The Problem with Using Facebook for Organizing
Facebook is everywhere. Billions of people use it daily. So when a community wants to organize around an issue — whether it’s media reform, environmental protection, immigration policy, or local development — Facebook seems like the obvious choice.
But Facebook wasn’t designed for what you’re trying to do.
Facebook is designed to maximize engagement, sell advertising, and keep you scrolling. It’s optimized for personal connection and entertainment — not for deliberation, problem-solving, and collective action.
When you try to organize a serious civic effort on Facebook, you run into real problems.
The Facebook Problem
1. Conversations Disappear
On Facebook, important discussions get buried. A thoughtful comment on a post from yesterday is gone. A crucial insight from a community member is lost in the feed. There’s no way to organize conversations by topic, track them over time, or build on previous discussions.
Result: You’re constantly repeating yourself. Knowledge is lost. Progress is hard to see.
2. Algorithm Controls What You See
Facebook’s algorithm decides what appears in your feed — not you. Posts from your most active organizers might not reach members. Important announcements get buried. The algorithm prioritizes engagement (outrage, conflict) over substance.
Result: Your message doesn’t reach people who need to see it. Divisive content gets amplified. Serious work gets drowned out.
3. No Structure for Complex Problems
Facebook groups are flat. There’s no way to organize discussions by issue, track progress through stages, or document decisions. You can’t create workflows, assign tasks, or show accountability.
Result: Organizing becomes chaotic. It’s hard to move from “we have a problem” to “here’s our solution” to “here’s how we’re holding power accountable.”
4. Privacy & Security Concerns
Facebook collects extensive data on users and their activities. Conversations are stored on Facebook’s servers. If you’re organizing around sensitive topics — especially in countries with authoritarian governments — Facebook is a liability.
Result: Vulnerable communities can’t organize safely. Activists in high-risk contexts are exposed.
5. No Ownership or Control
Facebook owns your data, your community, and your conversations. If Facebook changes its policies, shuts down your group, or gets hacked, you lose everything. You have no control.
Result: You’re building on someone else’s platform. Your work is at their mercy.
6. Designed for Consumption, Not Collaboration
Facebook is built for passive consumption — scrolling, liking, reacting. It’s not designed for serious collaborative work. There’s no way to co-author documents, build shared solutions, or create institutional memory.
Result: Real work happens elsewhere (email, Google Docs, Slack). Facebook becomes just another notification.
What You Actually Need
When you’re organizing around a public issue, you need:
✅ Structured Conversations — Organized by topic, searchable, archived
✅ Deliberation Tools — Space for serious dialogue, not just reactions
✅ Documentation — A permanent record of decisions and solutions
✅ Accountability Tracking — Visibility into who’s doing what and why
✅ Privacy & Security — Safe spaces for sensitive organizing
✅ Ownership & Control — Your community, your data, your rules
✅ Accessibility — Works for people with different abilities, devices, contexts
✅ Collaboration — Tools to work together, not just comment
Facebook provides none of these.
America’s Plan provides all of them.
Introducing America’s Plan: A Platform Built for Civic Engagement
America’s Plan is a collaborative hub designed specifically for ordinary people to organize, map problems, and design solutions together around the issues that affect them.
It’s not a social network. It’s not designed to maximize engagement or sell advertising. It’s designed to help you do real work.
How America’s Plan Works
1. Structured Deliberation Forum
Instead of a flat Facebook feed, America’s Plan uses a deliberation forum where conversations are organized by issue, searchable, and archived permanently.
What this means:
- Discussions stay organized and easy to find
- You can follow a conversation from start to finish
- New members can catch up on previous discussions
- Nothing gets lost in the noise
Example: A community organizing around media reform can have dedicated threads for:
- Problem mapping (what’s wrong with current media landscape?)
- Solution design (what would better look like?)
- Strategy (how do we make it happen?)
- Accountability (who’s responsible for what?)
Each thread builds on the last. Progress is visible.
2. Digital Commons: Documentation & Knowledge Base
America’s Plan includes a digital commons (wiki) where solutions, decisions, and institutional knowledge are documented permanently.
What this means:
- Solutions you design are preserved and searchable
- Future organizers can learn from your work
- Accountability is built in (decisions are documented, not forgotten)
- Your work contributes to a living policy platform
Example: A group working on immigration policy documents:
- The problem they identified
- The solution they designed
- The evidence they gathered
- The stakeholders they engaged
- The policy recommendations they developed
This becomes a permanent resource for other communities, policymakers, and researchers.
3. Secure Organizing Channels
For sensitive topics or high-risk contexts, America’s Plan integrates encrypted messaging (Telegram, Signal, WhatsApp) for private coordination.
