Cohost
{{Short description|Social media platform developed by the Anti Software Software Club (2022–2025)}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox website
| name = Cohost
| logo = Cohost Social Media Logo.png
| logo_size = 250px
| logo_alt = The Cohost logo, a purple egg with the letters C and O in it followed by the word host in purple
| screenshot = Cohost Social Media Screenshot 2024.png
| screenshot_size = 300px
| caption = The profile page of eggbug, the site's mascot, in dark mode
| screenshot_alt = A screenshot of the Cohost profile picture page for a username named eggbug, and a cutoff post about an eggbug plush.
| collapsible = Yes
| type = Social media
| founded = {{date|2022|MDY}}
| dissolved = {{ubl|{{date|2024-09-09|MDY}} (end of registrations)|{{date|2024-10-01|MDY}} (read-only mode)|{{date|2025-01-12|MDY}} (website)}}
| country_of_origin = United States
| key_people = Colin Bayer; Jae Kaplan; Aidan Grealish; Kara
| employees = 4
| url = {{Official URL}}
| registration = Closed
| users = {{formatnum:203805}} ({{date|Nov 2023|MDY}})
| current_status = Redirects to the Wayback Machine
}}
Cohost (stylized in all lowercase letters as cohost or cohost!) was a social media website publicly launched in {{date|Jun 2022|MDY}}.{{Cite news |title=Tired of Elon Musk? Here are the Twitter alternatives you should know about |last1=Korn |first1=Jennifer |date={{date|2023-07-09|MDY}} |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2023/07/09/tech/twitter-alternatives/index.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230710012053/https://edition.cnn.com/2023/07/09/tech/twitter-alternatives/index.html |archive-date={{date|2023-07-10|MDY}} |access-date={{date|2025-01-12|MDY}} |work=CNN Business |language=en-US}} It was owned by a not-for-profit software company named Anti Software Software Club.{{Cite web |title=anti software software club |url=https://antisoftware.club/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241001032048/https://antisoftware.club/ |archive-date={{date|2024-10-01|MDY}} |access-date={{date|2025-01-12|MDY}} |website=anti software software club |language=en-US}}
On {{date|2024-09-09|MDY}}, it was announced that it would enter a read-only state on {{date|2024-10-01|MDY}}, and be discontinued at the end of {{date|2024|MDY}}.{{Cite web |title=cohost to shut down at end of 2024 |url=https://cohost.org/staff/post/7611443-cohost-to-shut-down |date={{date|2024-09-09|MDY}} |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241001020435/https://cohost.org/staff/post/7611443-cohost-to-shut-down |archive-date={{date|2024-10-01|MDY}} |access-date={{date|2025-01-12|MDY}} |website=cohost! |language=en-US}} Registration was closed on the day of the announcement. The shutdown was later postponed to accommodate an archiving effort by the Archive Team.{{Cite web |title=Our secondary funder, who has generously helped keep cohost online these last few months, has requested that we hold off on shutting down until Archive Team archival has finished. We will post an update once we have a new shutdown date. |url=https://mastodon.social/@cohost/113753951139991925 |date={{date|2025-01-01|MDY}} |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250101165027/https://mastodon.social/@cohost/113753951139991925 |archive-date={{date|2025-01-01|MDY}} |access-date={{date|2025-01-12|MDY}} |website=mastodon.social |language=en-US}} The website was shut down on {{date|2025-01-12|MDY}}.{{Cite web |title=hi folks, we've received word that Archive Team has finished their archival of cohost. we will be shutting down the servers and deleting all data sometime tomorrow, January 12. shortly after, cohost.org will begin redirecting to the wayback machine. / thank you, as always, for having used cohost. |url=https://mastodon.social/@cohost/113810018192229454 |date={{date|2025-01-11|MDY}} |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250111150422/https://mastodon.social/@cohost/113810018192229454 |archive-date={{date|2025-01-11|MDY}} |access-date={{date|2025-01-12|MDY}} |website=mastodon.social |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=thank you for having used cohost. / eggbug forever. |url=https://mastodon.social/@cohost/113817460203281875 |date={{date|2025-01-12|MDY}} |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250112213925/https://mastodon.social/@cohost/113817460203281875 |archive-date={{date|2025-01-12|MDY}} |access-date={{date|2025-01-12|MDY}} |website=mastodon.social |language=en-US}}
History
