SaySo, a new short-form video application from Caliber, launched for iOS users in the United States and Canada this month, offering a curated news experience. The platform seeks to counter the rising tide of misinformation and AI-generated content that has eroded user trust across established social media platforms. "We wanted to build a new breed of news product that helped people, rather than add to the familiar overwhelm so many of us experience," said Ramin Beheshti, SaySo's CEO and co-founder.
SaySo, developed by Caliber—formerly known as The News Movement—entered the market following a private beta period that began last November. This launch represents a strategic shift for the company, which rebranded in 2025 to concentrate specifically on social, short-form journalism. The app's core proposition centers on delivering a personalized news feed, a direct response to widespread user complaints about the quality and reliability of information found on platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube.
The challenge SaySo addresses is substantial. User confidence in news disseminated through major social media channels has steadily declined. Reports of misleading information and algorithmically generated content, often termed "AI slop," have become commonplace.
This problem is not new. Worries about the trustworthiness of digital information have intensified, particularly in light of ongoing legal actions against Meta related to the alleged harm to young users and persistent questions surrounding the ownership structure of the American operations of TikTok. Here is the number that matters: a Pew Research study from last October indicated that only 56% of U.S. adults expressed a lot or some trust in national news media.
This figure suggests a broader skepticism extending beyond social feeds to traditional outlets. SaySo aims to carve out a niche by directly tackling this deficit of confidence. The app distinguishes itself through a more deliberate and personalized news delivery system, designed to move away from the infinite scroll model that characterizes many competitor platforms.
This is a bold claim in a crowded field. One of SaySo’s primary features, the Daily Digest, exemplifies this approach. Upon creating a user profile, individuals can select specific topics of interest, ranging from politics and social issues to public health and crime.
The app then curates a distinct set of videos tailored to those preferences, refreshing this selection every 20 hours. This mechanism provides users with a structured, finite news update rather than an overwhelming stream. For those wishing to explore beyond their chosen categories, an Explore page offers additional content from a diverse array of creators.
Beyond content curation, SaySo integrates several standard social media functionalities. Users can follow other accounts, express approval through likes, save content for later viewing, post comments, and share videos with others. The platform's creators have emphasized a critical difference: the mandatory inclusion of information sources directly within videos.
This requirement is a deliberate effort to foster transparency and build user trust, a component often absent from less regulated platforms. Dion Bailey, SaySo's co-founder and CTO, explained the process. "Content doesn’t auto-publish," Bailey told TechCrunch. "Everything goes through a moderation queue, so most problems are caught before they reach readers. If something slips through and gets flagged, we investigate, address it directly with the creator, and take it down if it crosses the line."
This moderation framework combines both human oversight and artificial intelligence, coupled with source validation protocols, to maintain content integrity. The goal is to establish a higher bar for accuracy than what typically exists on general-purpose social media. SaySo is also developing a "community notes" feature, a crowdsourced fact-checking mechanism.
This system, similar to those seen on X and TikTok, will allow users to contribute to the accountability process by flagging or adding context to content they deem questionable. This approach attempts to leverage collective intelligence in the fight against misinformation. At its launch, SaySo onboarded approximately 30 content creators.
These individuals represent a spectrum of journalistic and analytical backgrounds. Nico Agosta, for instance, gained recognition for his "Stocking the Capitol" video series, which delves into the financial activities of U.S. Congress members.
Dr. Victoria contributes content focused on racial justice and social change, while Isabel Ravenna brings experience as an independent journalist, having published work in outlets like National Geographic. These early creator partnerships are essential for establishing the platform's content quality and thematic breadth.
The market is telling you something. Listen: good content attracts users, and good users attract more good content. Regarding creator compensation, Ramin Beheshti indicated that many initial contributors joined as "founding partners" and receive a stipend from the outset.
He stated that the company plans to build out a full monetization infrastructure in the coming months, with the "vast majority" of future revenue flowing directly to creators. Beheshti did not provide specific details on the planned monetization models or the exact revenue split, leaving some questions about the long-term financial viability for creators. His previous role as chief product and tech officer at Dow Jones suggests a familiarity with traditional media economics and digital content strategies, which could inform SaySo's future approach.
Strip away the noise and the story is simpler than it looks: SaySo is betting on the idea that users are hungry for reliable information and are willing to engage with a platform that prioritizes curation and verification. The company's vision, as articulated by Beheshti, centers on building a "new breed of news product" that alleviates the "familiar overwhelm" associated with current media consumption. This vision connects with a growing segment of the population that feels fatigued by the sheer volume and often dubious quality of information available online.
The platform's success will hinge on its ability to consistently deliver on this promise. The broader significance of SaySo’s entry into the market extends beyond just another app launch. It reflects a critical juncture in the evolution of digital journalism and media consumption.
As traditional news models grapple with declining trust and revenue, and social media platforms struggle with content moderation and ethical responsibilities, new solutions are emerging. SaySo represents one such attempt to redefine the relationship between content creators, platforms, and news consumers. Its focus on independent journalists and vetted creators could provide a new avenue for professional journalism to thrive outside the constraints of legacy media organizations or the free-for-all environment of larger social networks.
This could have implications for how information is funded and disseminated globally. Key Takeaways: - SaySo, a new short-form video app, launched to offer curated news and combat misinformation. - The platform emphasizes human and AI moderation, along with mandatory source attribution in videos. - SaySo aims to differentiate itself from traditional social media by providing a more intentional, personalized news experience. - Initial creators include independent journalists and content creators focused on specific niches like financial dealings of politicians or social justice. Looking ahead, SaySo plans to expand its reach beyond North America.
The company intends to launch the app in the United Kingdom during the summer months of this year. Further expansion into additional international markets is projected throughout 2026 and 2027. Developers will also focus on fully implementing the creator monetization infrastructure and rolling out the community notes feature, which will allow users to participate in content verification.
Observers will watch closely to see if SaySo can sustain its content quality and attract a substantial user base in an increasingly fragmented and skeptical news landscape.
Key Takeaways
— - SaySo, a new short-form video app, launched to offer curated news and combat misinformation.
— - The platform emphasizes human and AI moderation, along with mandatory source attribution in videos.
— - SaySo aims to differentiate itself from traditional social media by providing a more intentional, personalized news experience.
— - Initial creators include independent journalists and content creators focused on specific niches like financial dealings of politicians or social justice.
Source: TechCrunch