Join Evan Prodomou of ActivityPub, Eugen Rochko from Mastodon, and other social media visionaries as they unpack the Fediverse! Discover the dynamic evolution of social networks with a focus on new protocols like ActivityPub and the AT Protocol. They explore the consequences of high-profile acquisitions, the humorous term 'Feta', and the decentralized nature of platforms like Mastodon and Bluesky. Dive into user mobility, the promise of federated models, and what the future holds for social media!

Today I’m talking to Mastodon CEO Eugen Rochko. Mastodon is the open-source, decentralized competitor to Twitter, and it’s where a lot of Twitter users have gone in this, our post-Elon era. The idea is that you don’t join a single platform that one company controls, you join a server, and that server can show you content from users across the entire network. If you decide you don’t like the people who run your server, or you think they’re moderating content too strictly, you can leave, and take your followers and social graph with you. Think about it like email and you’ll get it – if you don’t like Gmail, you can switch to something else, but you don’t have to quit email entirely as a concept.Now if you are like me, you hear the words open-source and decentralized, and then the word CEO, and you think – wait, why does the decentralized open standard have a CEO? The whole point is that no single person or company is in charge, right? Well, welcome to the wild world of open-source governance. It’s a riot, my friends – you’re going to hear Eugen and I say the phrase benevolent dictator for life in dead seriousness, because that’s how a lot of these projects are run.Of course, we also talk about money, and structure – Mastodon doesn’t make a lot of money, and Eugen is figuring out how to build a structure that scale past just a handful of people — but keep that in mind, actually. This tiny mostly volunteer labor of love might very well be the future of social networking, and, if you believe the hype about ActivityPub, might have some part in the future of the web. That’s pretty exciting, even if things are seem a little messy in the moment.Links:More than two million users have flocked to Mastodon since Elon Musk took over Twitter A beginner’s guide to Mastodon, the hot new open-source Twitter cloneElon MuskBenevolent dictator for lifeMastodon SocialEugen Rochko (@Gargron@mastodon.social)XKCD   Erase browser history: can AI reset the browser battle?Twitter alternatives for the Musk-averseWe tried to run a social media site and it was awfulDenial-of-service attackTranscript:https://www.theverge.com/e/23422689 Credits:Decoder is a production of The Verge and part of the Vox Media Podcast Network.It was produced by Creighton DeSimone and Jackie McDermott and it was edited by Callie Wright. The Decoder music is by Breakmaster Cylinder. Our Editorial Director is Brooke Minters and our Executive Director is Eleanor Donovan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

ActivityPub is back in the news, thanks to Meta’s Threads launch and Elon’s continued immolation of Twitter — now X. That makes this the perfect time to dig into the Decoder archives to hear what Mastodon CEO Eugen Rochko thinks about the future of social media. Mastodon got a head start as the most well-known of the rising decentralized social networks, but that’s changing fast. Bluesky, on a competing protocol, is picking up steam and Threads promises to decentralize in the future, using the same ActivityPub protocol as Mastodon. That’s a big deal, with big potential.Verge Editor-at-Large David Pierce has been covering all this very closely. Before we jump into the interview with Rochko, I spoke with David to help update everyone on what ActivityPub even is, and what it could mean for the future of social media.Links:More than two million users have flocked to Mastodon since Elon Musk took over Twitter - The Verge A beginner’s guide to Mastodon, the hot new open-source Twitter clone - The VergeElon Musk - The VergeBenevolent dictator for life - WikipediaMastodon SocialEugen Rochko (@Gargron@mastodon.social)   Erase browser history: can AI reset the browser battle? - The Verge   Twitter alternatives for the Musk-averse - The VergeWe tried to run a social media site and it was awful | Financial TimesDenial-of-service attack - Wikipedia  Can ActivityPub save the internet? - The Verge Five reasons Threads could still go the distance - The VergeWhat's next for Threads - The VergeTranscript:https://www.theverge.com/e/23422689 Credits:Decoder is a production of The Verge and part of the Vox Media Podcast Network.It was produced by Creighton DeSimone and Jackie McDermott and it was edited by Callie Wright. The Decoder music is by Breakmaster Cylinder. Our Editorial Director is Brooke Minters and our Executive Director is Eleanor Donovan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mastodon's founder and CEO, Eugen Rochko, discusses Mastodon's epic year and the growth of the Fediverse. They explore the arrival of Meta and the benefits of Threads joining the Fediverse. They also discuss the adoption of Blue Sky and the future of open social networks. The chapter covers the rise and fall of XMPP, the importance of innovating user experiences, and funding in the Fediverse. They recognize Mastodon's achievements and express gratitude for a powerful online platform.

Host Manoush Zomorodi discusses decentralization with Eugen Rochko of Mastodon and Justin Hunter of Graphite docs, exploring the potential benefits and challenges. They also touch on the concept of building a decentralized internet, the role of decentralization in news organizations, and the vision of MadeSafe in creating a safer internet. The podcast emphasizes the need to re-decentralize the web and overcome cultural barriers for a user payment model.