Enter the Fediverse

If you’ve ever used TikTok, Instagram, or X/Twitter, you will already be familiar with centralised social media.

Centralised social media means big company owns the app, controls the software, and keeps all your data.

For example, ByteDance makes TikTok. They own it, run the servers, decide what you see in your feed, and hold onto every video you like or comment on. They call the shots when it comes to your data.

But what if social media didn’t work that way? What if no single company was in charge? That’s where federated social media comes in.

Imagine instead of one giant playground run by one bossy kid (TikTok, Meta, etc.), we had a bunch of smaller playgrounds. Each one has its own set of rules, themes, and community vibe. Some are casual, some are political, some are all about cute animal videos.

Now imagine, even though they’re all different, the kids on those playgrounds can still talk to each other, visit each other, and share toys because they all speak the same language. Y’know, like how the real world works!

That long metaphor is federation. It means these independent platforms can interconnect and let users interact across spaces. They’re running similar tech (like the ActivityPub protocol) so they can “federate” with one another.

So, decentralised means no single ruler, and federated means they still talk to each other.

Where Did This Come From?

Back in the early 2010s, people started getting uneasy with how much control companies had over our digital lives. Enter Diaspora, one of the first open-source, decentralised social networks. It had a noble goal, wanting no ads, no data exploitation and no Big Tech overlords. Sadly, it never really took off because it was a bit too ahead of its time.

Fast forward to now, and we have a growing web of interconnected platforms:

• Mastodon (like Twitter)
• PeerTube (like YouTube)
• Pixelfed (like Instagram)
• Loops (TikTok)
• and others

All of them use a common language called ActivityPub, which lets them “talk” to each other while staying independent. (There are also other common languages like AT Protocol that BlueSky is promoting.)

Why It’s Cool

Data Portability

• Don’t like your current platform? You can download your data and move to another instance (server) that feels more aligned with your values. (Try doing that on a Meta platform!)

Community Over Algorithm

• Many instances are topic-based or driven by community, kind of like internet forums of yesteryear. Instead of one algorithm pushing viral content, you discover people and topics through shared interests.

Interoperability

• Post a video on PeerTube? It can show up on Mastodon. That’s like uploading a YouTube video and your Twitter followers seeing it automatically without you having to repost and clunkily embed it.

Open Source Means More Choice

• There’s only one Facebook app. But with Mastodon, you can pick from many apps, each offering a different interface or feature set.

You Control What You See

• If you don’t like a certain community, you or your instance can block them entirely. That can create safer spaces, though it can also lead to isolated “bubbles”.

Identity Verification

• You can prove your identities (in cool, geeky ways) by linking your Fediverse profile to your website or GitHub account using a bit of code.

What’s the Catch?

It’s not perfect. Here are some things to keep in mind:

It’s confusing at first

• Where do you sign up? What even is an “instance”? It’s not always clear, especially for non-techie users.

Running an instance costs money

• Hosting servers isn’t cheap. We’re also in an era where people aren’t used to paying for social media, so some instances close registration once they hit their limit.

No built-in payment systems for creators

• Unlike YouTube or TikTok, the Fediverse doesn’t yet have strong monetisation tools which can keep large content creators away.

Moderation is difficult

• The same trolls, hate speech, and spam that plague big platforms can show up here. Each instance needs its own moderation policy and team to enforce it.

Trust matters

• You have to trust the admin of your instance with your data. Just because it’s not a corporation doesn’t mean it’s always safe.

Why We Like It

We think federated social media represents a better vision for the internet. It brings back the idea that the internet is for people, not profit. It offers more meaningful connections, transparency around how your data is handled, and puts power back in the hands of communities.

Sure, it’s still growing but it’s a hopeful and exciting direction.

Follow Us on the Fediverse

We’re part of the Fediverse too! Here’s where you can find and follow us:

• Mastodon: https://mastodon.xyz/@privacyint
• BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/privacyinternational.org
• Peertube: https://media.privacyinternational.org/

And, while we’re talking about choosing how you get content, we’re huge fans of RSS! Get our feed: https://privacyinternational.org/rss.xml