How it works
From one thing you actually believe, to a sentence two people across the divide both stand behind.
We are not open yet. This is how it will work when we are. Pre-register and we will email you when it opens.
Say where you stand
Set your leaning in your own words, and write a conviction: one issue, what you believe about it, and why. Speak in the first person. This is not your side’s position, it is yours, and experience counts for more than argument.
This is how we learn what you care about. We use the issue you chose to find a good introduction. The privacy page explains what is processed and how.
Meet someone across the divide
We look for one person who places themselves somewhere other than you do, but who wrote about the same issue, and we tell you why we think you should talk. We only ever introduce you across that line, never to someone who already agrees with you.
You decide who to say hello to. They decide whether to accept. Until they do, you cannot send anything else.
Have a real conversation
Conversations are private and one on one. Talk about what you believe, what you have lived through, and where you still disagree. Either of you can end the conversation, block the other person or report a problem at any time.
Write down what you share
Once you have both said a few things, either of you can write one sentence that you think you both believe. The other person then says yes or not quite. If they say not quite, write it again until it is true for both of you.
A confirmed sentence goes on the public Common Ground page, with your two leanings and without your names. Either of you can take it back whenever you like.
What the software does and does not do
The first version makes introductions with plain rules: a different leaning and a shared issue. If AI is added later, it will help make the introduction and do nothing else. Software does not take part in your conversation, and it does not write or choose what goes on the Common Ground page. Your private messages are not sent to any AI service.
Questions
Do I have to pick a party?
No. You describe where you stand from a short list of leanings. You are introduced across that line, not sorted into a team.
Who can read my conversations?
Only the two of you. If one of you reports a conversation, a moderator can read that conversation to decide what to do. Moderators cannot read it otherwise.
Do I have to agree with the person I talk to?
Not at all. You will disagree about plenty, and that is the point. The only thing you ever write down together is what you genuinely share. Trying to win the other person over is the one thing that is not welcome.
What if I do not want to talk to someone?
Say no thank you. They will not be able to ask again, and you do not have to explain.