What this means:
- Activists in authoritarian countries can organize safely
- Vulnerable communities can protect their privacy
- Sensitive discussions happen off-platform
- Public deliberation and private organizing work together
Example: A group organizing around LGBTQ+ rights in a hostile context can:
- Use encrypted channels for sensitive coordination
- Use the public forum for broader awareness-building
- Move conversations to the commons once it’s safe to document them
4. Issue Hubs: One-Stop Organizing
Each issue (media reform, AI policy, immigration, climate, etc.) has its own issue hub — a central place where:
- The problem is mapped
- Solutions are designed
- Stakeholders are engaged
- Progress is tracked
- Accountability is visible
What this means:
- Everything related to an issue is in one place
- New people can quickly understand the work
- Progress is visible to everyone
- You can see who’s involved and what they’re doing
5. Accessibility & Inclusivity
America’s Plan is designed to be accessible to:
- People with disabilities (screen readers, keyboard navigation, alt text)
- People with limited internet (works on slow connections)
- People in countries with censorship (encrypted options available)
- People with limited tech skills (intuitive, easy-to-use interface)
- People with different languages (multilingual support planned)
What this means:
- You can organize with people who might be excluded from Facebook
- Your movement is more inclusive and representative
- Vulnerable communities can participate safely
6. Owned by the Community, Not a Corporation
America’s Plan is (on track to becoming) a nonprofit organization, not a for-profit company. It’s governed by a board, accountable to the public, and designed to serve the mission — not maximize profit.
What this means:
- Your data belongs to you, not a corporation
- The platform won’t suddenly change its policies for profit
- You have a voice in how the platform evolves
- Your work is protected
A Concrete Example: Media Reform Organizing
On Facebook:
- Create a group: “Media Reform Now”
- Post updates and links
- Members comment and react
- Important discussions get buried
- New members have no idea what’s been discussed
- No way to track progress or show accountability
- Facebook owns the data; you have no control
- If Facebook shuts down the group, everything is lost
Result: Lots of activity, but little progress. Work is scattered. Institutional memory is lost.
On America’s Plan:
- Create an Issue Hub for “Media Reform”
- Map the problem in the deliberation forum
- What’s wrong with current media landscape?
- Who controls media ownership?
- What are the consequences?
- Design solutions collaboratively
- What would better media look like?
- What policies would help?
- Who needs to be involved?
- Engage stakeholders
- Journalists, media experts, affected communities
- Policymakers and legislators
- Other organizations working on related issues
- Document everything in the digital commons
- Problem analysis
- Solution proposals
- Evidence and research
- Stakeholder input
- Track accountability
- Who committed to what?
- What’s the timeline?
- How do we measure progress?
- Build over time
- New members can catch up on previous work
- Solutions improve as you learn
- Work contributes to a living policy platform
- Other communities can learn from your experience
Result: Organized, documented, accountable work. Progress is visible. Knowledge is preserved. Impact is measurable.
Why This Matters
For Organizers
You get tools designed for your actual work — not tools designed to sell advertising. You can organize effectively, track progress, and build institutional memory.
For Communities
You can participate safely, even in high-risk contexts. Your voice is heard, not buried by an algorithm. You have ownership of your work.
For Impact
Your solutions are documented and preserved. Other communities can learn from your work. Your organizing contributes to a broader movement for change.
For Democracy
America’s Plan embodies the values it advocates for: ordinary people organizing, collaborating, and holding power accountable. It’s not controlled by a corporation. It’s built for the public good.
The Choice
Facebook is a social network. It’s great for staying connected with friends, sharing photos, and casual conversation.
America’s Plan is a civic engagement platform. It’s designed for serious organizing, collaborative problem-solving, and democratic participation.
If you’re trying to solve a public issue, organize a community, or hold power accountable — America’s Plan is the platform built for that.
Ready to Get Started?
Join an Existing Issue Hub
Browse active issue hubs and join conversations around topics you care about:
- Media reform and journalism
- AI policy and data rights
- Immigration and refugee policy
- Environmental protection
- Healthcare access
- Education policy
- And more…
Start Your Own Issue Hub
Have an issue you want to organize around? Create a new hub and invite others to collaborate.
Learn More
Explore the platform, read case studies, and see how communities are using America’s Plan to drive real change.
Questions?
Is America’s Plan free?
Yes. America’s Plan is a nonprofit platform. There are no fees to use it.
Is my data safe?
Yes. America’s Plan is (on track to becoming) a nonprofit, not a for-profit company. Your data is protected and not sold to advertisers.
Can I organize around sensitive topics?
Yes. America’s Plan includes encrypted channels for sensitive organizing, and is designed with privacy and security in mind.
How is America’s Plan different from other platforms?
America’s Plan is specifically designed for civic engagement and collective problem-solving. It combines deliberation forums, documentation commons, secure channels, and accountability tracking — all in one integrated platform.
What if I’m not tech-savvy?
America’s Plan is designed to be intuitive and accessible. We provide tutorials, support, and a helpful community to get you started.
Stop organizing on a platform designed for scrolling. Start organizing on a platform designed for change.
Welcome to America’s Plan.