Personas

Introduction

Our non-dev resources will be the most successful, and cohesive, if we design them for a specific audience. SSB is not built for universal adoption, at least right now. So instead, I'd like to design our outreach to target the people we'd want to join the system at its current stage. As the system grows, we can make more resources for the broader audiences.

By targeting a certain kind of audience, we can build a stronger voice for our work. If we tried to find the words that resonate with all people, or put in all the necessary additional context for any set of knowledge, then we would water down the videos with good intentions until the actual message is dissolved from view.

This document is meant to describe the Personas of people who would make good community members now, and who do not identify as technically minded. They are not meant as rigid identifiers; any one person will undoubtedly share traits from multiple personas. But they act as a useful shorthand, and are illuminating for the traits and types that don't show up here.

Nerdy, but not Technical

• Fan of science fiction, diy music, overlooked films, independent comics. Has diverse tastes, but they share a bond of being proudly off the beaten path. Champions the quieter voices, and not liking something just because everyone says you should.
• Social Media is getting boring as it all feels like the same conversation and all depressingly mainstream.
• Listened to a great podcast episode about cryptocurrencies, and is thinking of getting into bitcoin, but didn't really know how to start. The podcast brought up really interesting points about what the future could look like though, and enjoys talking about some of these future visions.
• Would like to code, can see how it's an art, but "was never good at math" and so don't think they could do it. But they love programs that makes it feel like they're hacking (torrenting, VLC, minimal writing programs)

Friend/Family Member Who was Told to Check this Out

• Was at a gathering where someone they trusted started gushing about Scuttlebutt. Was given a link to scuttlebutt.nz to learn more, and decided on a whim to check it out.
• Don't necessarily need to know how it all works, or why they would want to use it. They've already decided to try it for the main reason that their family is on it.
• Understanding how to get on and send a message to their loved one simply will be important. And some basic navigation of the system.
• At the same time, they may appreciate reading more of the context and history of this system. If they are wanting to get onto this weird system to connect with their loved one, they likely are also into being able to talk about this thing their lvoed one is into. Providing accessible guides into basic internet theory and the decisions behind Scuttlebutt could help.

Solarpunk looking for a home

• Solarpunk is a rising genre that self-describes its origins as a tumblr post. For many Solarpunk fans, it is right now more of an idea for a thing than a thing itself. Solarpunk describes an optimistic future where humans live in better harmony with nature and with one another through the smart use of technology.
• An aspect of solarpunk fandom is sharing real life solarpunk places. Eco-villages in Singapore or the Arcosanti in Arizona. They also like new technologies that seem to point towards this Solarpunk future.
• Scuttlebutt is actually Solarpunk, in all major senses of the word. It is a protocol written on solar power, and a community filled with people living solarpunk lives.
• It can act as a community for folks tired of looking at tumblr art and wanting something else, or who had just read an awesome brazilian solarpunk sci-fi and seeing what other things within this genre they can find.
• This persona is looking for a solarpunk, off-grid community and through that finds solarpunk, off-grid technology.

Nice Person who is unsafe on standard social media

• A marginalized person who faces regular harrassment, stalking, personal attacks, and physical threats online. Through this has become rightfully exhausted and wary of social media.
• Their experience online likely reflects a similar, and potentially more dangerous, experience in the greater world. Because of this, safe community is a necessary survival tool.
• Knows that underlying technical structures within the standard social media engenders and powers abuse, and perhaps has been vocal to the developers of these sites about it. Or has built ways within the sites to help counteract these structural hazards. This work is exhausting though, and can make one feel powerless. And has begun to look for alternate online platforms for communities.
• Because caution is also a necessary survival tool, will likely find scuttlebutt through word of mouth from within their community. Will then want to get onto the system simply, find their home quickly, and know they have the tools for safety.
• (I am saying 'nice person' to mean "not a hateful, fascist, transphobic, racist, sexist asshole". The latter person may also feel unsafe on standard social media, and look for alternate models. I would want these folks to know they are not welcome in our community, without signalling our community as a place to attack.)

Artist looking for a Platform, burnt out on Social Media

• the degrading and devaluing aspects of social media has wrecked this person, and made doing their art feel unfun. At the same time, knows that social media nd self-promotion is a necessary evil of the modern day.
• Is curious about other models, and perhaps new platforms where they can still share the thigns they've made without feeling massively depressed afterwards.
• Will be looking for a receptive audience, but may not have defined what that means yet. Will also be looking for a supportive community of other artists.
• Fully understand the effects that social media has on culture, but is not available to build up the new tools themselves. But knows awesome ways to make the most of their tools.
• In many cases, reaching this persona will require new clients (ones that are more visual focused, for example, or have music sharing and streaming as part of it)

Snowden is a Patriot. Are you on Signal?

• Is aware of the terrible privacy issues and security issues of the world today, and the frightening power large companies have on us--as well as the creeping power of the gov't through increased surveillance.
• Is aware of this on a broad level, but may not understand the best way to respond. Knows of the existence of TOR, but thinks of it as a place to buy drugs only. May talk of how cool it'd be to have an onion site, but no knowledge of how tos tart it.
• Has security concerns, and wishes to have better words to express them and tools to fight them. Will be drawn to SSB because of it seeming privacy, the end to end encryption, and as a potential new way to talk to friends securely.
• Will want to host a pub right away, and also ask why pubs are needed. Will be asking technical questions about the broad security model mostly because they are excited that this may be the thing they'd been looking for (but don't fully understand what this thing is)