Frequently asked questions
What is Tendril?
Tendril is a small, private-feeling social network for women: no algorithm deciding what you see, no data mining, and real people instead of trolls and bots.
Who is Tendril for?
It's designed for women over 40 — the conversations here assume you're navigating perimenopause, menopause, caregiving, reinvention, the stuff nobody hands you a manual for. Younger women are welcome; you'll just be joining a room aimed at a stage you may not be in yet. And it's for all women, including trans women.
How is it different from Facebook or Reddit?
No algorithm ranking your feed, and a women-only community. It's a welcoming space instead of an engagement machine built to reward the loudest voice in the thread.
Is Tendril free?
Yes. It's free to join.
If it's free, how will you make money?
I'm not sure yet. I'm still building it! But I'll let you know when I have something to share.
Why is there a waitlist?
I'm still building it. And a space like this only works if the first people in actually want it. I'll let people in a few at a time so the culture sets right from the start.
When does it launch?
I'm aiming to open the first group in 2026.
Where will it be hosted? Can I use it in my country?
The data will be stored in the United States. I do plan on localizing it at some point, but most likely not this year. The current intended audience is in the US, and those are the online privacy laws that tendril will follow.
Can people find my posts on Google?
No. Unlike Threads, Bluesky, or X, nothing you post on Tendril is on the open web. Posts are visible to signed-in members only: search engines can't index them, and someone curious about you can't browse your posts from a link. That said, members can see what you share, and no setting stops a person from screenshotting. Private to the room, not secret from it.
Will you sell my data or email?
No. No data mining, and I'll never sell your address — just a note when the site launches.
How will you prevent trolls and bots?
Every new account is reviewed by existing members before it gets full access (or vouched for directly by a member's invite, with the inviter's name on it). While someone waits, they see only a small welcome area rather than what members share, and anything they post is visible only to themselves, the members reviewing them, and moderation. On top of that: human moderation with real consequences, easy blocking and muting that's considered normal here rather than rude, and rate limits that make bot behavior expensive. No system is perfect, but a room where every member was welcomed in by other members is a hard room for a troll farm to work.
Do you use AI to read my posts?
An automated screen checks new posts, replies, and profile text against the community guidelines, so abuse gets caught even before anyone reports it. It sees the text alone, with nothing attached about whose account wrote it. Anything it flags goes to a human. It never trains on your words, and it never touches direct messages. If you report a conversation yourself, that specific thread goes to human review, and that's the only way anyone else ever reads a DM.