What’s my problem?

Facebook, X, Google News, Apple News, Flipboard, TikTok, Instagram, YouTube… Most people I know use these platforms to stay informed.

Personally, I’ve never been able to get into it 😒.

It’s not that I’m stubborn—I’ve tried it more than once. But I just never got hooked, and I think it can be summed up as follows:

1. Fragmentation: Jumping between 5 different platforms to get my news is fundamentally annoying. The news is inconsistent, redundant, and I feel like I’m wasting time (and it’s not just a feeling).
2. Algorithmification of information (I don’t know if that’s a word, but I don’t care—this is my blog 😛. You get the point right?). I really dislike the idea of being manipulated, especially since mass manipulation scandals are everywhere. I’d say it all started with Cambridge Analytica, and since then, it’s been a party 🎉. For example, Elon Musk is pretty busy with X right now, or there’s the recent news about TikTok potentially being banned in the US, revealing the power games at play… I’m not even mentioning their business model, which revolves around keeping me hooked to stuff me with ads so they can make money.

This doesn’t work for me at all.

So, what do you do dude ?

I’ve been using RSS feeds since around 2010, I think (I know, I’m old). For those who don’t know, I’ll let my friend ChatGPT explain (better than I could) what RSS is all about:

An RSS feed is a simple way to keep up with updates on a website without visiting it. You subscribe to the feed using a special app (RSS reader), and it automatically shows you new articles or updates as soon as they’re published. It’s like a personalized news feed.

Using RSS feeds is simple:

1. Choose an RSS reader: Install an app like Feedly, Inoreader, or a browser plugin.
2. Find the RSS feed: Look for an orange “RSS” button on the website. Sometimes, it’s in the footer or settings.
3. Copy the feed link: Right-click the icon and copy the link address.
4. Add it to your reader: Paste the link into your RSS app to subscribe.

You’ll then see updates directly in the app!

So in summary:

1. A newsfeed with an end : only articles from the sites you’ve subscribed to.
2. No algorithms trying to grab your attention, no ads (unless the source decides to write “sponsored articles,” which is pretty rare).
3. Only your chosen sources, and if one doesn’t suit you anymore, you can remove it, no questions asked.

To my dismay, RSS isn’t widely used among the people I know, even though I think its potential is huge.

That said, I’m not discouraged, and I’m now going to share my way of using RSS feeds.

The App: Reeder by Silvio Rizzi

The apps I mentioned earlier are decent, but I’ve been using (for 10 years, no less) the app Reeder by Silvio Rizzi (Unfortunately, it’s only available for iPhone/MacOS 😭).

In 2024, a new version was released, and I think it’s worth trying. You can test it for free, and if you like it, it costs €10/year (a fair price—not treating us like cash cows -> rare). This version allows you to subscribe to “RSS feeds,” but it also includes:

• Podcasts
• YouTube
• Your Bluesky or Mastodon account (and all the accounts you follow)
• Reddit

It’s almost like a centralized hybrid hub (traditional media + social media), all without an algorithm controlling the feed in mysterious ways ❤️.

To keep this short and sweet, I won’t go into a detailed description. If you want to learn more about this app before diving in, there are plenty of reviews, mostly in English (like this one).

The cherry on top: Kill the Newsletter!

One thing was missing: newsletters. But not too long ago, I discovered “Kill the Newsletter!” by Leandro Facchinetti.

It’s simple:

1. You name the feed you want to create.
2. The tool generates:

• A specific email address -> use it to subscribe to the newsletter you’re interested in.
  • An RSS feed from that email address -> use it to subscribe in Reeder.

And voilà! Newsletters now appear in your centralized newsfeed.

I sincerely hope this service stays around for a long time 🙏.

Lastly: Google Alerts

Requires a Google account.

Google Alerts monitors keywords on the web and sends new results via an RSS feed (or email, but that’s off-topic here).

You can monitor keywords, which is useful for tracking your online reputation or following broader topics that are harder to pin down.

Why this system isn’t perfect 🙂‍↔️

On the plus side, it reduces fragmentation in accessing information and minimizes the impact of algorithmification (though let’s be real, I’m still affected indirectly).

However, RSS lacks a system for keyword filtering like:

• Whitelist: only articles containing specific words make it to the feed.
• Blacklist: articles containing specific words are excluded.

Some sites —fortunately rare— don’t offer RSS feeds (shame on them 🙈). Others block access to their data, preventing features like those available on Bluesky (looking at you, X, Meta & co).

And perhaps one final drawback, stemming from its strength: no automatic source suggestions. People accustomed to having content automatically curated by algorithms often find this system disorienting (at least initially).

There’s much more to say about RSS, but I’ll stop here to keep this article brief. I hope I’ve given you some fresh ideas for keeping up with the news 🙂