Quick Start Guide

Who we are

Check out our launch story.

Logging In

No usernames or passwords.

  1. Enter your email address on the login page.
  2. Login Step 1 Screenshot
  3. Check your mailbox! - you will receive a code by email.
  4. Enter the code and submit. That's it!
  5. Login Step 2 Screenshot
Stay logged in on that device for up to one year unless you log out.

One email per account (future updates will allow account switching and multiple emails).

Setting Up Your Profile

  1. Enter a Public Name: This is the name shown on your posts and comments.
  2. Enter your Real Name: To prove you're not a robot — only visible to your connections and groups.
  3. Choose if this is a Business or Organization Account: Tick this at sign-up if applicable (cannot be changed later).
  4. Profile Setup Screenshot
  5. Selecting a Handle (optional):
    • Your Handle is a unique identifier that lets people find and tag you easily.
    • It appears in your profile URL like this: northsocial.ca/@handle.
    • Just copy the link from your profile page and paste it in your posts like this: northsocial.ca/@handle (you don't need the https://). Easily tag and promote your profile!
  6. About & Link (optional): Tell us a little about yourself or your business, or add a link to your website.
  7. And finally: Accept the Terms of Service, confirm age (18+) and Canadian residency when updating profile info.

Connections vs Follows

  • Connections: Connect with friends and family to see, share and engage with your social circle privately. Connection requests must be accepted by the recipient to allow private sharing.
  • Follows: Follow your Connections, businesses or influencers to prioritize what you see. Latest posts from followed accounts appear at the top of your feed.

What is Public vs Private

Private Posts

  • Personal Accounts: Visible only to connected personal accounts.
  • Business Accounts: Visible to all your connections.
  • Comments on private posts are visible to everyone who can see the post.
  • Private posts are encrypted and stored on Canadian servers.

Public Posts

  • Visible to everyone.
  • Stored on Canadian servers, served globally for performance.

Creating a Post

  • From the bottom navigation, click on the New icon New Post Icon.
  • Choose either Private or Public for your post.
  • Give your post a Title if you want and say what you want to say in the text area.
  • Once you are happy with your post, select the Post button Upload Image Button.
  • That's it! You've made your first post on Northsocial.ca.

Uploading Images To Your Post

  • To add a photo to your post select the image upload button Upload Image Button and follow the steps according to your device.
  • You may need to give Northsocial.ca permission to access your photos.

News Feeds

Sharing News Content

  • Users can now categorize their news content as Local, National, or World news.
  • Local News is a showcase for what's happening at a local level in different regions, cities and towns across Canada.
  • National News is Canadian news, not specific to a local region.
  • World News captures current events happening outside of Canada that may still be relevant to Canadians.
  • Create a new New Post Icon Public Post and select the category from the dropdown.
News category dropdown on post form

Finding News Content

  • Go to the News feed in the top bar navigation News Icon.
  • Choose a category to start viewing.
News feed landing page

Note: This is a brand new area for us, so content will grow as the community contributes.

News Tabs on Profiles

User profiles now have a new tab for News content they've posted.

Controlling Content in Your Feed

Hiding Users

You can now hide content from specific users.

Hide User option in dropdown menu
  • Open the menu on a post,
  • Or visit the user's profile and select Hide User from the dropdown menu.
  • Their posts will no longer appear in your feeds.
  • You can manage your hidden users from the Hidden tab in your profile.
  • Unhide anyone at any time.
  • The other user will not be notified.

Feed Improvements

  • Users can have up to two posts per day appear in a feed.
  • If a user posted more content than is shown, a link will appear that takes you to their profile to see the rest.
  • More posts button

Tips for Businesses and Organizations

  • Use your connections like a private group for promotions and insider info.
  • Share exclusive content with loyal customers or members.

Tips for Personal Accounts

  • Treat private posts like sharing with family and close friends.
  • Use public posts for broader updates.
Key Differences: Personal vs Business Accounts
Feature Personal Account Business/Organisation Account
Private Posts Only personal connections see them All connections see them
Real Name Visibility To connections only To connections only
Public Name Visible to all Visible to all
Handle Optional Optional
Why This Matters
  • Keeps privacy-first for individuals.
  • Enables secure, targeted communication for businesses.
  • Aligns with Canadian data sovereignty and compliance standards.