Mastodon key facts
Last updated- Legal entity
- Mastodon gGmbH
- Headquarters
- Germany (DE)
- Ownership
- Part of Mastodon gGmbH (non-profit)
- Founded
- 2016
- Data hosting
- Germany, Global / multi-region
- Infrastructure
- Fastly
- Open source
- Yes
- US Cloud Act exposure
- Exposed
- Replaces
- Twitter/X, Facebook, Instagram, Reddit
About Mastodon
Mastodon is a decentralized social media platform that operates as a federation of independent servers. Unlike traditional social networks, it is not owned by a single corporation and does not use algorithms or ads to curate content. Users can follow others across different servers, creating a personalized experience focused on community and user agency. The platform is built on open-source software and the ActivityPub protocol, making it part of the 'fediverse'—a network of interoperable social apps. This allows for a high degree of customization and autonomy, as individual server administrators can set their own moderation policies and rules. The project is sustained through public donations and sponsorships rather than venture capital or advertising.
Alternative to
Hosting & Security
Fastly
Key Features
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