LA-based startup Sunroom has set out to create a safe space for women and non-binary content creators online. The company’s app provides said creators with a way to share their work without fear of retribution from restrictive mainstream social platforms. Now, with $3.6 million in seed financing, the company is all ready for launch.
Throughout their collaborative research process, Sunroom co-founders Lucy Mort and Michelle Battersby heard countless horror stories from women and non-binary content creators. Those on TikTok and Instagram in particular ran into an array of publishing issues.
“In [our conversations with creators] we’ve heard of cases of de-platforming for speaking openly about childbirth, receiving bans for life from certain social networks for posing in lingerie… [and] having content removed for spreading body positivity and inclusivity,” Battersby told Built In via email.
Much has been said about TikTok’s censorship rules. The app has found itself at the center of controversy over its ban on several words and phrases used in reference to underrepresented groups. In June of 2020, the social media giant published an apology regarding its ban on the hashtags #BlackLivesMatter and #GeorgeFloyd.
Women, non-binary, LGBT and plus-size creators on the app have all run into similar issues. And of course, these issues are only compounded for Black creators who share any of the previously listed identities.
Bias in AI is pervasive and unavoidable. Studies have confirmed time and time again that if algorithms are primarily built by straight white male engineers, then they are likely to favor users and creators that most closely align with those same identity categories.
“The odds are stacked against women and non-binary creators when algorithms step in to do the work,” Mort told Built In. “Context can no longer be taken into consideration and a lot of content is marked as ‘objectionable’ when it shouldn’t be.”
After Mort left her previous position at Hinge, she ventured on to work for platforms where sex-positive and body-positive content was easy to come by. OnlyFans was one of those platforms.
“I spent some months getting to know creators on [the platform] and realized two things: Women were making a lot of money on OnlyFans, and they faced a lot of stigma monetizing on OnlyFans,” Mort added.
That information, she said, was deeply frustrating to her. It was around that same time that Mort was introduced to Battersby, her later co-founder and chief marketing officer.
“I was excited to partner with someone who could build a brand and a movement that would speak specifically to the needs of this group,” Mort said in reference to Battersby, who previously worked on products at Bumble.
“Historically it’s been men who have built for creators and sex workers,” Mort continued. “Our investors know how critical it is to have women at the helm to really understand and speak to the needs of our creators.”
Battersby agrees, which is why she’s quick to point out Sunroom’s approach to moderation and censorship. The app, she says, is monitored by a team of humans as opposed to AI.
“We don’t censor women’s business and don’t automate decisions that affect the lives of our creators,” Battersby said.
For those with privacy concerns, the app has an anti-screenshot function — aptly named SunBlock — to ensure what’s posted on Sunroom stays on Sunroom.
The company is currently recruiting creators to join its waitlist. Sunroom’s group of founding creators includes sex work activist Aella, actor Paige Elkington, artist Charlie Max and actress Marta Pozzan.
To access exclusive content on Sunroom, users can subscribe to their favorite creators for a set price ranging anywhere from $1 to $30 a month. In an effort to reduce the racial wage gap, the company offers reduced service fees for Black, Indigenous and Latinx creators.
Sunroom’s list of investors include Blackbird Ventures, Peanut co-founder and CEO Michelle Kennedy and Brud co-founder Trevor McFedries.
The app is currently available to download on iOS devices.
