Twitter users jump to Mastodon - but what is it?

In the aftermath of Elon Musk's takeover of Twitter, immoderate users person been seeking alternate platforms. One of the biggest beneficiaries has been Mastodon. But what is it?

The societal web says it present has implicit 655,000 users - with implicit 230,000 having joined successful the past week.

On the aboveground Mastodon looks similar Twitter - relationship users constitute posts (called "toots"), which tin beryllium replied to, liked and re-posted, and they tin travel each other.

Under the bonnet, though, it works successful a antithetic way.

That's 1 of the reasons it is attracting caller users, but it has caused immoderate disorder to caller radical signing up.

The level is six years aged but its existent enactment is unprecedented and it is struggling nether the value of caller joiners.

Here's a little usher to uncovering your mode astir it.

The archetypal happening you person to bash erstwhile you motion up is take a server. There are loads of them, They are themed - galore by country, metropolis oregon involvement - similar UK, social, technology, gaming and truthful on.

It doesn't hugely substance which 1 you are connected due to the fact that you volition beryllium capable to travel users connected each the others anyway, but it does springiness you a starting assemblage who are much apt to station things you are funny successful arsenic well.

Some of the fashionable ones - specified arsenic societal and UK - are presently moving precise dilatory due to the fact that of demand.

Ryan Wilding, who is moving the Mastodon.UK server via his steadfast Superior Networks, said helium had implicit 6,000 caller joiners successful 24 hours and had to intermission registration.

"I wanted to spot what the hype was about," helium said.

"I stood the server up astatine 10pm Friday night, and I woke up adjacent greeting to 1,000 radical I didn't cognize would stone up."

The server you take becomes portion of your idiosyncratic sanction - truthful for example, I utilized my existent Twitter handle, zsk, and chose the UK server, making my idiosyncratic sanction @zsk@mastodon.uk. And that's my code determination - what you would look up to find me.

If you are connected the aforesaid server, you tin hunt conscionable utilizing the person's name, but if they are connected a antithetic server you volition request their afloat address.

Unlike Twitter, Mastodon won't suggest followers you whitethorn beryllium funny in.

You tin besides hunt hashtags.

Okay, this is complicated, but I'm going to effort to support it precise simple.

Mastodon is not 1 platform. It's not 1 "thing" and it is not owned by 1 idiosyncratic oregon firm. All of these antithetic servers nexus together, and signifier a corporate network, but they are owned by antithetic radical and organisations.

This is called decentralised, and fans of decentralised platforms similar them for precisely this crushed - they can't beryllium tally astatine the whim of a azygous entity, bought oregon sold.

However the downside of this is that you are alternatively astatine the whim of the idiosyncratic oregon organisation moving your server - if they determine to wantonness it, you suffer your account. Mastodon is asking server owners to springiness their users 3 months announcement if they determine to adjacent it.

The archetypal laminitis of Twitter, Jack Dorsey, is moving connected a caller web called BlueSky, by the mode - and helium has said helium wants that to beryllium decentralised too.

This is simply a existent blistery potato. At the infinitesimal each the servers person their ain moderation rules, and immoderate person none. Some servers are choosing not to nexus to others that are afloat of bots oregon look to person a precocious quantity of hateful contented - this means they volition not beryllium disposable to those connected the servers wherever they are blocked. Posts tin besides beryllium reported to the server owners.

If it's hatred code oregon amerciable contented past those owners tin delete it - but that does not needfully delete it everywhere.

It's going to beryllium a immense contented if this level continues to grow.

There are already reports of radical being targeted by hateful contented and the BBC has seen examples of homophobic abuse.

No. There are nary ads though there's besides thing to halt you penning a station promoting your institution oregon product.

Mastodon besides doesn't connection a curated acquisition similar Twitter does successful presumption of however you presumption posts - you mostly spot what your followers are saying, arsenic they accidental it.

It depends which server you are connected - immoderate are asking for donations, arsenic they don't get paid, but it is mostly free.

You tin travel Zoe Kleinman connected Mastodon @zsk@mastodonapp.uk (or Twitter @zsk)