Introducing ‘Hedgehog’: A Platform Fostering Genuine Conversations and Community Engagement

By Brian k. Neal

Introducing Hedgehog, a groundbreaking platform meticulously developed over two years to tackle the complexities of contemporary discourse. Employing an innovative AI-driven framework, Hedgehog aims to foster dialogue and civil debate amidst today’s challenges in information sharing.

With the motto “Real Conversations, Real Community,” Hedgehog is designed to enable users to consume news without inherent biases, engage in constructive debates with the rational segment of society, and express their genuine selves.

Founder and CEO of Hedgehog, John Matze, envisions the platform as a haven for meaningful discourse, stating, “We want Americans to have a place where meaningful discourse is possible.” Hedgehog entrusts the community with the reins, fostering productive discussions emanating from respectful individuals engaging thoughtfully with current events.

Matze, along with co-founder Jared Thomson and their executive team, brings their expertise from their prior venture, Parler, one of the world’s fastest-growing social networking apps. With Hedgehog, they aspire to transcend the negativity prevalent in online spaces, striving to cultivate a space for genuine, inclusive dialogue.

Hedgehog will offer three tiers of access: Viewers, Members, and Contributors. Viewers can freely peruse news headlines and community posts. Members, invited to the platform, can create Topics of Conversation, comment in chatrooms, and engage with posts. Contributors, subscribing to a monthly fee, will unlock advanced features such as posting in the Feed, accessing AI tools, managing conversations, analyzing engagement data, and assuming leadership roles.

Backed by a proprietary moderation system enhanced by AI, Hedgehog empowers the community to promote positive discourse and weed out detrimental behavior. Users accumulate Respect points, collectively wielding them to deter hateful and unproductive conduct. Notably, even paying contributors risk losing platform access if found engaging in uncivil behavior.