Report: Choosing the Right Communication Platform for Grassroots Knowledge Sharing, Coordination and Mobilisation.

compiled for the Cyprus Regenerative Agriculture Movement,
by NLnet’s Next Generation Internet Zero Regional Representation for Cyprus,
supported by the European Commission.

Report: Choosing the Right Communication Platform for Communities of Coordination, Mobilisation, and Knowledge Sharing

Introduction
Communities engaged in grassroots organising, knowledge-sharing, or mutual aid require communication tools that go beyond social interaction. They need reliable, values-aligned infrastructure for coordinating efforts, mobilising participants, and preserving knowledge. While Facebook is often the default due to its reach and convenience, it is designed to serve its own ends rather than ours, and it undermines the long-term sovereignty and integrity of these efforts. This report surveys alternatives, with a focus on Free/Libre and Open Source Software (FLOSS) tools that uphold privacy, decentralisation, and sustainability.

Why Not Facebook?

• Surveillance capitalism: Facebook monetises user data, including behaviour within private groups.
• Distraction-prone: Its algorithmic design prioritises engagement over focus and collaboration.
• Lack of autonomy: Communities do not control how their spaces function, change, or disappear.
• No interoperability: Facebook operates as a walled garden, preventing integration with other systems.

FLOSS Alternatives Overview

1. Signal
   • Pros:
     • End-to-end encryption by default.
     • Mobile-friendly and familiar interface.
     • Excellent for real-time coordination and urgent alerts.
   • Cons:
     • Poor support for structured discussion or archiving.
     • Requires a phone number (potential barrier).
     • Centralised infrastructure with no federation.
       
2. Element (Matrix Protocol)
   • Pros:
     • FLOSS and decentralised by design.
     • Excellent for long-term discussion, topic threads, and resource sharing.
     • Interoperable with other platforms (e.g., Telegram, IRC, Signal).
     • Can be self-hosted or used via community-run servers.
   • Cons:
     • Steeper learning curve.
     • Risk of data loss without proper key backup and session verification.
       
3. Other FLOSS Options
   • Rocket.Chat / Mattermost / Zulip: Strong options for working groups needing channel-based collaboration.
   • Discourse: Ideal for asynchronous dialogue and archiving knowledge in a structured forum format.
   • Mobilizon: FLOSS alternative to Facebook Events; ideal for public event coordination.
   • Save App by OpenArchive: A secure mobile tool for field documentation and decentralised media archiving, even offline.
   • Briar: Peer-to-peer encrypted messaging for Android, functioning without servers or internet, using Bluetooth/Wi-Fi.

Tools for Sensitive or Offline Contexts
For cases where security, anonymity, or lack of connectivity are central—such as field environments, repression contexts, or rural organising—tools like Save App by OpenArchive and Briar offer essential functionality. Save enables offline media capture and secure peer-to-peer uploading to self-hosted servers. Briar supports fully serverless, encrypted messaging without phone numbers or mobile data. While not suitable for large-scale coordination, they are invaluable in sensitive or autonomous scenarios.

Comparison Table

Platform	Sync & Chat	Privacy	FLOSS	Archiving	Mobilisation	Ease of Use	Phone #	User Lock-in	Data Extraction	Hosting Availability
Facebook	Yes	❌ No	❌ No	Poor	✅ Good	✅ Easy	No	High	High	Hosted only by Meta (not community-controlled)
Signal	Yes	✅ Strong	🟡 Partial*	Poor	✅ Very Good	✅ Very Easy	Yes	Medium	Low	Hosted by Signal Foundation only
Element	Yes	✅ Strong	✅ Yes	✅ Excellent	✅ Good	◼︎ Moderate	No	Low	Very Low	Free public instances available (e.g. matrix.org) or self-hosted
Rocket.Chat	Yes	✅ Strong	✅ Yes	✅ Good	✅ Good	◼︎ Moderate	No	Low	Very Low	Requires self-hosting or commercial hosting plans
Discourse	No (async)	✅ Strong	✅ Yes	✅ Excellent	◼︎ Fair	◼︎ Moderate	No	Low	Low	Requires self-hosting or paid hosting via discourse.org
Mobilizon	No (events)	✅ Strong	✅ Yes	–	✅ Excellent	✅ Easy	No	Low	Very Low	Free public instances available or self-hosted
Save App	No (archival)	✅ Strong	✅ Yes	✅ Excellent	◼︎ Indirect	✅ Easy	No	Low	Very Low	No hosting needed; works standalone or with optional self-hosted backend
Briar	Yes (P2P)	✅ Strong	✅ Yes	Poor	◼︎ Limited	◼︎ Moderate	No	Low	Very Low	Fully peer-to-peer; no hosting required

(*Signal is FLOSS on the client side, but the server is not fully open.)

Recommendations

• Fast alerts and mobile coordination: A Signal group is quick to deploy and ideal for urgent scenarios.
• Long-term organising: An Element space supports structured dialogue and integration.
• Knowledge archiving: Discourse provides thematic structure and searchability.
• Event coordination: Mobilizon is a privacy-respecting alternative to Facebook Events.
• Field documentation: Save App and Briar offer secure and offline-ready tools.

Conclusion
Communities working toward justice, care, and regeneration need digital tools aligned with their values. FLOSS platforms like Element, Discourse, Mobilizon, Save, and Briar offer the infrastructure for collaboration that protects privacy, fosters autonomy, and builds collective memory. While commercial platforms may persist during transitional periods, the long-term goal must be to reclaim our digital spaces.

Next Steps

• Launch a Signal group for immediate contact.
• Set up an Element space for structured communication.
• Host a Discourse forum for shared knowledge.
• Use Mobilizon for event invitations and public announcements.
• Deploy Save and Briar in sensitive or offline-prone contexts.
• Begin with dual-posting strategies, inviting members to experiment with new tools.