SaySo is a new short-form video app that aims to restore users’ trust in news

As social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube dominate the landscape for news consumption, users are expressing growing concerns about the prevalence of misinformation and low-quality content infiltrating their feeds. This mistrust is exacerbated by ongoing lawsuits against Meta concerning their impact on youth and the complexities surrounding TikTok's ownership in the U.S. A recent Pew Research study revealed that only 56% of U.S. adults hold significant trust in national news media, highlighting a critical gap that needs addressing. Enter SaySo, a new short-form video application aimed at restoring faith in news by providing curated content from vetted creators and independent journalists. After a private beta that began in November, SaySo officially launched for iOS users in the U.S. and Canada this month. What sets SaySo apart is its commitment to delivering a more purposeful and personalized news experience, steering clear of the endless scrolling typical of other platforms. One of the app's notable features, Daily Digest, allows users to tailor their profiles by selecting topics of interest such as politics, social issues, public health, or crime. The app then curates a fresh set of videos for users every day, updating every 20 hours. For those looking to explore a wider array of subjects, the Explore page offers additional content from various creators. SaySo incorporates familiar social features, including the ability to follow other users, like, save, comment, and share content. A key element of SaySo’s approach is its requirement for creators to cite their sources directly within their videos, fostering a stronger sense of trust among users. Combining human oversight with AI moderation, the app ensures content integrity through a stringent moderation process. "Content doesn’t auto-publish," co-founder and CTO Dion Bailey tells TechCrunch. "Everything goes through a moderation queue to catch most issues before they reach readers. If something does slip through and is flagged, we investigate and address it with the creator, removing it if necessary." Additionally, SaySo is planning to introduce a community notes feature that will enable users to engage in a crowdsourced fact-checking process, similar to initiatives seen on platforms like X and TikTok. At launch, SaySo has onboarded around 30 creators, including notable figures such as Nico Agosta, known for his investigative series on Congress members’ financial dealings. Other creators include Dr. Victoria, who discusses racial justice and social change, and Isabel Ravenna, an independent journalist with contributions to major outlets like National Geographic. On the topic of creator compensation, SaySo CEO and co-founder Ramin Beheshti mentions that many creators have joined as founding partners and are receiving stipends from the outset. The company plans to develop a comprehensive monetization structure in the upcoming months, with a promise that the majority of revenue will be directed to creators. Beheshti, previously chief product and tech officer at Dow Jones, emphasizes the mission behind SaySo, stating, "We aimed to create a new kind of news product that helps people, rather than contributing to the overwhelming noise many experience. This vision, coupled with insights gained from building Caliber, has led us to believe we’ve created something truly unique." Looking towards the future, SaySo is set to expand into the U.K. by summer and plans to continue its growth into new markets throughout 2027.