The idea for Cohost was conceptualized in {{date|2019|MDY}}, and the mascot for the website was created in {{date|2020|MDY}}. It was launched in a closed beta in {{date|Feb 2022|MDY}}. Early access registration via invite code was allowed in June of that year.{{Cite news |title=These ‘CSS crimes’ turn social media posts into games: Cohost is a different vision for social networks |last1=Ong |first1=Alexis |date={{date|2022-08-03|MDY}} |url=https://www.theverge.com/2022/8/3/23288689/cohost-social-media-css-games |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220803150913/https://www.theverge.com/2022/8/3/23288689/cohost-social-media-css-games |archive-date={{date|2022-08-03|MDY}} |access-date={{date|2025-01-12|MDY}} |work=The Verge |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=credits |url=https://cohost.org/rc/content/credits |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241001032049/https://cohost.org/rc/content/credits |archive-date={{date|2024-10-01|MDY}} |access-date={{date|2025-01-12|MDY}} |website=cohost! |language=en-US}} Starting around November, anyone was allowed to register, but new users had to sit through a waiting period before their account was activated.{{Cite news |title=The Best Twitter Alternatives to Try as the Bird App Tumbles: For those that feel like they just can't take it no more. |last1=Lyles |first1=Taylor |date={{date|2022-11-18|MDY}} |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/best-twitter-alternatives-for-social-media |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221122082534/https://www.ign.com/articles/best-twitter-alternatives-for-social-media |archive-date={{date|2022-11-22|MDY}} |access-date={{date|2025-01-12|MDY}} |work=IGN |language=en-US}}{{Cite news |title=What is Cohost? The Social Media Platform Is A Twitter Alternative |last1=Darlingberg |first1=Dee |date={{date|2022-11-21|MDY}} |url=https://thevibely.com/lifestyle/what-is-cohost-social-media-platform/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240225203443/https://thevibely.com/lifestyle/what-is-cohost-social-media-platform/ |archive-date={{date|2024-02-25|MDY}} |access-date={{date|2025-01-12|MDY}} |work=theVIBELY |language=en-US}}
Cohost was reported as having financial issues in {{date|Mar 2024|MDY}} after temporarily losing contact with the person funding it, but the site was stated to have backup plans and they were able to reestablish contact with their funder.{{Cite web |title=end-of-week financial update update |url=https://cohost.org/staff/post/5101727-end-of-week-financia |date={{date|2024-03-15|MDY}} |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241004052215/https://cohost.org/staff/post/5101727-end-of-week-financia |archive-date={{date|2024-10-04|MDY}} |access-date={{date|2025-01-12|MDY}} |website=cohost! |language=en-US}}{{Cite news |title=Bad news for Cohost. |last1=Robertson |first1=Adi |date={{date|2024-03-12|MDY}} |url=https://www.theverge.com/2024/3/12/24098472/bad-news-for-cohost |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240312185423/https://www.theverge.com/2024/3/12/24098472/bad-news-for-cohost |archive-date={{date|2024-03-12|MDY}} |access-date={{date|2025-01-12|MDY}} |work=The Verge |language=en-US}}
In {{date|Sep 2024|MDY}}, it was announced that Cohost would be shutting down at the end of {{date|2024|MDY}}, with the site entering a read-only state on {{date|2024-10-01|MDY}}. The reason given was lack of funding and developer burnout.{{Cite news |title=Cohost, the X rival founded with an anti-Big Tech manifesto, is running out of money and will shut down |last1=Perez |first1=Sarah |date={{date|2024-09-12|MDY}} |url=https://techcrunch.com/2024/09/12/cohost-the-x-rival-founded-with-an-anti-big-tech-manifesto-is-running-out-of-money-and-will-shut-down/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241024100729/https://techcrunch.com/2024/09/12/cohost-the-x-rival-founded-with-an-anti-big-tech-manifesto-is-running-out-of-money-and-will-shut-down/ |archive-date={{date|2024-10-24|MDY}} |access-date={{date|2025-01-12|MDY}} |work=TechCrunch |language=en-US}}
Features
