I believe the future is all about filters (see previous post here: https://maclackey.com/the-future-is-about-filters/). As information becomes more social, cameras and smart phones become content creation devices, and bandwidth is ubiquitous, we have a problem: delivery of more content than we can reasonably consume.

On top of pure volume, the other issue is noise. As it becomes easier for people to contribute data to my stream, it is harder and harder to separate signal from noise, the things that are relevant from that which we deem junk.

Two critical parts of our filtered future are curation and relevance.

Curation

Curation is about selection. Curators need to help me discover things that I might find interesting, helpful, or engaging. In the social graph, my friends become curators. What products do they love? What movies have they enjoyed? What app do they recommend? If they curate for me, they are good filters.

Relevance

Relevance is very personal. Relevance is what matters to you. Well, designed software tools, websites, apps, or platforms offer you things you care about and discard things you probably don’t care to consume. They gather data from your stated preferences and from your friends. They consider your actions and activities, your contribution and consumption, and all together they deliver relevant data.

Curation and Relevance in my Startup

My newest startup (KYCK) is building a personalized soccer experience. Given soccer is the world’s largest sport and one of the biggest topics on earth (as well as the social networks), there is a lot of noise. To build something that is truly customized and personalized to the individual level, it is all about relevance. Our custom algorithims curate then listen and learn. The social platform we built allows users to collaborate on the creation, curation, and consumption of soccer content. Users therefore get the videos, pictures, news, and stories they care about… not a bunch of soccer noise. Social discovery with relevance!

The more time we have put into building this global platform for soccer, the more I realize I want filters for everything. Go filter options and ideas for vacations I may want to take. Find me great clothes. Offer me custom news feeds that learn.

I’m in need and ready… Let there be filters.