Some Twitter users flying the coop hope Mastodon will be a safe landing

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Meet Mastodon, the Twitter alternative that droves of people are flocking to.

Photo Illustration by Davide Bonaldo/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty ImagesThe Mastodon app homepage is seen displayed on a mobile phone screen.Few people outside computer programmers or engineers had heard of the social network Mastodon before Elon Musk bought Twitter.

"I joined a Mastodon [server] that was all about science fiction and fantasy writing. And I'm like, 'This is great. These are definitely my people!'" he said."But then no one else is there."Wilker, who joined Twitter in 2007, credits the platform for helping him launch his career as a science-fiction writer. But he's gotten fed up with it before, like after the 2016 elections, then again in 2020.

Twitter is more than a social network, says Karen North, a professor at University of Southern California's Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism. Meredith Clarke, a communications professor at Northeastern University, is writing a book about Black Twitter. She's sticking with Twitter because it's central to her research. But she knows users who are looking around for options feel torn about leaving. While more popular social networks like Facebook and TikTok serve some of the same needs as Twitter, they are not the same.

"The question is whether they want to deal with the kind of harassment that has definitely spiked in the last few days and weeks, whether they want to be there when, say, the chief chaos agent in charge, [former President Donald Trump,] is allowed back on the platform," Clark said.shortly after the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol. At the time, the company said Trump broke its rules about inciting violence.

 

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joinmastodon

have you tried Mastodon, it is awesome, why don't you move there?

I just set mine up over there...

It looks like Elon will be gone soon enough. Much sooner than anyone expected, with his recent talk of bankruptcy. Then, debt holders take over. So, he may be gone, as quickly as he came. I’m sticking around. I rarely read reply’s or DM, so don’t care if more haters show up.👍🏼

What crap. Not all of us are flocking there.

Is this a paid advertisement

Droves?

Mastodon is no twitter.

i already have a hard enough time keeping up with what social media there already is. ill pass

Echo chamber

I tried Mastodon, but it is confusing.

NPR sounds like CBC here in Canada: promoting a boycott of Twitter because of Musk. Partisanship from government funded press?

Never! Twitter is home of the resistance

It’s like npr and AP are mandated to attack elonmusk

So NPR is promoting a social messaging app to further divide the country into two comfort bubbles - like Fox and MSNBC - ensuring absence of any forum to exchange ideas/opinions? Is that what NPR (publicly funded by Ds and Rs) wants?

Good they can flock off.

One of its first rules is you can’t say anything derogatory about anyone else. Fuck that. I’m stay on Twitter

Mastodon is great. If you like apps that don’t work.

paidad

Why is npr advertising a twitter alternative?

Oh, they're flocking in droves now, are they? They used to flock in flocks.

Ok I really like Tokler_Social can you write an article about it? It feels intuitive

Mastodon..... That's the name? Did they run that by a focus group first because that sucks.

It needs to be streamlined, it's very confusing.

'Meredith Clarke, a communications professor at Northeastern University, is writing a book about Black Twitter.' 'Even before Musk took over, she said, Twitter didn't do a good job of protecting [] marginalized users . . . [and] Musk [] is known for his belligerence & trolling'

No, thanks. I don’t think Mastodon or any social platform is a good alternative to Twitter. None exist. People stay the same. 🫤

No thanks!

There are way too many apps to keep up with.

Cope

Hey have you heard of Mastodon, fellow kids?

Here’s the plan: Jeff Bezos buys Truth Social and kicks everyone off. He then re-brands it and provides a migration path for Twitter users to move their accounts.

No they aren’t.

Nice try though👍

Mastadon is kinda shit. If I am being honest. They are just tryna take advantage of the Twitter drama... good strategy... but only works if you have an actually fun usable platform.

Will they let me pretend that I'm Elon Musk?

So conservatives go to Truth Social and liberals go to Mastodon?

Each instance has own server. Limited capacity. Costs money to upgrade. Each server had it's own terms of moderation . Each moderator can block other instances of members in mastadon. Good luck!

Is this an endorsement, plug, push, consideration ? Wanna know for the next time I have to endure a pledge drive on my radio . . .

They actually aren’t. There have been new sign ups that turned into dead accounts. This can be seen in every instance. Just admit that Twitter is up.

I 'joined' Mastodon hours ago. still waiting for my confirming email...

the extinct elephant in the room

Have you tried plunging your face into a bowl of ice water instead?

Echo chamber

LMAO my god NPR is so pathetically agendized and embarassing. Y’all call yourself news…

How much is a drove? And how many droves have flocked to Mastodon?

Everyone goes to an alt social media. They go to Parker, Gettr, Tribal, this one - but they always come back. Always.

We need sane alternatives to Twitter!

Intelligent human interaction, without the hate & racism

FTFY “To which droves of people are flocking.”

Someone at Mastodon needs to clean up the “pick a server” mess at sign-up. It’s way too complicated and fragmented.

Okay it's over now no wait not until the Times Style section writes about it

I thought everyone was going to tribel.

“Droves of people” 🤣 , here the door 👉🏻

By leftist pedo groomers

Check out too

Found it confusing to start - perhaps one day

Buh bye hahaha I got Twitter soon as musk took over

I joined and am hoping my learning curve is speedier than the demise of Twitter. For those of you just joining, know that the email confirmation can be slow depending on which instance you join. Mine took several hours to show up.

The pitch from Mastodon users is, yes, it might be a little complicated, but you can do it and there’s lots of help! I’m sure it’s my loss, but there’s no universe in which I’m going to attempt anything that is “complicated,” and getting help from others…

ZachRongers Hear it kinda sucks

According to M-W, a drove can be an army, a herd, or a mob. Doesn't sound good.

This may produce new influencers faster than building a base Twitter right now.

So a left wing safe place for non existent hysteria caused by Democrat politicians, and amplified by their Democrat media friends. 😵‍💫

Wtf is everyone panicking about

The liberal Parler... oh how the times have changed.... I'm sure engagement there is amazing

Lol, have fun over there.... 😏

Lmao

I gave them a shot really early when they had a surge when Musk was initially making the purchase. Didn't really appeal to me. Since the purchase, I've been using TribelSocial. Much easier to work with.

Naw man... Slow as fuck

libs are so upset their favorite toy got taken away.

It was never intended to compete with Twitter. Mastodon twitterfies early 00s internet forums. But it's maddeningly complicated for the average user.

Don't mention it's a hotbed for fetishists. Always mention Kiwi Farma is a hate and doxxi g forum but not that about Mastadon.

It’s confusing and doesn’t feel as safe. Which is shocking considering how unsafe twitter feels

Just downloaded yesterday. Will let you all know what it's like. 😁

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