Why I Built Ripple

Every news app I tried had the same problem: they weren't trying to inform me. They were trying to keep me scrolling.

The headlines were designed to trigger emotions. The algorithms rewarded outrage over accuracy. And the "personalization" just meant showing me more of whatever made me anxious enough to keep checking my phone.

The breaking point

I'm a software developer. I read the news every day. And at some point I realized I was spending 45 minutes a day in news apps but couldn't actually tell you what happened in the world. I could tell you what people were angry about, but not what actually happened.

That felt broken.

What if news just... told you what happened?

So I started building Ripple. The idea was simple:

• Pull from sources known for factual reporting — Reuters, AP, BBC, NPR, PBS, ProPublica, The Guardian, Al Jazeera, The Intercept
• Read the actual articles
• Write a short briefing about what happened and why it might matter to you specifically

No spin. No engagement optimization. No infinite scroll. Just a briefing you can read in a few minutes and get on with your day.

Why "Ripple"?

News spreads like ripples in water — events happen, and their effects radiate outward, touching different people in different ways. A trade policy change might matter to you because of your job. A climate report might matter because of where you live. Ripple connects those dots.

It's just me

Ripple is a one-person project. No venture capital, no growth team, no board meetings. Just me, building the news app I wanted to use. If that sounds like something you'd want too, give it a try — it's free to start.