About roadbeat
We're building the social content platform we wish existed. Goal-driven. Transparent. European. Open source.
From feed-junkie back into the driver's seat
roadbeat envisions a world where:
- Users define their goals and receive precisely relevant content
- Content creators publish rich, structured information without algorithmic gatekeepers
- Communities form around shared objectives rather than viral outrage
- Data sovereignty remains with individuals and organizations
- European values of privacy, transparency, and user control are baked into the architecture
Content should serve the user's intentions, not the platform's engagement metrics.
road·beat
road = direction + purpose + many-to-many connection
beat = rhythm that keeps you on track together
A platform that aligns movement with momentum.
The problem is structural, not just political
Social media's problems aren't caused by any single company - they're caused by the format itself. Every platform - Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, even Mastodon - reduces all human communication to a flat "post." A press release looks the same as a meme. A job offer competes with a political rant.
When the computer can't tell content types apart, discovery becomes impossible without manipulation. The algorithm fills the gap - and optimizes for engagement, not your well-being.
roadbeat fixes the format. By structuring content into 100+ specific types with rich metadata, we make real discovery possible - without algorithms, without manipulation, without tracking.
This isn't about building a "better algorithm." It's about making algorithms unnecessary.
Who's behind roadbeat
Jens Hoppe
Founder & CTO
30 years of building content management systems, community software, and social networks - for clients like RTL, Siemens Mobility, McDonald's, and Goethe-Institut (500K-user social network). Based in Munich, Germany.
roadbeat e.V.
roadbeat is operated by roadbeat e.V., a registered German association (eingetragener Verein). This legal form was chosen deliberately:
Democratic structure, no single owner can sell or pivot the project
German legal entity with public registration and accountability
Non-profit orientation ensures the platform serves users, not investors
An association outlives any individual - the project continues
German law, European jurisdiction, GDPR compliance by default
The e.V. manages the open-source ecosystem (Schema Registry, governance, nodes). Commercial services (managed hosting, Pro licenses) are handled separately to fund development sustainably.
What we stand for
User sovereignty
Your data, your goals, your rules. We will never monetize user data.
Transparency
Every matching decision is explainable. Our code is open source. Our governance is public.
European values
Privacy by design. GDPR-native. EU-hosted. No surveillance capitalism.
Open source
The core platform is AGPL 3.0. Schemas are Apache 2.0. Documentation is CC BY 4.0.
Structured over flat
We believe content types are the key to meaningful discovery. One-size-fits-all posts are the root problem.
Calm over addictive
We measure success by goal completion, not time-on-screen. Sessions should end with satisfaction, not guilt.
Decentralized over centralized
No single point of control. Publishers host their own content. Multiple independent nodes.
Sustainable over extractive
Pro licenses and managed hosting fund development. No ads. No tracking. No VC-driven enshittification.
The roadbeat Manifesto
A vision for the European internet we deserve.