Short version:

SELF is different ultimately because, unlike the majority of the tech landscape, you are in control of your data and how it's used.

- If you use SELF to search for information, it doesn't return content to you that's biased by who has sponsored the key words you've used, unlike the most famous search engines. In contrast, SELF tailors results around what you want to see rather than what the platform has been paid to deliver to you.

- If you use SELF as an AI assistant, it doesn't feed your personal information into a Large Language Model that's out of your sight and control. In contrast, SELF ensures your information remains yours and any touch points to the web are fully anonymised so your privacy remains intact.

- If you use SELF as a memory bank, it doesn't aggregate your private data and package it up to sell to the highest bidder, like other platforms. In contrast, with SELF, you are the only person who controls your information, and if you choose for it to be used then it's your decision, nobody else's.

- If you tell SELF your preferences, it doesn't hide them from you so you can't access or edit them. In contrast, you have direct access and editing control of what your SELF knows about you.

Longer version:

Modern technology tends to sacrifice privacy and user sovereignty in order to monetise user data and control information flow. The data is sold to third parties that use it to promote addictive behaviour, increase consumption, and maintain filter bubbles, which ultimately leads to decreased well-being among users.

SELF (the System Effective Lifestyle Filter) is a personal and adaptive AI that streamlines your digital activities, saves you time and enhances productivity. SELF upholds the integrity of your data while fostering transformation and ensuring commercial responsibility and scalability.

Our six commitments at SELF are:

1. To make decisions that are in accordance with human rights.

2. To not cause or enable harm whilst upholding those rights.

3. To enable people to have control and ownership of their own data, and decide how it is used.

4. To be fully transparent in our practices so that people understand how we operate.

5. To uphold regulation and legislation in whatever territories we operate.

6. To not sacrifice any of our responsibilities in pursuing commercial gain.

This approach is unusual in the current technology landscape, however, we believe that the operating systems of the future will evolve in two main directions; either towards more centralised control, or towards decentralised, democratic, user-control.

Humanity is at a crossroads and everyone has a choice:

Should we continue to use centralised systems and contribute to the progression of ‘Big Tech’s’ ambition for power and dominance, where humans are data batteries and our rights are subjective?

Or should we choose operating systems that empower individuals to have ownership and control over their digital experiences and their data?

This will increasingly become a consequential choice as the capabilities of AI evolve and the data that platforms and their partners collect on us increases exponentially. You can read about why this matters in our manifesto.

To learn how to use SELF, check out the User Guide here. This will take you through all the steps to get started and make the most of SELF’s features.

During this beta phase there are a number of issues you may face. These are to be expected. Common issues include:

Issue: I didn't receive a verification code via email when signing up

Potential Resolution: As this is about your mail protection configuration, try adding info@self.app to your address book and/or mark as a 'safe sender'. If that doesn't work, or you don't want to change your mail protection configuration, please use a different email address.

Issue: SELF doesn't generate hyperlinks I can click on

Potential Resolution: Sometimes SELF doesn't realise you want a link, so try asking SELF specifically to send a link - for example, include "send me a web link" or similar, in your message.

Issue: SELF forgets information or gets confused

Potential Resolution: This is part of the beta improvement process so there's nothing to do here other than be patient with your SELF and perhaps message SELF in a different way.

‍Issue: I can't reset my password / my account isn't recognised

‍Potential Resolution: Almost always this is because you didn't enter your verification code when signing up.

If none of the above issues match yours, or the potential resolutions don't seem to work, please open a support ticket in the support channel in Discord: https://discord.gg/selfcommunity

We are offering the opportunity for you to earn $SELF tokens for every new person who signs up to SELF or upgrades their account. You can read about how our referral program works here and select it from the menu when logged into the platform.

You can read more about SELF and the sister project ENTIRETY in our documentation. Visit our Docs Portal to find comprehensive details about the project’s purpose and long term vision. Click here to view SELF’s roadmap.

You get logged out of SELF regularly for your own security. This helps reduce the risk of unauthorised access to your personal information

SELF filters web content by using advanced algorithms and user-defined preferences to tailor the digital experience. It prioritises content that aligns with your interests and needs while ensuring that your privacy and security are maintained. This personalised approach helps in delivering relevant and meaningful content to you.

$SELF will launch in early 2025. For more details on the token click here, or for the roadmap click here.

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Ethics TV is a video podcast discussing ethics in a digital world presented by SELF's Founder and CEO, Jonathan MacDonald.

Ethics TV on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/ethicstv
Ethics TV on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ethics-tv-with-jonathan-macdonald/id1779627552

SELF is free to use up to a limit, then you can upgrade to a higher tier. There is a free 7-day trial for each tier to see if it suits you. Click here for further information.

SELF was founded by the globally renowned thought-leader on ethical tech; Jonathan MacDonald. He is joined by a highly skilled team of experts and entrepreneurs including Rob McCardle (CTO), Justine Butler (Head of Operations), Tevi Tuakli (Community Relationships), Vanessa Vastag (Creative Director), a global developer team, and a deeply experienced advisory board.

SELF is designed with sovereignty and privacy in mind, no user data is ever shared with third parties. Additionally, SELF employs advanced security protocols and encryption to safeguard your data.

There are many upgrades coming soon that will enable integration with various tools and applications. All with the ambition of making your life easier, saving time and energy.

You can provide feedback or suggestions via this survey.

SELF supports multiple languages - feel free to use your preferred one.

SELF is a personal, adaptive filter and AI assistant that personalises your digital experiences on a secure, private platform, unlike traditional search engines that provide generic results. It focuses on delivering relevant content without ads or compromising your data while accessing the internet anonymously on your behalf.