Hi all,
We’re excited to share a new monthly update on Frankly, a project out of the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University. While you may have heard from us before through occasional announcements and updates, we’ll now be reaching out more regularly with news, events, research, and opportunities connected to the project.
If you have any questions, you can explore the Frankly Help Center or email hello@frankly.org to reach us directly.
Now, onto the updates!
Frankly Refresher
Frankly is an open-source platform that reimagines digital space for public discourse. It’s part of a broader portfolio we’ve been building within the Applied Social Media Lab at theBerkman Klein Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University, focused on improving online discourse and participation, especially for communities and organizations navigating challenging dialogue or decision making.
What makes Frankly different?Built-in conversation design → guided prompts and agendas help structure dialogue from the startParticipatory features → polling, small-group matching, and input collection designed for inclusionFacilitation support → tools that help moderators surface insights and manage group dynamicsDesigned for deliberation → not just talking, but helping groups reflect, synthesize, and move toward decisions
Frankly is a video-based deliberation platform, but unlike traditional tools like Zoom, it’s designed specifically for structured conversation and collective input.
Spring Highlights
It’s been a busy spring for Frankly, with continued growth across the platform, product development, and community.
Recent highlights include:Surpassing 1,000 users on the platformLaunching the Agenda Builder MVP, a new tool for creating structured discussion guidesExpanding platform infrastructure to support recordings, transcript workflows, and future integrationsContinuing privacy and interoperability planning with DembraneImproving contributor onboarding and deployment systems as the project growsWe’re also continuing to gather public feedback as we shape the next phase of the platform.
Frankly is a video-based deliberation platform, but unlike traditional tools like Zoom, it’s designed specifically for structured conversation and collective input.
Monthly Frankly Forum: You’re Invited!
Thursday, May 21, 2026
1pm ET/10am PT
Join us on Frankly for questions, feedback, and a discussion on the future of the platform.
To RSVP, visit the Frankly community page and click on the upcoming forum. You’ll need to register for a free account if you don’t have one already.
We hope to see you there.
Join Our Closed Beta?
Are you an organization hosting conversations, workshops, or community discussions? We’re currently onboarding new groups into our closed beta.
To get started:Visit app.frankly.org to register for your account.Send us an email at hello@frankly.org with the email address you used.We’ll authorize your account for community creation (typically within 1–2 business days) and share next steps.If you have any questions, you can explore the Frankly Help Center or email us at hello@frankly.org.