Addressing Falsehoods and Concerns Regarding Spoutible

Introduction: The purpose of this statement is to clarify and address certain falsehoods that have been disseminated on Twitter by individuals attempting to hinder the growth of Spoutible. We aim to alleviate any concerns that current or prospective users may have regarding our platform.

1. Falsehood: Spoutible runs on $89 code.

Clarification: While Spoutible's frontend does utilize readily available code, it is important to note that our backend code is entirely custom-built. Given the immense volume of daily requests that Spoutible receives, relying on off-the-shelf backend code would be virtually impossible to handle such traffic. Furthermore, we have been gradually transitioning our frontend code to VUE.JS Single-Page Application (SPA), which significantly differs from the off-the-shelf code initially employed during our launch.

2. Falsehood: There is no development happening.

Clarification: Since December 2022, we have dedicated over 1000 hours to development efforts, constantly working to enhance our platform. We strive to introduce new features, exclusive to Spoutible, every few days. Spoutible remains an active project with ongoing development initiatives.

3. Falsehood: Spoutible experienced a data breach.

Clarification: Spoutible has never encountered a data breach. Following our launch, Fareesh Vijayarangam, the co-founder/CTO of Mentza and It's Alive, made false claims suggesting he had unauthorized access to thousands of our users' email addresses via one of our API endpoints. However, Fareesh's assertions were baseless, and he fabricated this falsehood to discourage users from joining Spoutible. No evidence was ever provided to support his claim of accessing 1000s of users' data, and our server logs contradict his unfounded statements.

We did identify an inactive API endpoint that had the potential for abuse. Promptly after its discovery, we took immediate action to secure the API within one hour.

Note on Security: We do not assert that Spoutible is impervious to hacking attempts, and we acknowledge that given enough time and determination, any platform can be compromised. However, we are steadfast in our commitment to ensuring a safe and secure environment for our users. Consequently, we continuously work towards enhancing our security measures, aiming to improve and fortify the protection of user data.

4. Falsehood: Spoutible is anti-sex workers.

Clarification: Prior to its launch, the Spoutible community extensively engaged in voting processes to establish policies and regulations. The overwhelming consensus among the Spoutible community was to prohibit the presence of sexually explicit content on the platform. While sex workers are not barred from utilizing the platform, they are required to adhere to the guidelines stipulating that their content must not contain sexually explicit material.


Note on Sexually explicit material: Sexually explicit material refers to the visual representation, whether real or simulated, of explicit sexual activities such as sexual intercourse, oral sex, or masturbation. It is important to note that sexually explicit material specifically excludes content of a news or informational nature. Publications that focus on research or provide opinions regarding sexual, health, or reproductive matters are permitted.

5. Falsehood: Romance novelists are prohibited from sharing their content.

At Spoutible, we embrace an inclusive approach that encourages individuals from diverse backgrounds to share their creative content on our platform. We take pride in providing a space where individuals can freely express their ideas and interests within the Spoutible community.

It is important to note that Spoutible does not have any specific policy in place that restricts romance novelists from sharing their literary works on our platform. As a result, romance novelists are currently actively participating in our community, sharing their captivating stories without encountering any impediments or obstacles.

We believe in fostering a vibrant and diverse ecosystem where creators from all genres, including romance novelists, can connect with an engaged audience and showcase their unique talents. Our platform welcomes a broad range of content, catering to the diverse preferences and interests of our user base.

Should you be a romance novelist seeking to share your work on Spoutible, we encourage you to join our community and share your literary creations with our ever-growing audience. Our platform offers a supportive environment for you to engage with like-minded individuals who appreciate and enjoy the romance genre.

Conclusion: We hope this detailed response addresses the concerns raised and clarifies any misconceptions surrounding Spoutible. We remain dedicated to fostering the growth of our platform while upholding our commitment to user safety and security.