A hot, new social media platform is taking the world by storm – and only about 3,500 people have access to it. Clubhouse, a live audio ONLY app, not to be confused with the reputable project management app pictured, has changed the game in social media for many reasons and has proved its staying value.
The new voice drop-in craze is created by Paul Davison and Rohan Seth. This Apple exclusive app creates a space where any type of discussion can take place, much like a chat room. I know what you may be thinking, a chatroom is so Myspace and Aim 2000, however, what makes this app unique is the sense of urgency and exclusivity is gives.
With COVID19 affecting the way we interact with people, Clubhouse has made it easy to network straight from the comfort of your home … or anywhere for that matter. The pressure of vanity metrics doesn’t exist on this platform because there are no likes and there aren’t any followers. There isn’t private messaging nor comments. People can now log on without having to care about the right lighting, making sure your make-up is on point and that you match. You can easily become an active participant even while grocery shopping because unlike Zoom, popular video communications app used for video and audio conferencing, there is no camera. Your profile picture is your only icon and it highlights when you are speaking. When you aren’t speaking then you are expected to place yourself on mute.
The way it works is that when you log in you get to see who has a room open, when you join a room you are then brought into the discussion mid conversation and you can either spectate or raise your hand for an opportunity to be called onto the stage and be heard. It is uncommon to see multiple people on stage and seeing hundreds in the audience.
This type of platform is valuable for the fact that notable venture capitalist, entrepreneurs, entertainers, politicians and people alike all come together and drop some valuable gems about their career field and their journey. We have seen people like Oprah Winfrey, Kevin Hart, Ashton Kutcher and Chris Rock start rooms as per the Wall Street Journal. Michael Stelzner of the Social Media Examiner explained it as a platform where conversations and knowledge worth thousands in mastercourses are made accessible for free. But as aforementioned, once Oprah starts a room and you miss it, well you missed out on being able to have a conversation with Oprah!
Clubhouse has gotten so much attention that venture capitalist Andreesen Horowitz invested $10 million on the app. It was made to be tested by the innovates of Silicon Valley and was opened to A list celebrities and then some. The valuation of this beta app has climbed to $100 million as per Forbes, and that’s without a website.
Being that it is still a beta app, there are a number of challenges that creators Davison and Seth are trying to resolve. With having a live audio only app whose content is not recorded and disappears when finished, people have complaints about harassment and want more clarity on privacy policy. The difficulty lies in tracking these occurrences with no proof being recorded.
As per Oprah Magazine, the startup company are exploring ways to be able to monitor such behavior. Thus far the steps they have laid out include building a team of advisors and allow for the “reporting function to be ‘more real time, specific and robust.’”
Clubhouse has become so influential in the past few months Famous Dex was the topic of discussion in one of the many rooms they have available. His mental health was discussed after some alarming videos and photos were posted onto his account. The room filled with many artists such as Kid Cudi and Macklemore concerned for the well-being of Famous Dex refusing to allow another Black man be victim to mental health and banded together to support Famous Dex. With having so much support Famous Dex finally checked into Rehab to seek help.
Clubhouse is still only running in beta mode. It is only available in the Apple app store and the only way to be a part of it is to know someone who can invite you in.
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