The FediVerse is a loose correlation of SocialMedia websites running software that talks a common protocol1 which allows them to share users and content with each other.
Things that the FediVerse IS:
Things that the FediVerse IS NOT:
| Instance | Software | Registration | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| fsebugoutzone.org | Pleroma/Revolver | Open | Née freespeechextremist |
| freesoftwareextremist.com | Pleroma | Open | Similar to above, Home to BloatFE |
| shitposter.world | Pleroma | Private | Née shitposter.club |
| poa.st | Pleroma | Open | A lot of racists/nazis |
| dobbs.town | Mastodon | Private | For SubGenius members |
| Instance | Software | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| mastodon.social, mastodon.* | hurr | 5 |
The most common protocol is ActivityPub, which is supported by most software. An older protocol is OStatus, which started with GNU Social and is still supported by the Pleroma software, hence Pleroma instances can still federate with GNU Social instances, unlike Mastodon which dropped support for OStatus a long time ago.↩
Mastodon is part of the FediVerse, but the FediVerse is not "Mastodon". People who only use Mastodon instances often confuse the wider FediVerse with Mastodon.↩
The protocol that Bluesky uses, the "AT Protocol", is incompatible with the protocols the FediVerse uses (OStatus and ActivityPub), and it is also not designed to be truly decentralized the way the FediVerse is, but it feigns the appearance of being decentralized. It was also designed to be a twitter replacement, and as such its users are very UnCOOL.↩
Mastodon.social only federates with instances which subscribe to its CodeOfConduct (i.e. no mean words or WrongThink), which means instances part of its network are forced to have the same attitdue. Not all of these instances are totally bad--they might not defederate everyone, but a lot of them are prone to it and you'll have a harder time reaching the other parts of the FediVerse.↩