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Join the Conversation on Mastodon
@LibbyGarvey@mastodon.social
Let’s build a better digital future together.
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What is Mastodon?
Mastodon is a decentralized social network that champions privacy, user control, and community-driven engagement. Unlike traditional social media platforms which are for profit and controlled by corporations, Mastodon is a non-profit and operates on independently run servers, giving users control.
If a user leaves Mastodon, they take their followers with them. No algorithms. No advertising. Follow me on Mastodon @LibbyGarvey@mastodon.social and be part of a digital space that prioritizes human communication over making money with algorithms and ads. Mastodon wants to serve, not use people.
What Makes Mastodon Unique?
Mastodon stands apart from mainstream social media by eliminating the corporate-driven model that prioritizes profit over people. It is:
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Decentralized: Mastodon is part of the Fediverse. No single company owns the Fediverse which consists of independently operated servers that interact with one another.
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Ad-Free: Unlike platforms reliant on targeted advertising, Mastodon does not make money from ads or tracking your.
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Community-Oriented: Users can choose servers that align with their interests and values, creating a more engaged and authentic online experience.
Why I Champion Mastodon
Mastodon is an antidote to the dangers posed by a few social media moguls controlling communication and able to manipulate communication to benefit them or people who give them what they want. It offers a return to the fundamental principles of online engagement: privacy, meaningful interaction, and user-driven communities. And protection against accounts being hijacked to spread misinformation. By using Mastodon, we can reclaim control over our online spaces, support ethical digital infrastructure, and foster authentic discussions.
Governments, particularly, should be using Mastodon and gradually moving their followers onto it, so Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg and their ilk cannot one day (when communication to the public is critical) take over their accounts and followers, leaving governments helpless.
Enshittification
No, it is not the newest swear word. "Enshittification" describes the process where once-useful online platforms degrade over time as they prioritize profit over user experience.
It often follows this pattern:
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User Growth Stage: The platform offers value to attract users.
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Monetization Stage: Ads, algorithms, and manipulative design choices are introduced to maximize profits.
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Exploitation Stage: The user experience worsens as the platform prioritizes corporate interests over the community that made it successful.
Many mainstream platforms have followed this cycle, transforming from beloved spaces into ad-driven engagement traps. Because these platforms own and control accounts and follower lists, users cannot leave and take content or followers with them.
They are trapped. Mastodon is designed to get better, not “enshittify.”
Editor's Note
Many mainstream platforms have followed this cycle of enshitification, transforming from beloved spaces into ad-driven engagement traps. Because these platforms own and control accounts and follower lists, users cannot leave and take content or followers with them.
They are trapped. Mastodon is designed to get better, not “enshittify.”
Note: Of course “enshittification" could also apply to what Trump and the MAGA movement are doing to America.