Mastodon, a decentralized social media platform, has experienced a surge in activity recently. This surge follows Twitter’s new restrictions on the number of posts users can view in a day.
Eugen Rochko, Mastodon’s creator and CEO, reported a 110,000 increase in the platform’s active user base in the past day. In a lighthearted manner, he jokingly expressed a preference for Elon Musk, the current owner of Twitter, to “destroy his site during the work week.”
Mastodon is similar to Twitter but differs in being decentralized. It is not controlled by a single company. Instead, it consists of numerous independent servers, each managed by a different administrator. This structure provides users with greater data control and makes it harder for one entity to censor or manipulate the platform.
The duration of the surge in Mastodon’s activity remains uncertain. However, it indicates that some users are dissatisfied with the direction Twitter is taking under Elon Musk’s ownership.
Reasons why people are transitioning to Mastodon include:
- Decentralization: Mastodon’s decentralized nature empowers users with greater control over their data. It also makes it more challenging for a single entity to censor or manipulate the platform.
- Privacy: Mastodon prioritizes privacy more than Twitter. Users can choose to limit their posts to only their followers or make them public.
- Community: Mastodon fosters a strong sense of community. Users can join various “instances” of Mastodon, which function as distinct social networks. This enables users to find communities that align with their interests.
