One of the purposes of social media is to help people easily make connections online. However, many people have experienced a time when they felt disconnected from their followers.

The void of intimacy was frustrating for John York to keep watching across social platforms, driving him to want to create one himself. The tech founder went on to team up with John McAdory, Terry Johnson, and Richard Berryman to launch Frequency People, a community-based social platform that encourages users to build engaging networks.

After launching in 2017, the app crossed major milestones such as raising capital but an internal legal battle as well as the drastic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic created a detour on the team’s path.

In an interview with AfroTech, York shared how Frequency People was able to bounce back after losing it all, what sets the app apart from fellow social media platforms, and its plans to tap into the power of AI.

Editorial Note: Portions of this interview have been edited for clarity and length.

John York

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