Millions of former Twitter users have explored alternative social media platforms in recent years, with Mastodon emerging as a prominent choice. Unlike centralized platforms, Mastodon operates as a decentralized network, offering a different approach to microblogging. Founded in 2016, Mastodon has steadily grown, gaining significant attention following changes at Twitter (now X) and presenting itself as a viable, community-focused alternative for those seeking a different social experience.
What is Mastodon?
Mastodon was created by German software developer Eugen Rochko as a non-profit, open-source social network. This means it prioritizes user benefit over shareholder profit, a key distinction from most major social media companies. While superficially similar to Twitter, Mastodon’s underlying architecture is significantly more complex, built around a federated server system.
The Decentralized Nature of Mastodon
Mastodon functions as a network of independently run servers, known as instances. When you create an account, you choose an instance to join – similar to selecting an email provider. Your username appears as @[email protected]. However, the power of Mastodon lies in its ‘federation’ – users on different instances can interact seamlessly, effectively creating one large network. Instances can, and sometimes do, block others, which limits communication between those communities.
Understanding Mastodon Lingo
The individual communities within Mastodon are generally referred to as “instances” or servers. These servers can be managed by individuals, groups, or organizations, each establishing its own rules and moderation policies. Some instances are open to anyone, while others require invitations or admin approval – a server for academic researchers, for instance, may require proof of affiliation. Don’t worry about choosing “the wrong” one, as you can move your account later.
Mastodon is also part of the broader “Fediverse,” an interconnected network of decentralized social platforms. This allows a single Mastodon account to potentially access other compatible networks beyond just Mastodon itself. Posts on Mastodon are often called “toots,” though this term is becoming less common, with many users simply referring to them as “posts.”
Mastodon Features and Similarities to Twitter
Mastodon supports many familiar Twitter conventions, including replies, re-posts (similar to retweets, but called “boosts”), favorites, bookmarks, and hashtags. While initially absent, a quote-post feature, akin to Twitter’s quote tweets, was added in 2025. Mastodon’s list functionality differs from Twitter, requiring you to already follow a user before adding them to a list. Direct messages are actually posts with visibility restricted to the sender and recipient, rather than traditional private inboxes.
Open Source and Its Implications
Being open-source means that Mastodon’s code is publicly available and can be downloaded, modified, and re-hosted by anyone. This fosters transparency and community development. However, it also led to a dispute with Truth Social, which initially used Mastodon’s code without proper attribution. Mastodon’s developers strongly opposed this practice, underscoring the importance of respecting the open-source license.
Creating a Mastodon Account
To join Mastodon, visit the official website and click “Create Account.” You’ll then be presented with a list of instances. You can filter these instances by various criteria, such as language, region, or topic. Alternatively, Mastodon now offers a simplified signup process directly to mastodon.social for new users.
Choosing the Right Mastodon Instance
Selecting an instance can be daunting. The Mastodon website provides resources, but finding an instance that aligns with your interests requires research. Asking current Mastodon users for recommendations is a good starting point. Remember, you can always move your account later if your initial choice doesn’t suit you.
Interacting Across Instances
Yes, you can follow and interact with users on any other instance. However, you need to search for users by their full username (including the instance) within your server’s search function. You won’t be able to click directly on a username to follow, as you would on Twitter.
Understanding the Timelines
Mastodon features three core timelines: your Home timeline (posts from people you follow), the Local timeline (posts from users on your instance), and the Federated timeline (public posts from users on instances your server interacts with). A “Slow Mode” setting can filter timeline updates to reduce information overload.
Moderation Policies on Mastodon
Since each instance is independently managed, moderation policies vary. It’s crucial to review the policy of your chosen instance to ensure it aligns with your values and expectations for online conduct.
Mastodon vs. Twitter/X: Drawbacks
One of the biggest limitations of Mastodon is its smaller user base compared to Twitter/X. This can result in a less vibrant and diverse public conversation. The decentralized nature and somewhat complex interface also present a steeper learning curve for new users. Navigating the system isn’t as intuitive.
Mastodon vs. Twitter/X: Benefits
Mastodon’s key benefit is its independence from commercial interests and its commitment to user control. Unlike X, it offers greater customization and allows communities to establish their own content guidelines. While the smaller user base may seem like a weakness, it can also foster more intimate and focused discussions. Some users appreciate the escape from the often chaotic and polarized environment of X.
Safety and Harassment on Mastodon
Mastodon’s safety depends on the instance you join. Instances with stricter moderation policies can offer a more controlled experience. The platform itself includes features designed to mitigate harassment, such as the ability to hide posts behind hashtags to limit discoverability. However, a proactive approach to blocking and reporting abusive behavior remains important.
Media Support and Privacy
Mastodon supports images, videos, audio, and polls. It allows up to four images per post, with an 8MB size limit. Videos and audio can be any length, with a 40MB limit. Privacy settings allow you to control the visibility of your posts, choosing between public, unlisted, followers-only, or direct mention.
Verification on Mastodon
There’s no universal verification system on Mastodon equivalent to Twitter’s blue checkmark. Some instances may verify users internally, and a form of self-verification can be achieved by linking profiles with the “rel=me” attribute. However, these methods don’t carry the same weight as official verification.
The Future of Mastodon
As of mid-2024, Mastodon’s growth has stabilized. Its future trajectory remains uncertain, dependent on continued development, user adoption and the evolving landscape of social media. The integration of the ActivityPub protocol by platforms like Threads may lead to increased interoperability and a larger, more connected Fediverse. A key area to watch is how Mastodon navigates scalability and continues to attract users while maintaining its core principles of decentralization and user control.
Cross-posting and Finding Friends
You *can* cross-post from X to Mastodon using third-party tools like Moa Party or Mastodon Twitter Crossposter. Similarly, tools like Fedifinder, Twitodon, and Debirdify can help you locate your Twitter connections on Mastodon.
Mastodon, Bluesky and Threads
While Mastodon and Threads are both part of the ActivityPub network and can interoperate, Bluesky has chosen not to integrate with ActivityPub, developing its own protocol instead. This separation could limit the potential for a truly unified decentralized social web.
