I'm leaning towards improving on what we have rather than forking, not only it would be faster but we would not have to rewrite all the apps and everything which realistically would not work and would not be an efficient use of the resources.
For instance, to get specific, if one wanted to fix Facebook by making it user centric, one would only have to do these:
- Remove all the algos related to metrification and sorting.
- Newsfeed sorted exclusively by time, descending, so the newest postings would be on top.
- Newsfeed contains exclusively postings from your contacts, nothing more nothing less.
- Remove ads from newsfeed, keep them on the sidebar. Newsfeed should contain strictly posts from one's contacts.
- Remove all the tracking and bloat code.
- Remove all the clutter design wise.
- All privacy options ON by default upon account creation.
- Redesign the groups in a blend of HN fashion that encourages better content.
- Comments only by contacts and visible only to contacts
- Optional $10/year for people who want to remove the sidebar ads.
- By making these adjustments the postings for likes would go away and people would be encouraged to post only if they have something worth posting.
This would keep it a billion dollar business (hello shareholders) and the keyword here is business, it will actually make a proper, sustainable business out it, connecting people has been a long and profitable business, one only needs to look at history. All the above does not require any special technology while the benefits would be tremendous, both technological (as per leanternet principles) and psychological. One's deep in the rabbit hole, so it would not be an overnight effect.
Then you might have something worth using that is not addictive, it would serve it's primary function of connecting people and would make people more happy, I would sign up to the above, who doesn't like to connect with their people. The reality is that most people would simply not go through the lengths of setting up their own website and all that, even if it's seemingly easy, not all people care about the technicalities, and that's fine, which is where Facebook is in a unique position to actually get things straight in their space.
These kind of adjustments can be done across the board with great results while we get to solve the issue of fair monetization based in sound business practices. We can find balance, we only have to want to!