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Privacy-focused Facebook competitor MeWe says it's gained more than 2 million users in the past week (FB)

MeWe promo videoMeWe/Vimeo

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MeWe, a social media app that bills itself as a secure and private alternative to Facebook, has gained 2.5 million new users in the last week, USAToday reported, as fringe groups search for new platforms with less oversight. 

Founded by Mark Weinstein, MeWe was created in 2012 under the name Sgrouples and bills itself as focused on privacy and data ownership. All users agree to a "privacy bill of rights," and branding for the company is centered around security. 

After the November 2020 election, MeWe made headlines for hosting Stop the Steal, QAnon, and other alt-right groups that were kicked off mainstream platforms.  When asked about moderation in an AP interview earlier this week, he declined to disclose the size of MeWe's content moderation team. 

As former President Donald Trump and supporters spread baseless claims of election fraud, eventually culminating in a deadly riot at the U.S. Capitol,  Facebook's data privacy protections and social media policies at large have come under tighter scrutiny.

MeWe did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the recent growth.

Earlier in January, the Facebook-owned messaging app WhatsApp updated its privacy policy to share more data with Facebook. Insider reported that, after the change to WhatsApp's terms of service, the encrypted messaging app Signal saw downloads increase 4,200%. 

MeWe's frequently asked question page assures users: "MeWe does not spy on your private posts, we think the way those other companies do things like that is creepy." In addition, MeWe says that members own their own data.

The app itself, available on the Apple App Store and Google Play, features a newsfeed, private text and video chats, groups, and a Close Friends setting. As of Wednesday, MeWe reported 16 million users, according to USAToday. For context, Facebook reported 1.82 billion daily active users in September 2020. 

Crunchbase data shows $14.5 million in funding for MeWe across five seed funding rounds in its lifetime. A press release from 2018 attributes all of MeWe's funding up to that point to capital from "high net worth investors."

More recently, it appears that the company has benefited from governmental coronavirus relief: ProPublica reported that Sgrouples Inc., MeWe's parent company, received a PPP loan between $150,000 and $300,000 in April 2020.  

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SEE ALSO: MeWe doesn't want to be the next Parler. But extremist hordes are coming to the social-media site anyway.

SEE ALSO: Signal downloads skyrocketed 4,200% after WhatsApp announced it would force users to share personal data with Facebook. It's top of both Google and Apple's app stores.

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