Hello, I am interested in starting a coop professional networking platform - a coop version of LinkedIn.
The basic idea is that the people on the platform would be co-owners of the platform; while fostering a collaborative community. They would also decide how to use the money generated from advertising within the platform.
I have some tech background primarily ruby, rails, react and javascript. Prior to coding, I was in HR/recruiting.
Would anyone else from CoTech be interested in taking part?
I think happy Dev are working on something similar, with their freelancer’s network based on startin blox
I’m very interested in this, and can think of others who might be in some way. What exactly are Happydev working on? Minimum, to me, is that they are open to co-developing their ideas for the common good. How much are they? I wasn’t at all convinced by the startin blox model of skills, to begin with. It just didn’t do what to my mind is needed. But maybe that has changed? In any case, a good idea to check out what anyone else is trying to do in this space. It’s a good test of collaboration potential – not everyone is really up for serious collaboration and we need to choose people who are genuine in this way.
Any individuals who could be contacted about HappyDev?
Thanks, I will check them out.
Thanks for your interest. Maybe we can share some ideas in the near future.
Hey, my two cents:
I’d question if anything LinkedIn like (“the CV that never sleeps”) is even desirable for a cooperative world. That’s a platform primarily based on surveillance of users. I see you’ve mentioned advertising and that has my alarm bells ringing. There would need to be a clear statement on how you would aim to resolve the contradictions in basing your work from LinkedIn.
Btw, we do also have https://www.democraticjobs.coop on the go already too.
Hi, thanks for your input. I want to replace LinkedIn with a coop model…where the people using the platform control the advertising function. LinkedIn would never be able to do this.
https://www.democraticjobs.coop, is a good project, but, they seem to be a job board, not a professional networking site (please correct me if I’m wrong).
If the people own the data and businesses basically pay them (or rather, the coop they own) for advertising to them, and the users decide how their data is used I don’t see a problem. People who want a lot of privacy could restrict how their data is used, those who don’t mind having ads targeted towards them could choose to allow that.
I am interested, but I don’t really have any time right now!
Please update the thread if it’s moving forward, so we can join later!
Thanks, Pau.
Appreciate the perspective, but humbly disagree. Totally normal people in many industries will consider a candidate at a networking event dead-in-the-water if they aren’t present on LinkedIn. If someone is feeling that value (nevermind my or your thoughts on the structural issues with LinkedIn), then imho it’s offering more than you’re giving it credit for. <3
(It’s also a huge support for all the people who do network building as their work/contribution, whether partnerships or community onboarding or recruiting or hiring or whatever)
I’d be interested in using a Co-operative version of Linkedin.
While i ended up with an account on LinkedIn, i didn’t originally set one up.
They ran a scrape on the Companies House website, getting hold of the details of every Company director in the UK, and used that as part of their starter database of [strike]customers[/strike] product…
This was how they got my contact details and created the account from there.
Then they started spamming me, and they’re still sending me emails.
I refuse to do business with spammers.
Yeah totally agree, spammers are a total pain. In the U.S, companies have to allow a way for people to opt-out of those emails. Scape and scam is a terrible and aggressive practice…even in silicon valley standards! The more reason why the cooperative model needs to be popularized.
Are you a member of CoTech? At the conference in Newcastle (13-14 December) we’re going to be setting up a Startin’ Blox instance to (kind of) this end if you’d like to get involved 
I read very quickly, but I confirm that we are working with @calummackervoy and 20 others on a set of open source and decentralized tools and can be summarized as The social network for freelancers.
I’d like to compare notes. Contribution and constructive critics are always welcome.
Hi @alexbourlier that sounds really interesting, could we talk so that I can get my own understanding at least – anyone else would be welcome of course, but I envisage some real two-way conversation.
Thanks
Simon
We are at least 3 members of Startin’blox participating to the CoTech conference in December. Let’s meet there? I have heard a workshop is on the topic. We’ll be happily contributing.
A similar concept also occurred to me a while ago when I was trying to think how I could find people who may be interested in joining 3XE. My idea being a sort of network for organisations/individuals interested in exchanging labour/resources on a mutual aid basis.
I have been sitting on the domain hack kropotk.in for some time with the hope of one day building such a platform but glad to see it is already being done by others!
Hi @cregis and all. Just on a point of inspiration: I saw this app the other day https://shapr.co/ - which is a bit like LinkedIn meets Tindr. The idea is that you can find people locally or in your area of work to act as mentors, advisors, collaborators etc.
It’s aimed at people starting and growing businesses.
Haven’t tried it myself, and it might be naff, but I like the idea of the interface facilitates quickly finding and being recommended possible mentors and friends. If it did it in the coop world that would be great.
R
Thanks Pete. It seems like our idea are in a similar space. I would love to ask you a few questions via a chat or email if that is ok with you.