“This exclusivity is something that App.net seems to share–certainly a subscription fee, even a very low one, suggests that–and it makes me worry that App.net would become the country club of the internet and the beginning of a trend of web segregation. Granted, it’s not yet clear exactly what App.net’s subscription fee will be. But even a very low fee could prove prohibitive for a large segment of the web. And even if it doesn’t, the appeal of this new network seems limited to a specific demographic, at least for now: All of my friends who have backed the site are both white and male. Of course, pockets and bubbles have existed and will always exist on the internet. But it scares me when people start imagining a site like App.net as The Future of Social Networks, and herald it for its ability to keep “unwanted” people out.”
— App.net: The Country Club of the Internet? // Digital Local
