"Exploring the Fediverse: A Journey Through Decentralized Social Media
You’ve probably heard it mentioned while standing around the water cooler: Fediverse. Nope, not to be confused with The Federation from Star Trek. Although, there is quite a lot of similarities between the two. The Fediverse, much like Star Trek’s Federation, represents a vast, decentralized network that thrives on the principles of cooperation and interconnectedness. Just as the Federation in Star Trek unites diverse planets and species, each maintaining their own autonomy while benefiting from shared resources and knowledge, the Fediverse links a multitude of independent servers and platforms, allowing users to interact seamlessly across different communities while retaining their individual control and governance. In both, there’s an emphasis on unity in diversity, with a shared ethos of mutual respect and free exchange of ideas, fostering a sense of belonging and collective progress across disparate groups.
What is it?
The Fediverse is made up of various services that can interact, allowing users to communicate across different platforms without needing separate accounts. Some examples of Fediverse platforms include Mastodon for microblogging, Peertube for video hosting, and Pixelfed for image sharing. For this article, I’m focusing on the following key points: Definition, Interoperability, Examples, History, and Advantages.
The Fediverse is a collection of interconnected, open-source social media platforms. It’s defined as a collection of interconnected social networks where different platforms communicate with each other. It’s a decentralized network, meaning there’s no single point of control. This setup contrasts with traditional social media, which is usually controlled by one company. The Fediverse is built on open-source software, promoting transparency and community involvement in development. Its interconnected nature allows users on different platforms to interact seamlessly, enhancing user experience and freedom.
Interoperability in the Fediverse refers to the ability of different social media platforms to communicate and interact with each other. This means users on one platform can follow, message, or share content with users on another platform seamlessly. This cross-platform interaction is facilitated by shared protocols, which are sets of rules and standards that allow different systems to work together.
Some examples include Mastodon for microblogging with a focus on privacy and community moderation, Peertube for hosting and sharing videos without ads or tracking, and Pixelfed, an image sharing platform similar to Instagram but without the commercialization.
In 2008, Evan Prodromou created a microblogging service called identi.ca using the Ostatus protocol and status.net server software. A few years later, he changed his service to use a new protocol, called pump.io. He released the Ostatus protocol to the Free Software Foundation, where it got incorporated into GNU/social. In this form, the fediverse continued along for several years.
In March 2016, Eugen Rochco (Gargron) created Mastodon, which used GNU/social with an interface similar to a popular Twitter interface called Tweetdeck. This gained some popularity.
In 2018, a new protocol called ActivityPub was accepted as a standardized protocol by the W3C. Most Fediverse platforms have adopted it. It was authored by Evan Prodromou, Christine Lemmer-Weber, and others, and it expanded upon the previous services to provide a better and more flexible protocol.
Several advantages of the Fediverse over traditional social media include:
- Decentralization: No single point of control, enhancing user freedom.
- User Control: Greater control over personal data and content.
- Open Source: Transparency and community involvement in development.
- Reduced Advertising: Less commercialization and intrusive ads.
- Diverse Platforms: Variety of specialized platforms catering to different needs.
There’s a whole lot more that can be learned about the Fediverse. This article was designed to wet your appetite and peak your interest. If you would like to learn more, check out this article from opensource.com.
