Decentralised social
Instagram, X and Facebook belong to companies that profile you and can censor or delete you overnight. The “fediverse” offers networks owned by their users.
What it's for
The X/Twitter alternative: a social network made of thousands of independent servers that talk
to each other (the “fediverse”).
Why it matters
No single owner, no algorithm deciding for you, no arbitrary ban by one company. The feed is
chronological, with no ads or manipulation.
For whom & when
Everyone. Ideal for information accounts that want a presence no company can cut off.
Install & use
On joinmastodon.org, choose a server (or “instance”) that suits you, then create an account.
Install an app (the official one, or Ivory, Tusky…) and follow accounts: you see the whole
fediverse, whatever their server.
What it's for
Not an app but a protocol: a social network where your identity is a simple key pair, like
Bitcoin.
Why it matters
No email, no password, no account anyone can delete. Your posts travel across decentralised
relays and you truly own your audience: no one can ban you for good. You can even receive
Bitcoin tips (“zaps”) and switch apps anytime without losing your followers.
For whom & when
Information accounts and creators who fear platform censorship and want a presence truly their
own.
Install & use
- Install a client: Damus (iPhone), Amethyst or Primal (Android), or a web version.
The app generates your key pair. Back up your private key (nsec) like a Bitcoin seed
phrase: on paper, never shared.
- Create your profile, follow people, enable zaps to receive sats.
What it's for
Community chat, in the spirit of Discord or Slack, but federated and end-to-end encryptable.
Element is the app, Matrix the network.
Why it matters
You can host your own server (Synapse) and control your data. Perfect for a collective, a
newsroom or an association that wants its own independent space.
For whom & when Communities and groups. See the metadata caveat below.
Install & use
Install Element (element.io) and create an account on a public server, or on your own (section
10).
- Join or create rooms, and enable end-to-end encryption for private conversations.
What it's for
The federated cousins of Instagram (Pixelfed), YouTube (PeerTube) and Reddit (Lemmy).
Why it matters
Same logic as Mastodon: no single owner, no ad algorithm, no tracking. You post photos, videos
or discussions without feeding a profiling machine.
For whom & when
Those who want to leave Instagram, YouTube or Reddit without giving up the format.
Metadata caveatMatrix encrypts content well, but in federation, participating servers see room
membership and message timing. For highly sensitive use, prefer SimpleX/Session or self-host
your server.
PART 12 · 🟡
Decentralised social
Instagram, X and Facebook belong to companies that profile you and can censor or delete you overnight. The “fediverse” offers networks owned by their users.
Mastodon
What it's for
The X/Twitter alternative: a social network made of thousands of independent servers that talk to each other (the “fediverse”).
Why it matters
No single owner, no algorithm deciding for you, no arbitrary ban by one company. The feed is chronological, with no ads or manipulation.
For whom & when
Everyone. Ideal for information accounts that want a presence no company can cut off.
Install & use
On joinmastodon.org, choose a server (or “instance”) that suits you, then create an account.
Install an app (the official one, or Ivory, Tusky…) and follow accounts: you see the whole fediverse, whatever their server.
Nostr
What it's for
Not an app but a protocol: a social network where your identity is a simple key pair, like Bitcoin.
Why it matters
No email, no password, no account anyone can delete. Your posts travel across decentralised relays and you truly own your audience: no one can ban you for good. You can even receive Bitcoin tips (“zaps”) and switch apps anytime without losing your followers.
For whom & when
Information accounts and creators who fear platform censorship and want a presence truly their own.
Install & use
The app generates your key pair. Back up your private key (nsec) like a Bitcoin seed phrase: on paper, never shared.
Matrix / Element
What it's for
Community chat, in the spirit of Discord or Slack, but federated and end-to-end encryptable. Element is the app, Matrix the network.
Why it matters
You can host your own server (Synapse) and control your data. Perfect for a collective, a newsroom or an association that wants its own independent space.
For whom & when Communities and groups. See the metadata caveat below.
Install & use
Install Element (element.io) and create an account on a public server, or on your own (section 10).
Pixelfed · PeerTube · Lemmy
What it's for
The federated cousins of Instagram (Pixelfed), YouTube (PeerTube) and Reddit (Lemmy).
Why it matters
Same logic as Mastodon: no single owner, no ad algorithm, no tracking. You post photos, videos or discussions without feeding a profiling machine.
For whom & when
Those who want to leave Instagram, YouTube or Reddit without giving up the format.
Matrix encrypts content well, but in federation, participating servers see room membership and message timing. For highly sensitive use, prefer SimpleX/Session or self-host your server.