to make the site work but in their soon-to-update privacy policy, they state how they use no third-parties to make cookies for account data collection; meaning their affiliates (J-List and Amazon) may use their own cookie systems, but they get no info about you from WeeShare! However, WS! has come to believe neither of their affiliates are collecting info – and they hope their affiliate ads will become a good source to keep the project alive. On the subject of ads, WeeShare! claims to only show ads from their two affiliates that aren’t targeted or data-based, and are simply copy and pasted JS code. The ads are also placed in non-interruptive places around the website.

All in all, WeeShare! wants to be a social discovery network by the people, for the people, made by the people. Users are the coders and contributors: and no changes are made to anything based on the idea of pleasing “shareholders” or advertisers, making this a sleek safe haven for social networking and meeting new friends.

With that in mind, we of EWT would like to humbly recommend trying out WeeShare.ws as it seems to be shaping up to be a good social networking alternative with more user control. Have you already made the switch? Let us know below in the comments.