Looking for an alternative to FB groups?

The Flip Side Forum is designed specifically for meaningful conversations on divisive topics

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Be chosen as 1 of 20 organizations engaging in bipartisan discussions
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Foster positive civic discourse your community will love
Schedule a call to learn more >

Great conversations can be had online

Unlike other platforms, The Flip Side Forum:
Provides fact-checked, curated commentary from both sides on trending topics
Deploys a proprietary algorithm that incentivizes thoughtfulness and bipartisanship
Provides conversation prompts and AI-driven nudges to further encourage civility

The Flip Side is trusted by over 200,000 subscribers across all 50 states and the political spectrum

map of the United States showing every state overlayed with a Flip Side Bear
A pie chart showing the political spectrum spread of The Flip Side audience. 15.6% Independent; 23% Conservative; 15.5% Moderate; 10.3% Libertarian; 3.9% Democratic Socialist; 28.9% Liberal-Leaning

Here's what our members have to say about our new platform

“I'm a newsletter editor at Philly's NPR station, and I would die to get my editorial team to produce work like this”

Socially Right, Fiscally Left
Private Forum Member

“I like all the suggestions on what makes a good post, and people seem to be using them. I even liked the prompt I got suggesting my post was too long so I edited it.”

Socially Left, Fiscally Left
Private Forum Member

“For the first time, I feel heard and not shouted down. It's refreshing to participate in dialogue that values all perspectives”

Socially Center Right, Fiscally Left
Private Forum Member

“Very impressed with the moderation and discussions so far”

Socially Right, Fiscally Center Left
Private Forum Member

“I'm impressed by the thoughtful intellectual comments.”

Socially Right, Fiscally Right
Private Forum Member

“There's so much good conversation going on here, I don't know where to jump in”

Socially Center Right, Fiscally Center Right
Private Forum Member
Bears in tuxedos discussing issues
Let's change the way we talk politics

Launch a forum for your organization—and bring deeper, more meaningful dialogue to your community

Your white-labeled Forum
White Labeled Bottle
Customize TFS Forum with your organization name and logo
TFS Publication
Use TFS content to get everyone on the same page—or create a topic of your own
Quality Comments
Promote quality comments. The most helpful comments are rewarded with our proprietary algorithm—and incendiary comments are pushed down
an icon showing charts on a screen
Customize your analytics dashboard to highlight top contributors, most engaging topics and helpful comments
Approved Badge
Display a TFS Bipartisan Stamp on your website to show your commitment to bipartisanship and civic engagement

“

You’re trying to solve the problem that’s been on my brain for the past 6 years

Emma Petty Addams
Emma Petty Addams
Co-Executive Director, MWEG

〞

We’re currently accepting 20 organizations for the Pilot program.

Start your journey to better conversations

Schedule a call to learn more >

FAQs

I’m skeptical. Tons of research shows social media is not good for democracy. We’ve tried platforms like this before and they all end up in rage or silence. How are you different?

We get it. Skepticism is natural given the track record of social media platforms. What sets us apart is our 'friction-forward' approach to discussions, where the focus is on understanding and not just on 'winning' an argument. We curate fact-checked content and deploy a proprietary algorithm that doesn't prioritize anger or extreme opinions. Our model is designed to encourage healthy debate, not escalate conflict.

Our Facebook discussion threads are always a mess... how will you organize information differently?

Unlike Facebook, we're not ad-driven. Our algorithm focuses on the helpfulness and validity of comments rather than their ability to spark emotional reactions. We aim to curate an environment that leads to more structured, meaningful conversations. Plus, the feature showing political leanings will provide additional context to each discussion, promoting a balanced view.

What if the conversation gets out of control, and my moderators are overwhelmed and don't know what to do?

We're prepared for that. Our system is built with both automated and human moderation features. If your team is overwhelmed, our platform can temporarily freeze threads and flag them for manual review.

Will it take away from our other initiatives?

Our platform is designed to augment your current efforts, not detract from them. We aim to offer a new avenue for engagement that can potentially bring in more supporters and donors.

How much is it?

This depends on your goals and the package you choose; we offer various pricing models to fit different organization sizes and needs.

How much work is this for me or my interns?

Setup is straightforward and day-to-day tasks can be managed with minimal time commitment. Our editorial content and proprietary algorithm take care of all the time-consuming tasks, and of course our team is here to guide you through every step of the way.

Is this going to impress donors?

Fostering civic discourse is a valuable goal for many donors. The level of thoughtfulness and engagement on our platform is a (relatively) easy win to highlight in donor presentations and in discussions with potential contributors.

Is this going to help get to our goals? KPIs? Engagement?

Absolutely. The platform is designed to encourage meaningful interactions, a key performance indicator that most organizations value. Higher-quality conversations can lead to greater user retention and attract more active participants.

Will my members know how to sign up and login for this?

Yes, the sign-up and login process is designed to be as user-friendly as possible.

How cumbersome is it?

Our interface is intuitive. Users typically find it easy to navigate and start discussions.

How do I start a discussion?

Starting a discussion is as simple as clicking a "New Thread" button and choosing a topic curated by TFS.

What sources do I use?

We curate fact-checked content for you to use as a starting point for discussions, eliminating the need to scour the internet for reliable sources.

What happens if I open up a discussion thread and no one responds?

Our platform is designed to encourage participation. However, if a topic doesn’t get immediate traction, it will remain as an “Open Discussion” for users to participate in later, and moderators to update for more visibility.

What if a troll responds?

Even though the platform discourages that kind of behavior, that still might happen! However, our proprietary algorithm is designed to push these comments down, and moderators can delete them manually.

What if my people don’t agree with a topic’s default content?

That's the point of discussion! We curate an array of viewpoints without taking a stance, allowing users to see and understand where others are coming from.

Any other questions? Email us. We’re here to help.
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