Does your brand need to be on Vero?

"In a nutshell, Vero purports to be the anti-Facebook and, by extension, anti-Instagram thanks to three simple rules: 1. It doesn't allow ads on the platform 2. It doesn't collect user data 3. Everything in the feed is shown chronologically - there's no algorithm deciding which content to show you when It's easy to see why this proposition is piquing the interest of influencers and the public. But it's important to remember that when Instagram launched, it was ad-free and sans algorithm too."

"For one, the management is dubious to put it nicely. Billionaire founder Ayman Hariri was the deputy CEO of his family's now-defunct construction company Saudi Oger, which allegedly refused to pay thousands of construction workers. This led to many becoming homeless, forced to live in labour camps - a fact that doesn't really chime true to Vero's vision for a more equitable, egalitarian future."

Vero positions itself as an anti-Facebook/Instagram with no ads, no data collection, and a purely chronological feed. Such features attract influencers and users frustrated with algorithms, ads, and data misuse. However, founder Ayman Hariri's past link to Saudi Oger and alleged worker abuses raises doubts about platform ethics. A T&Cs clause initially allowed royalty-free use of user data by affiliates, undermining privacy claims; the clause was later removed after attention on Twitter. The combination of leadership concerns and early policy inconsistencies creates skepticism about Vero's ability to deliver on its anti-monopoly promises.

Read at The Drum