A new video-first news app, SaySo, has launched in the UK, aiming to counter the overwhelm and distrust caused by algorithm-driven feeds and AI-generated content.

Developed by Caliber — the media company behind The News Movement, The Recount, Capsule, and The Caliber Collective — SaySo offers a curated, finite daily news experience built around transparency and independent creators.

Its UK launch comes as the government considers new restrictions on social media for under-16s, including digital curfews. The app's design is a direct response to concerns about endless doomscrolling, echo chambers, and the dominance of a small set of media gatekeepers.

Tailoring the algorithm

When users first log into the free app, they are asked to set their preferences from the outset, adjusting content preferences on a set of sliding scales. This will influence not only the types of content they will see, but the amount of it, too.

Instead of an infinite feed, SaySo delivers a Daily Digest: a set number of personalised video stories from vetted creators and journalists. New users can expect to see around 10 videos a day, averaging around six or seven, but this can change depending on user activity and preferences.

"The key purpose is to keep people informed but based on their availability," Dion Bailey, chief product and technology officer at Caliber, told JUK. He admits it's counterintuitive to the established practice of maximising user engagement to boost platform metrics.

"We wanted to challenge that status quo and see if we could actually deliver a service to people to let them feel more in control, but also help to build trust with them."

The beta testing showed that providing a digestible set of stories worked better than allowing users to set their own time limits.