A recent surge of Twitter-related controversies has led to a growing number of social media users seeking alternatives like Mastodon. Mastodon is an open-source social media platform that operates in a similar format to Twitter. As Twitter deals with its latest drama, Mastodon, a Twitter alternative, seems to be reaping the benefits.
The catalyst for this trend occurred on a Saturday when Elon Musk implemented restrictions on the number of tweets users could read. Initially, Musk announced temporary daily tweet limits of 6,000 for verified users, 600 for unverified users, and 300 for newly unverified users.
However, he later revised these limits to 8,000 tweets for verified users, 800 for unverified users, and 400 for newly unverified users. Additionally, Musk blocked non-logged-in users from viewing tweets. Despite Musk stating that these restrictions were temporary, they sparked backlash from some users.
The backlash against Twitter’s policies appears to have fueled interest in alternative platforms. Bluesky, Tumblr, Mastodon, and Hive all trended on social media on that particular Saturday. Mastodon, founded in 2016, has been benefiting from Musk’s chaotic management of Twitter for some time. Since Musk took over the platform, Twitter users have been migrating to Mastodon.
According to Eugen Rochko, Mastodon’s founder, the platform’s user base grew from around 300,000 users to 2.5 million users between October and November. Journalists, political figures, writers, actors, and organizations have been among those moving to Mastodon following Musk’s takeover of Twitter.
Twitter, in an attempt to curb the exodus, began blocking posts that linked to Mastodon. It then announced a new policy aimed at ending the “free promotion” of other social media platforms, including Facebook and Instagram.
This policy prohibited users from promoting their other social media accounts on Twitter. However, due to the online backlash, Twitter ultimately backed down and deleted the announcement from its Twitter Support account and website.
Mastodon is regarded as a competitor to Twitter and shares a similar format. Users on Mastodon share posts called “toots” and follow each other. Unlike Twitter, Mastodon is decentralized and open-source, meaning it doesn’t rely on a single server or company to operate. With its six years of existence, Mastodon has found renewed interest among individuals disillusioned with Twitter and its recent controversies.
Overall, a fresh wave of chaos on Twitter, coupled with Elon Musk’s management decisions, has led social media users to seek alternatives like Mastodon. Mastodon’s open-source and decentralized nature, combined with a similar format to Twitter, has attracted users who are disenchanted with the current state of Twitter. As the landscape of social media continues to evolve, platforms like Mastodon provide users with alternative options for connecting and sharing content.
Mastodon, similar to other major social media networks, allows users to create a profile consisting of a username, display name, short bio, avatar, and header. Additionally, users can set “profile flags” to indicate how they want to use the platform and be interacted with.
Usernames on Mastodon function more like emails than typical social media handles. Users choose the first part of their username, and the second part corresponds to the Mastodon server they signed up with. As a result, most usernames on Mastodon take the following format: @username@MastodonServer.
To start posting on Mastodon, users have a larger character limit compared to Twitter. Each post, known as a “toot,” can contain up to 500 characters. Users interact with each other through actions such as replying, liking, or resharing these toots. They can also follow each other or search for specific content using hashtags.
Verification on Mastodon is free, although the process differs slightly from Twitter. Mastodon offers link verification, which involves cross-referencing any links in a user’s profile to authenticate that they are the genuine owner. For example, users can link to their personal blog or homepage to establish their identity.
Mastodon operates through multiple servers, known as instances, which are connected by common technology. When users sign up for Mastodon, they join one of these instances. Instances are themed based on factors such as countries, cities, or interests, with the aim of creating communities where users can find content aligned with their interests. Despite being part of different instances, users can still follow and interact with each other.
Each instance on Mastodon has its own set of rules and content moderation policies, and users are encouraged to join the instances that align with their preferences and values. Some instances may request donations since they rely on volunteer-based efforts for creation and maintenance, while most instances are free to use.
In summary, Mastodon provides users with the ability to set up profiles, interact through toots, and follow others. The platform’s larger character limit, link verification for authentication, and themed instances contribute to its unique user experience. Mastodon’s decentralized nature allows for diverse communities with their own rules and moderation practices, fostering a customizable and independent social media environment.
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