Cohost featured posts similar in style to Twitter, but without a character limit.{{Cite news |title=Best Twitter Alternatives from Threads to BlueSky: Meta's Threads is shaping up to be Twitter's most-hyped competitor. But is it the best alternative out there? |last1=O'Sullivan |first1=Isobel |date={{date|2023-07-05|MDY}} |url=https://tech.co/news/best-twitter-alternatives |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230715110707/https://tech.co/news/best-twitter-alternatives |archive-date={{date|2023-07-15|MDY}} |access-date={{date|2025-01-12|MDY}} |work=tech.co |language=en-US}} Users could like, comment, and repost, but some interactions were hidden, including like counts on posts, as well as the followers and follower counts of users. There was no trending timeline or algorithm-based timeline; the website instead featured a chronological timeline and a tagging system where searchable hashtags could be attached to posts. The website supported Markdown and editing of HTML and CSS within posts.{{Cite news |title=Fledgling social media sites are competing to be the next Twitter as users abandon the legacy platform. These are the frontrunners. |last1=Tangalakis-Lippert |first1=Katherine |date={{date|2023-03-01|MDY}} |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/twitter-alternatives-social-media-discord-mastodon-hive-cohost-truth-2023-2 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230301033744/https://www.businessinsider.com/twitter-alternatives-social-media-discord-mastodon-hive-cohost-truth-2023-2 |archive-date={{date|2023-03-01|MDY}} |access-date={{date|2025-01-12|MDY}} |work=INSIDER |language=en-US}} There was also a monthly subscription service called Cohost Plus (stylized as cohost Plus!, named after Microsoft Plus!), which offered an increased file size limit and other features, but mainly served as a way to support the development of the website.{{Cite news |title=Cohost Preview: Social media that’s better for society |last1=Minor |first1=Jordan |date={{date|2022-11-17|MDY}} |url=https://www.pcmag.com/reviews/cohost |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221117213449/https://www.pcmag.com/reviews/cohost |archive-date={{date|2022-11-17|MDY}} |access-date={{date|2025-01-12|MDY}} |work=PC Magazine |language=en-US}} There were plans to implement a tip jar feature and a subscription feature similar to Patreon, where users could subscribe to creators and other users on the site for access to exclusive posts, but the feature (named eggbux) was canceled due to the payment processor Stripe changing their terms and conditions.
Users
The active userbase was around {{formatnum:20000}} in {{date|Feb 2023|MDY}} to around {{formatnum:38000}} in {{date|Jul 2023|MDY}}. The {{date|Feb 2023|MDY}} report gave the number of registered users at around {{formatnum:130000}}. A report by the staff in {{date|Nov 2023|MDY}} gave the number of registered users as {{formatnum:203805}} and the number of monthly active users as {{formatnum:21142}}.{{Cite web |title=November 2023 Financial Update + Tipping launch plans |url=https://cohost.org/staff/post/3601673-november-2023-financ |date={{date|2023-11-20|MDY}} |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241003020501/https://cohost.org/staff/post/3601673-november-2023-financ |archive-date={{date|2024-10-03|MDY}} |access-date={{date|2025-01-12|MDY}} |website=cohost! |language=en-US}} The {{date|Aug 2024|MDY}} report gave the total register user count as around {{formatnum:227000}}{{Cite web |title=the final age of posting |url=https://cohost.org/staff/post/7906102-the-final-age-of-pos |date={{date|2024-09-30|MDY}} |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241001032814/https://cohost.org/staff/post/7906102-the-final-age-of-pos |archive-date={{date|2024-10-01|MDY}} |access-date={{date|2025-01-12|MDY}} |website=cohost! |language=en-US}} with the monthly active user count as {{formatnum:16846}}; of those, {{formatnum:3046}} were Cohost Plus subscribers.
Reception
Cohost generally received positive reception. The site was praised for allowing users to edit HTML and CSS in posts, allowing users to make games and so-called "CSS crimes." It was also given praise for allowing users to edit posts after they are posted, a lack of ads, and navigable web design. Some reviewers noted the lack of a proper search feature and the lack of a dedicated mobile app.
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{official website}} {{in lang|en-US}}; redirects to the Wayback Machine
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20241001032048/https://antisoftware.club/ anti software software club] {{in lang|en-US}}; via Wayback Machine
{{Social networking services}}
Category:2022 establishments in the United States
Category:American social networking mobile apps
Category:American social networking websites
Category:Defunct social networking services