NEW YORK – Nov. 6, 2025 — Newsreel, the interactive news app designed for modern attention spans, today launched the first phase of a human-centered social experience designed to counter algorithm-driven feeds and rebuild authentic connection around journalist-written news stories. New features allow users to add friends and form circles of trust, share and compare polling responses with a close circle, nudge friends to read specific stories, comment on completed stacks, and give “hat tips” 🧢 for constructive engagement—not clout. The launch marks a major step forward for Newsreel’s mission to reimagine how people engage with current events in an era of digital decay.

Social media is breaking. AI-generated “slop” floods feeds, algorithms reward outrage, and users everywhere are frustrated as they try to separate AI-generated falsehoods and fakery from sincere messaging. Authenticity itself is being faked if only to avoid appearing too polished.  TikTok’s ownership faces upheaval, and researchers warn of the “Dead Internet” theory. A Financial Times analysis shows global time spent on social media is now declining, as users grow fatigued with algorithmic manipulation and empty engagement. Newsreel sees an opening to do what traditional platforms no longer can (and perhaps never did): help people socialize around substance.

“Social media has become a hall of mirrors optimized for outrage, not understanding,” said Jack Brewster, Newsreel’s founder and CEO. “We’re building the antidote to TikTok and Instagram’s attention-slop machines. It’s not social media, but it’s also not your parents’ news app. Newsreel is something entirely different.”

“Most social platforms were built to capture attention. We built Newsreel to reward it,” said Brijesh Tiwari, Chief Technology Officer at Newsreel. “This release is the foundation for a new kind of social architecture."

A new way to be social about the news

With v1 of our social platform, Newsreel users can connect directly through journalist-produced stories, rather than algorithmic noise. Starting today, users can:

• Add friends and form “circles” of trust: Create a small network of people they actually want to hear from.

• Create a “close circle”: Similar to Instagram’s close friends, share and compare polling responses on key issues with your closest friends.

• Nudge friends: Send your friends a quick nudge to read specific Newsreel stories, comment directly on completed stories, and give “hat tips” 🧢 to celebrate completions — small gestures that encourage constructive news engagement rather than passive doomscrolling.

• Build healthy habits together: Track how your circle earns badges, milestones, and streaks as you collectively stay informed.

Unlike traditional social media, Newsreel’s interactions revolve around shared understanding, not performance. The goal: rebuild the civic commons, a digital space where people engage with verified news and each other thoughtfully.

What’s coming next?

This launch is just phase one of Newsreel’s broader social roadmap. In the coming weeks, the app will introduce:

• Communities inspired by Reddit and Strava, where users can discuss stories in interest-based groups.

• Polling boards, which bring together users with similar ideological profiles to compare perspectives and spark dialogue.

• A video vertical feed featuring vetted journalist-creators and explainers, designed to be as engaging as TikTok without the slop.

About Newsreel

Newsreel, still in beta, is an interactive news app that helps the next generation build healthier news habits through swipeable story stacks, polls, and quizzes—designed for attention spans shaped by the digital age. Founded by journalist Jack Brewster, Newsreel reimagines how people connect with credible information and each other. By partnering with schools and libraries, Newsreel has reached thousands of young people and dozens of classrooms across the U.S. and Europe since soft launching in February of this year.

Learn more at newsreel.co or download Newsreel on iOS and Android.

Press Contact:

Katie Toepp
katie@newsreel.co