Over the course of my more than fifty years in ministry I have had many opportunities to pray for children. I had no idea 18 years ago when I stood at the altar holding a small boy in my arms as his parents dedicated him to the Lord that in such a short time, he would be on the verge of changing the world . . . the world of social media.
Nechemya (Kemi) Levi and his new company are poised to radically change the face of social media with the release of their innovative new platform that flies under the banner of PLAETO. In a world so powerfully impacted and driven by the phenomenon of social media, we have seen the industry ascend from a fascinating new “toy” to a major driver in the direction of our culture. Almost no one, from great Grandma to first graders have escaped the net of social media. It is THE way most people communicate. This obviously has its benefits, but it carries grave dangers as well. It has reunited us with lost friendships. It has connected us across the nation and around the world. It has given a voice to humans who felt they had no voice. I have literally sat on a rock in the plains of Africa and emailed or face-timed with my family back in America. Social Media is without doubt, one of the modern day miracles of this generation and its uses and opportunities grow every day.
However, social media certainly has developed a dark and seamy side as well. It has removed the filters that we normally employ with face to face conversation. We have gained the illusion of anonymity as we sit in our dark bedrooms at night and belch out our anger, frustration, and bias without the benefit of those appropriate filters; forgetting that when we punch that "send" button - the anonymity of it all evaporates. We have all watched as a posted comment quickly descends into a maelstrom of SHOUTING MATCHES, name calling, personal attack, and the apprehension of offense regarding matters that have nothing to do with us. The anger and frustration of a frightened society has finally found an unlimited outlet that is proving to be little more than an open sewer line.
More recently, we have watched as the giants of social media have become the self-appointed watchdogs of “truth,” over and over again laying claim to the authority to determine what is and what is not truth and who may and who may not express their beliefs or opinions. We have watched as social media has demonstrated incredible, and unjustifiable, sway over national elections by extolling certain candidates and “banning” others. And, we have watched as our own government has, without apology, used various social media outlets to monitor, counter, and even silence speech and ideas that do not fit the approved narrative. The term “fake news” has become a staple of our vocabulary, while ordinary men have been robbed of the privilege of choosing what is or is not fake news. Social media suddenly has gained the power to make heroes of some and monsters of others before a population that depends upon FaceBook, Instagram, and Twitter for their daily news.
As a pastor, I have seen every false prophet, theological crackpot, and religious profiteer crawl out of the woodwork and exploit this newfound “platform” through which they deceive and fleece unwitting sheep who are too lazy to search the scriptures for the truth.
Kemi Levi and his brilliant team of entrepreneurs, engineers, and designers are committed to radically changing the face of social media! The Plaeto website makes the following claim:
“. . . we’re working night and day to bring you a brand new social media experience. An experience focused on one idea—that social media should be an extension of your real life, not the other way around. With Plaeto, you’re in control. We’re building this platform because of all the pain and frustration we see from people who rely on social media for their income, need it to stay in touch with their family, or just need a fun break throughout the day. We see Plaeto as a place for people to be their authentic selves. Nothing less.
Nechemya Levi, Founder and President of Plaeto
I have the privilege of being one of the early testers of the Plaeto platform. The full release should be coming within the next few months after all the bugs and fixes have been addressed. In the meantime, I encourage you to check out plaeto.com and watch for its release in the next few months. On their home page there is a link where you can sign up to be notified of release dates that might impact you. You will discover an exciting group of youngsters who have decided not to complain about their world––but to change their world.
When I held Kemi in my hands in what seems like such a short time ago, I prayed that tiny little boy would grow up to be a man of God, a man of integrity, and a man of vision; for these are the stock and trade of world changers.
Personally, I’ve been praying for something new in social media because like so many others, I have grown increasingly discouraged with the industry it has become. Kemi and his incredibly talented group of artists and engineers may just be the answer to those prayers.
Their stated goal is to become the leader in the social media world within the next year. Won’t it be interesting to see how these dreams develop.
Click on the link below to see a promotional video that introduces the Plaeto platform.
