Nowadays, it’s nearly impossible to exist without social media, but an overwhelming sense of profit-driven algorithms has become gradually repelling, even to those who once obsessed over them. More web developers are looking to bring the fun back by creating new platforms that refer to the golden age of social media back in the aughts. The growing distaste has resulted in the birth of SpaceHey, the spinoff version of MySpace launched in 2021. Three years later, the social media scene is witnessing a new rising star on the horizon – Perfectly Imperfect.
Perfectly Imperfect began as a Substack newsletter founded during the pandemic, with a focus on curating recommendations from creative individuals within New York City’s downtown scene. Since its conception, the newsletter has gained significant clout in determining trends and who’s currently the cool kid. Last summer, Perfectly Imperfect founder Tyler Bainbridge decided to take the project to the next level and began to code a social network and app revolving around the idea behind the newsletter – sharing one’s taste. Upon its launch, the Perfectly Imperfect website had invitation-only access, but the site has recently opened for everyone to share what strikes their fancy.
Perfectly Imperfect users can share and ask for recommendations, letting the world know what’s on their minds. Although the newsletter gained prominence for cherry-picking and featuring famous people, the social platform aims to be more inclusive. When creating an account, new users get instructed with a short tip to avoid overthinking their recommendations. “This site is pro sincerity,” Tyler Bainbridge wrote on his profile. Genuine connection is in great demand, and since the most popular social media are increasingly commercialized, Perfectly Imperfect, deprived of ads, algorithms, and FOMO-exacerbating notifications, draws new users with a promise of the opposite.
Perfectly Imperfect is designed to be friendly and serve as a safe space where everyone can share their thoughts and opinions without fearing judgment. The emphasis on positive things, what we like and not what we despise, seems to avert malicious and deprecating comments omnipresent on other social media platforms. The noticeable lack of privacy plays a significant role in creating a friendly atmosphere. Every activity is registered and visible to all users. Nobody can slide into other users’ DMs because DMs don’t exist in the Perfectly Imperfect universe. Everything is laid bare to the public.
Perfectly Imperfect allows for versatile use despite limited features and could be the first social media that benefits its users. Aspiring artists promote their works. Recommendations come in handy when traveling or moving to a new city, especially useful for expats in recording their impressions of a foreign country. Sharing pleasant experiences can be a means to practice gratitude and an exercise to stop worrying about what other people might think of us. The possibilities are endless.
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