Cross-country skis to donate, an announcement from the town hall, a call for donations from the local food bank and a lost cat: Every morning in her suburban American home, Jody (who didn't provide her real name) scrolls through her neighbors' posts on the screen of her old PC, on a rather archaic-looking website.

Welcome to Front Porch Forum, a social media platform that exists only in Vermont, a rural state in the northeastern United States with a population of around 642,000. Unlike Facebook, Instagram or X, it only shows posts from the neighborhood or town where you live. And it works: Front Porch Forum claims 240,000 active users – almost half of the adult population. These numbers are comparable to those of major social media platforms: The Pew Research Center estimates that 68% of US adults have used Facebook, 47% Instagram and 33% TikTok.

"I watch it every day," said Jody from the warmth of her living room. For the woman in her 60s, who lives alone with her two cats in Montpelier, Vermont's small capital (it has a population of just 8,000), Front Porch Forum is a valuable way to meet new people. "I've had coffees to talk about municipal politics, and I've found new members for my bridge club," said the retiree.

A minimalist network

Compared to a classic social media site, Front Porch Forum, with its green and orange colors, appears minimalist. There are very few images, no videos and no profile photos, just a series of posts with the author's full name and street of residence. "We're very cautious before adding new features," said Michael Wood-Lewis, a man in his 50s with thick glasses.

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