Peanut Integrates Audio Chat with "Pods" Feature

The mobile social networking application, Peanut, designed for women, is introducing an audio feature to its platform, inspired by the popularity of services like Clubhouse. Initially focused on supporting mothers, Peanut has broadened its scope to encompass women throughout various life phases, including pregnancy, marriage, and menopause.

A Safer Space for Connection

The new voice chat functionality, named “Pods,” is intended to facilitate more meaningful connections within a secure and supportive environment for its female user base. Peanut aims to provide an alternative to other platforms where safety and trust may be concerns.

The Rise of Audio Social Networking

The increased interest in audio-based social networking was likely accelerated by the pandemic, as individuals sought ways to replicate the social interactions lost due to lockdowns. However, the initial success of Clubhouse has led to its core features being adopted by larger companies such as Facebook, Twitter, Reddit, LinkedIn, and Discord.

Pods: Functionality and Moderation

Peanut’s Pods offer standard features common to similar platforms. These include a muted audience, a virtual “raise hand” function for participation, emoji reactions, and host-led moderation.

Currently, the company is handling moderation internally to ensure adherence to its community guidelines. Plans are in place to expand the moderation team as the feature scales.

Differentiation Through Community Focus

While sharing design similarities with Clubhouse, Peanut believes its audio experience will stand out due to its dedicated female network built on principles of safety and mutual support. The platform intentionally fosters an environment where seeking validation through metrics like follower counts is not prioritized.

An "Economy of Care"

Peanut founder and CEO, Michelle Kennedy, explains that traditional social media often revolves around status and popularity. However, Peanut has consistently observed a different dynamic – an “economy of care” – where women prioritize support and connection over self-promotion.

Kennedy adds that users typically seek assistance, answers, companionship, or simply a supportive community, rather than focusing on accumulating followers.

Prioritizing Safety and Inclusivity

Peanut will continue to enforce its established safety standards within Pods, aiming to attract women, particularly women of color, who may have experienced harassment on other voice-based platforms.

The company emphasizes clear community standards, outlining acceptable behavior and consequences for violations. Adherence to these standards is expected from all users.

Beyond Free Speech: Community Standards

Kennedy clarifies that Peanut prioritizes community standards over unrestricted free speech. Users are expected to abide by the established guidelines, and those who do not may be removed from the platform.

Future Applications and Design

Looking ahead, Peanut plans to leverage audio to connect women with experts in relevant fields, such as lactation consultants or fertility doctors. However, these interactions will not be structured as one-way lectures.

The platform’s design intentionally avoids the “stage” concept of Clubhouse, promoting equal participation for all users, regardless of whether they are actively speaking.

Personalized Experience and Accessibility

Users can discover relevant Pods based on their existing interests and can mute topics they wish to avoid. This allows for a personalized and controlled audio experience.

Rollout and Monetization

The Pods feature is being released to Peanut’s 2 million-plus users today and will be available for free. While the platform currently operates on a free model, Peanut intends to introduce a freemium option with paid products in the future.

Update, 4/27/21, 3:40 PM ET: This article has been updated to reflect that moderators have completed training on the Pods feature.