MASTODON
1. Context
Twitter's new CEO Elon Musk's plans for the social media app have raised a series of concerns about paid verified accounts, increased spread of misinformation, and advertising on the platform. Some Twitter users who are worried that Musk's free speech ideals will lead to more online abuse have started leaving the platform. As they search for alternatives, Mastodon, which claims to be the "largest decentralized social network on the Internet," stands out.
2. What is Mastodon?
- Mastodon was founded by Eugen Rochko, Mastodon was released in 2016. The social media platform's main appeal was that it was decentralized, open source, and represented a vision of what its founder wanted Twitter to be.
- Rather than being controlled by a CEO or a centralized moderation team, Mastodon users pick "servers" which host their data and let them access the same platform.
- Servers are organized by general or specific topics, including "LGBTQ+," and "Activism". Some are open to joining while others require users to get on a waitlist.
- Anyone can submit a server for consideration, as long as it is in the ambit of Mastodon's rules. The platform is ad-free and has its timeline arranged in chronological order, rather than relying on an algorithm as Twitter did.
3. How does Mastodon differ from Twitter?
- Mastodon users send "toots" that can be up to 500 characters in length. Users have their own handles and can share media, re-share toots, favorite them, and bookmark them.
- Mastodon's relatively tiny user pool has discouraged people from joining. They are also concerned about the complicated server structure and a social media setup that looks more fragmented when compared to Twitter.
- Furthermore, there are complaints about user experience and overloaded servers.
4. Are people using Mastodon?
- Mastodon tweeted that over 2,30,000 users had switched to its platform and that old accounts were being re-activated. There was a 71% increase in monthly active users on November 5, according to the website.
- Servers were also up by 17%, totaling more than 3,000 in number. Mastodon still has a long way to go to catch up to Twitter, which has millions of monthly active users, many of whom are monetizable.
- Some of Mastodon's early adopters include activists, journalists, and researchers who wanted a Twitter-like experience but one that was less toxic.
5. What is the Indian connection?
- In 2019, several anti-caste activists and accounts claimed that Twitter censored accounts belonging to marginalized caste and tribe users, and did not take measures to stop those spreading casteist abuse.
- Several Indian Twitter users suggested shifting to Mastodon, believing it might take stronger action against caste discrimination and trolls.
- However, the Indian migration from Twitter to Mastodon has not been impactful.
For Prelims
| IT Rules,Twitter, Mastodon. |
