What is Gander Social? Canada’s New Homegrown Social Media Platform
Most social media platforms today feel more like a data trap than a space for genuine connection. Gander Social is trying something different. And it’s being built right in Canada.
Gander is a new social media app in early development. It’s designed to put privacy, user control, and community back at the center. The idea is simple: give Canadians a space to connect without handing over personal data or fighting with the algorithm just to be seen.
The platform hasn’t officially launched yet, but the buzz is growing. So are the questions. Here’s what we know so far.
What is Gander Social?
Gander is a social media app currently in development, built in and for Canada. The goal is to offer an alternative to mainstream platforms by focusing on user privacy, meaningful engagement, and transparency.
Instead of endless scrolling driven by outrage and ad revenue, Gander is aiming for a calmer, more customizable experience. Early plans include:
- A personalized feed that you control
- Local content that’s actually relevant
- Zero data harvesting
- Troll-spotting and bias-checking tools
- Features like stories, video posts, and pin boards
- Hosting and data storage entirely within Canada
As they put it, Gander is “social media that doesn’t make you want to throw your phone into a lake.”
It’s also being built on the AT Protocol, the same open-source, decentralized system that powers Bluesky. This setup gives users the freedom to interact within Gander or across the wider AT network, depending on how open or local they want the experience to be.
How is Gender Social Different?
Gander is still in early development, but there’s already a clear roadmap shaping up. Here’s what you can expect from the platform:
1. Built in Canada, Hosted in Canada
This isn’t just a Canadian company headquartered in Toronto. Every aspect of Gander’s design leans into digital sovereignty. That includes:
- Hosting all user data on Canadian servers
- Following Canadian privacy laws
- Rejecting dark patterns and ad models that rely on tracking or manipulation
The platform’s name, Gander, is inspired by the town of Gander, Newfoundland, which welcomed thousands of stranded travelers during 9/11. That sense of community and care is a guiding principle behind the project.
2. No Algorithms
Instead of promoting content based on clicks or outrage, Gander gives users the tools to control their own feed. Want to prioritize content from your city? Prefer video over text? You’ll have the option to set those preferences yourself.
3. Privacy-First
One of the biggest differences between Gander Social and other social platforms is how seriously it’s emphasizing privacy and data protection.
- No surveillance-based ads
- No selling of your data
- No third-party tracking across the web
- All data stored on Canadian servers
- Built to respect Canadian privacy laws from the start
The platform is working with ThinkOn, a Toronto-based cloud infrastructure company, and cybersecurity experts to keep user data secure and fully within Canadian jurisdiction.
4. Local Content & Context
One of Gander’s standout features is how it features Canadian events, creators, and conversations, with more context. At launch, Gander Social will support short-form text posts, images, videos, and links. The platform plans to layer in more tools over time, including ways to better understand and interpret the content you’re seeing, rather than just react to it.
5. Troll Filters and Bias Checks
You’ll be able to see where content comes from and whether it’s been fact-checked. Gander aims to curb misinformation without relying on heavy-handed moderation or AI filters.
This includes:
- Community moderation tools
- Troll filters
- Bias and context indicators
- Verification experiments to help curb disinformation
The approach is less about relying on algorithmic filtering, and more about providing tools to users so they can better interpret what they’re seeing. The platform is not aiming to eliminate all bad content, rather looking to handle it early and transparently.
Who’s Behind Gander Social?
Gander was co-founded by Ben Waldman, with a team of Canadian technologists, privacy experts, and civic-minded advisors. Other team members come from backgrounds in cybersecurity, media ethics, open protocols, and product design which brings a mix of tech and trust to the table.
They’ve also set up Gander Social as a public benefit company, signaling a long-term commitment to transparency and ethical development.
What Stage is Gander Social in Now?
Gander is still under development, with a closed beta expected by August 2025. If you sign up for early access now, you might get a chance to test out features, give feedback, and help shape how the platform grows.
Here’s a quick snapshot of what’s happened so far:
- ✅ Early access waitlist opened
- ✅ Canadian content feed live
- ✅ MVP (Minimum Viable Product) built with basic features
- ✅ Username reservations underway
- ✅ Closed beta testing in progress
Once the public beta rolls out, users will be able to try Gander for themselves and explore its full set of features.
Why Does Gander Social Matter for Brands & Creators?
For Canadian creators, small businesses, and social media managers, Gander offers something most social platforms don’t: a local-first space that respects both privacy and purpose.
While the full suite of features won’t be available at launch, the roadmap includes:
- Customizable profiles
- Privacy-conscious performance tracking
- Monetization options
- Shared revenue models
- Tools to help creators grow communities without being forced into a growth-at-all-costs model
At a time when trust in social media is low and users are looking for something better, Gander is offering an alternative that feels more grounded. And for many Canadians, it couldn’t come at a better time.
