Elon Musk's Twitter Takeover Is Driving People To Decentralized Social Network Mastodon

Introduction

As noted by the popular tech news site The Verge, open source, decentralized social network Mastodon has been benefiting from the chaotic Twitter takeover by Elon Musk, with 230,000 people having joined Mastodon in the last week alone. Reportedly started as a response to the undesirable aspects of corporate social media networks such as Twitter, Mastodon provides an alternative that lets users choose what content they want to see instead of being subject to censorship rules and other decisions made at the platform level by their companies’ executives.

The problem with Twitter

Twitter has been plagued with many problems, but the two that are most concerning for the company are its failure to accommodate the needs of new users, and its lack of transparency. The app no longer seems tailored to what people want it for, but rather what Jack Dorsey wants it for. This can lead to a feeling of exclusion and alienation from a service that once seemed welcoming and accommodating. Furthermore, there has not been transparency in regard to how things like sponsorship and donations work which leaves many users wary about how much power they have over their own privacy.

The rise of Mastodon

Mastodon has been benefiting from the chaotic Twitter takeover by Elon Musk.t noted that 230,000 people have joined Mastodon in the last week alone. the network now has 655,000 active users, the post noted.

The decentralized social network benefits from not having a central server and instead being powered by individual servers which are owned and operated by volunteers. This means that there is no one entity controlling your data or experience with Mastodon.

Mastodon offers features like its own niche group chats, verified accounts for celebrities and journalists, 30000 sign-ups on its waitlist, Bluesky mobile app, CEO Jack Dorsey (who also runs Twitter), and so much more!

Why decentralization matters

In the past, a handful of tech giants controlled most of the internet. from music, gaming, and art to the technology itself. They were gatekeepers for both information and innovation. The infrastructure and engineering were built with centralization in mind. It made sense for one company to operate its own servers, optimize the service, and pay for the electricity needed to keep everything running smoothly. But this model has led us down a dark path with censorship on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and other centralized platforms.

How to join Mastodon

Mastodon is a decentralized social network, which means no single person or organization owns it. It's an open-source project that anyone can contribute to. The idea behind decentralization is that no one controls the content on the platform and each user has complete autonomy over their data, such as posts and messages. Mastodon also encourages its users to create their own instances of the social network in order to reduce server costs for the developers and make servers more accessible for people all over the world, thus making it easier for people with limited access to the internet or technology who want a voice in society. To join an instance you'll need first pick a server then order new hardware and send it off once it arrives.

What to expect on Mastodon

Mastodon bills itself as a decentralized and open-source social network, enabling you to build your own community with its easy-to-use web interface. The platform doesn't have ads, and you don't need an account to view content on it. CEO Eugen Rochko notes that Mastodon was created in response to the Trump election in the United States, and serves as a clear example of how tech can try and serve as a democratizing force.

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