Fediverse

Fediverse is a collection of interconnected online services that operate on open, interoperable protocols, allowing users on one service to interact with users on others. It is not a single platform but a network of independently run servers called instances, united by common standards. The most widely used protocol is ActivityPub, but other protocols such as Diaspora and OStatus have also been used. Each instance hosts its own community, moderation rules, and features, and users create accounts on an instance of their choice. Because the services communicate via standard protocols, posts, follows, replies, and media can be distributed across the network, enabling cross‑platform social interactions, video hosting, image sharing, and more, depending on the service.

Common example services include Mastodon (microblogging), Misskey and Pleroma (federated social networks), PeerTube (video hosting), Funkwhale (music), Pixelfed (image sharing), and Friendica (multi‑purpose social platform).

Advantages of the Fediverse include user autonomy, resistance to single‑vendor outages, and varied moderation policies at the instance level. Drawbacks include inconsistent user experience, potential fragmentation, varying content policies, and moderation challenges across instances. Because governance is distributed, changes can be slow and communities may diverge.

History: The Fediverse grew from earlier federated networks in the 2010s. ActivityPub, standardized by the W3C, emerged as a unifying protocol around 2018-2019, contributing to wider adoption. Mastodon and related projects popularized federated social networking in the late 2010s, and the Fediverse expanded to include diverse media platforms in the 2020s.