Fediverse is the nickname given to a set of social networks that communicate with each other and have certain common characteristics. By opening a free account on one of these networks, you can also be in contact with people who have accounts on other of these networks (see, like, comment on posts...

Fediverse is the nickname given to a set of social networks that communicate with each other and have certain common characteristics. By opening a free account on one of these networks, you can also be in contact with people who have accounts on other of these networks (see, like, comment on posts; exchange messages).

These social networks are not companies, they are not for profit or even have an owner. They respect your privacy by not collecting personal data or tracking you; there is no advertising, no algorithms defining what you see on your timeline, no strategies to hijack your attention or get you hooked on the platform (these things are known because their software (FOSS) is fully available on the Internet for public examination).

Each of these social networks is made up of several independent sites (called “instances”) that are interconnected. (The instances are maintained by their administrators, often with the help of voluntary donations from their participants). So, you can open your account on any instance of the social network you choose.

Below we suggest – for people with different profiles – some social networks of the fediverse, tell you an instance where you can open your account and show you an example account so you can see what the network looks like.

If you want to open your first fediverse account... Network: Friendica (instance: libranet.de). An example account.

If you like learning new and different things, having control over what you put online and lots of features in your account... Network: (streams) (instance: webs.node9.org).

If you have the technical knowledge to install and manage your own instance... Network: (streams). This link is to the network software repository, where you can download it and then install it on a server by opening your instance. (Another way, which requires less technical knowledge, is to install it on a server using YunoHost).

If you don't have the technical knowledge, but are interested in having an instance to host some accounts for you and maybe other people, you can do this by investing an affordable amount (which can be split between the other people) – e.g. for a streams network instance, 3.75 USD/month.

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If what you've discovered here about the fediverse sounds interesting, invite loved ones to open an account on one of these networks and join you.

The fediverse is a very big and idea-rich place. When you want to know more about it, read here.

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  CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 2023 New Paper