What is decentralized social media?
Networks such as Mastodon and Bluesky use open protocols instead of one company’s servers, so no single owner controls every feed or account. The goal is to…
Networks such as Mastodon and Bluesky use open protocols instead of one company’s servers, so no single owner controls every feed or account. The goal is to let people switch apps without losing their followers.
Why who owns the network matters
On a traditional network, one company sets the rules, runs the servers, and can change fees, feeds, or access at any time. Decentralized networks spread that control across many independent servers that can still talk to each other. That can mean more choice of apps and rules, and an account that is harder to lose overnight. The trade off is real, though: setup can feel fussier, and finding friends takes a little more effort at first.
What to do, step by step
- Pick a well known service to start, such as Mastodon or Bluesky, and create your account.
- Choose a username and profile photo you can reuse, so friends recognize you across apps.
- Follow a few accounts, hashtags, or communities first, and let your feed grow from there.
- Save your password and any recovery codes somewhere safe, just as with any account.
- Tell friends where to find you, and try posting the same update in both places for a while.
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