Mastodon, a platform similar to Twitter getting famous
In the aftermath of Elon Musk taking over Twitter, few users have been using alternative platforms. Mastodon is one of the biggest beneficiaries. But what is it? Let's read more about it.
In terms of appearance, Mastodon looks like Twitter, account users write "toots" (meaning posts), which be liked, re-posted, and replied to. The users can also follow each other. Beneath the surface, however, its working is different.
It is one of the reasons why the platform is getting a lot of users, but it has made some doubts for new users signing up. The platform is six years old, but its current rise is unbelievable, getting overwhelmed by new followers every day. Here's everything you want to know about it.
Selecting servers
The first thing a user has to do after signing up is select a server, there are many. The themes vary from county, city, or interest- like UK, social, technology, gaming, etc.
It doesn't matter which server you are using, as you can follow users from any server, however, it gives you a familiar community that'll share similar content, the kind you might be interested in. Famous ones like social and UK- are currently running very slowly because of the high demand.
How to find people?
The server you select becomes part of your username, for instance, if you are using your current Twitter handle "XYZ" on a UK server, the username will be @xyzmastodonapp.uk. So here's your user address, the people can search it to find you on the app. If you're on the same server, you can find a person using their name, but if they are on another server, you will need their full address.
In this matter, it is different from Twitter, Mastodon will not recommend users you might be interested in. You can also look for hashtags.
Moderation of Mastodon
Zoe Kleinman, writer at BBC says:
"This is a real hot potato. At the moment all the servers have their own moderation rules, and some have none. Some servers are choosing not to link to others that are full of bots or seem to have a high quantity of hateful content - this means they will not be visible to those on the servers where they are blocked. Posts can also be reported to the server owners."
In case of hate speech or illegal content, the owners can remove it, but it doesn't assure that the content is removed from everywhere.
If Mastodon continues to grow, it can become a major issue. There have already been cases of people being targeted via hateful content, and the use of homophobic harassment.
What about the ads?
No, there are no ads. But you can promote your company or services, as there are no regulations. Mastodon also doesn't have a curated experience like Twitter, where you view posts on the basis of what your followers are talking about.
Is it paid or free?
It depends on the server you are using, some ask for donations, as they don't get paid, however, a large part of it is free.
