Decentered

Anuj Ahooja and Ryan Barrett from A New Social are reshaping the decentralized social landscape. They discuss enhancing accessibility with Bridgy Fed and Bounce, emphasizing user-friendly tools. Navigating social media interoperability is key, as they tackle cross-network migration and data portability challenges. The duo shares insights on their project’s growth from side project to thriving platform, addressing user mobility and identity across networks. They also reflect on the need for community-driven solutions to improve the overall user experience.

This episode is a recording of our live panel from FediCon 2025, which happened in Vancouver, Canada.

In this engaging discussion, Evan Henshaw-Plath, an Internet pioneer and founder of Nos.Social, shares his journey through social media activism since the 1990s. He delves into the evolution of decentralized platforms like Nostr and the need for user control in digital communication. The conversation also covers innovation in social media engagement, balancing user agency with the challenges of choice fatigue. Evan emphasizes the importance of community collaboration to empower marginalized voices and foster healthier online environments.

Saskia Welch, from Newsmast, works on fostering community connections. She shares insights from the recent FediForum, emphasizing collaboration and community engagement. The discussion touches on the need for organizations to control their social spaces rather than relying on tech giants. They also explore the evolving landscape of content discoverability in decentralized media and the impact of user-centric platforms. Finally, Saskia reflects on the energizing experience of community events and encourages participation in ongoing conversations about social media.

The hosts celebrate their return and gear up for FediForum 2025, highlighting emerging trends in the Fediverse. They discuss the diverse keynote speakers, including Christine Limmer-Weber's insights on ActivityPub standards. Personal experiences from the Fediverse House gathering emphasize community connections and impactful dialogues. Challenges in promoting decentralization are examined, along with innovative solutions. The podcast also addresses inclusivity issues sparked by controversy, reflecting on the community's resilience and excitement for future events.

Developer Jesse Karmani discusses creating a private social media platform, Frequency, focusing on privacy and meaningful connections. They explore challenges in app development and evolving social networking preferences. The podcast touches on issues in the Fediverse, social media forks like Glitch Social, and invites developers to join Frequency.

Matthias Pfefferle, developer behind ActivityPub for WordPress at Automattic, discusses the evolution of the plugin, challenges in implementing ActivityPub, dilemmas of supporting new projects, and the future of blogging within the Fediverse

IndieWeb developer Manton Reece discusses building a federated microblogging platform. Topics include JSON Feed integration, migration from Substack, diverse platform features, pricing plans, Fediverse growth, open APIs, and online data ownership.

Rudy Fraser discusses creating Black Sky, a custom feed for black voices on Bluesky. Topics include building personalized feeds, addressing platform flaws, benefits of decentralized platforms, risks of tech monopolies, and encouraging engagement in Blue Sky ecosystem.

In this podcast, Jaz Michael-King discusses building trust and safety in the Wild West of social on the Fediverse. Topics include tools for moderators, legal liabilities, navigating grants, child safety, and government engagement. Emphasis on community collaboration and resource sharing for positive change.