In an email sent out to Ello member Thursday, the company makes clear it’s intention to never serve ads on Ello. It also says that Ello has converted to a Public Benefit Corporation (PBC). In it’s new PBC charter, Ello states the following:
- Ello shall never make money from selling ads;
- Ello shall never make money from selling user data; and
- In the event that Ello is ever sold, the new owners will have to comply by these terms.
They go on to say “In other words, Ello exists for your benefit, not just to make money.”
“There has been some speculation in the press since our launch eleven weeks ago
that Ello will someday be forced to allow paid advertising on its network.”
If anyone doubted Ello’s commitment to creating and maintaining an ad-free secure social network, they might not anymore.