Empowering Digital Wellbeing
We interrupt algorithmic loops through strategy, care, and timing
Who We Are
We’re here to support critical thinking, protect trust, and shift harmful patterns.
We started Second Signal after watching people we care about get pulled into content loops that fed fear, division, and confusion. The posts they shared weren’t grounded in facts. They were built to provoke.
We create digital DIY kits, targeted content, and quiet interventions that show up through search, social feeds, and real-world conversations.
We’re a strategist and a builder. We use what we know to offer support for people who may be caught in those loops, before things go further. Everything we create is developed in collaboration with social workers, counsellors, and youth professionals. It’s intended to reduce harm, protect trust, and open up space for clearer thinking.
Who This Is For
This is for anyone who has watched someone change.
- A friend, a loved one, or even entire communities.
- A sharper tone, a sudden silence, a feed that speaks louder than real life.
- People who want to help without making things worse.
- People who care about connection, not control.
- Anyone who sees the impact this content is having, online and off.
Those who feel something needs to shift.
If you’ve seen someone get pulled in, or watched whole spaces start to change around you, this work is for you, and for them.
Grounded tactics that show up where people already are.
The feed already shapes how people think. We use the same tools, but we design them to rebuild trust and open space for critical thought.
We create content that feels familiar. Same tone, same format, same platforms. That’s how we meet people where they are, without pressure or confrontation.
We place thoughtful content inside active loops to interrupt harmful patterns and make space for clearer thinking.
When trust breaks, the feed pulls people in deeper. We offer tools to help families stay connected, even when it’s hard to see eye to eye.
Help us shift the feed
Your support helps us place signals in the right feeds, launch public counter-campaigns, and shift what people see before the loop takes hold. We’re building something bigger, and every contribution helps.
Common Questions
What to Know About Us
Here are the answers to the things we’re asked most about Second Signal’s mission, our DIY Kits, and how you can use or support our work.
What is Second Signal?
Second Signal is a grassroots project that creates unbranded content and DIY kits to gently interrupt harmful online content loops and support critical thinking in our communities.
How does Second Signal interrupt harmful content loops?
We place carefully tailored unbranded materials where these loops often begin, such as search results and social feeds. This introduces fresh questions and perspectives without creating conflict.
What is an algorithmic content loop?
An algorithmic content loop happens when a platform’s recommendation system keeps feeding you similar emotionally charged content. Over time it narrows your feed and reinforces certain ideas.
How can I tell if someone I care about is caught in a content loop?
Look for repeated phrases or ideas, an obsession with specific creators, a loss of interest in other topics, quick defensiveness or pulling away from friends and family.
Who founded Second Signal and why?
Second Signal was founded by a team of professionals who saw loved ones drawn into harmful loops. They wanted to offer a gentle, research based way to step in.
How are your unbranded campaigns developed and deployed?
We research search terms, platform behaviour and audience patterns. Then we create familiar looking content that shifts tone and appears in those high-risk digital spaces.
Where does funding for Second Signal come from?
Funding comes from donations and sponsorships. Every dollar goes directly toward content creation, placement and ongoing performance testing to help reduce harm online.
Are Second Signal’s resources reviewed by experts?
Yes. Our guides and public campaigns are reviewed by qualified professionals to ensure sensitivity and accuracy. These materials are for informational support only and are not a substitute for professional advice.
How do you measure the impact of your campaigns?
We monitor aggregate metrics such as reach, engagement rates, bounce rates and time on page. We focus on patterns rather than any individual’s data.
If you work in content, research, tech, or media buying, and want to help quietly, reach out here.
How can I get involved or support Second Signal’s work?
You can donate, volunteer your time or share our DIY kits and library information so more people have access to these critical thinking tools.
What privacy protections does Second Signal offer?
We collect only the information you choose to share and use it solely to respond or improve our services. We never sell or share your personal data with third parties. View our Privacy Policy here.
How can I access or use the DIY Kits?
You can learn more about our DIY Kits here.
Change is hard. Connection still matters.
No approach works every time. But silence guarantees more of the same. What we build gives people a better chance to be heard, to stay connected, and to shift before the loop takes over.