Maybe an app (mobile or desktop) that connects to your email account and looks for messages with a certain key, collates them and creates a news feed + comments

Maybe an app (mobile or desktop) that connects to your email account and looks for messages with a certain key, collates them and creates a news feed + comments, then as you comment and reply to things it sends platform messages to the appropriate members? As long as you aren't looking for a platform with promoted follows vs just friends and family, it seems like a more ideal way to do so without having to worry about anyone else "owning" your network. Add encryption, etc as well if desired. Email seemed to be the safest and most widely available means of async data exchange, with IMAP making it possible to sync between mobile and desktop easily enough.