# Phoenix Paulina Schmid > Explore the future of the Open Web, digital sovereignty, and self-hosting. Join Phoenix Paulina Schmid in navigating federated systems and open-source alternatives. Public Ghost content for AI and LLM tooling. This file includes a bounded export of public pages first, then recent public posts. Append `.md` to any post or page URL to get the content in Markdown (for example, `/example-post.md`). ## Pages ### Imprint URL: https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/imprint/ Last updated: 2026-06-30T19:54:48.000Z **Imprint in accordance with § 5 DDG** *Last updated: 30.06.2026* **Phoenix Paulina Schmid** Südring 78 33332 Gütersloh Germany **Represented by:** Phoenix Paulina Schmid **Contact:** Phone: +49 5242-5833229 Email: [kontakt@gelbphoenix.de](mailto:kontakt@gelbphoenix.de) **Responsible for content according to § 18 Abs. 2 MStV:** Phoenix Paulina Schmid ### Disclaimer #### Liability for Content The contents of our pages were created with the utmost care. 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We have entered into a data processing agreement (DPA) with Mailgun. The company (including its US parent entity) is certified under the EU-US Data Privacy Framework. ### You're In! URL: https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/thanks/ Last updated: 2026-06-22T20:54:58.000Z Check your EMail inbox (spam folder and promotions tab as well in Gmail) for EMails from "Phoenix Paulina Schmid". You get the newest blog posts via EMail. 😊 You have now access to blog posts like this: [Embracing DecentralizationHow Pixelfed’s Instagram Import is Changing the Game![](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/content/images/icon/favicon-1-3.webp)Phoenix Paulina SchmidPhoenix Paulina Schmid![](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/content/images/thumbnail/Design-ohne-Titel-ccf34b0a43ae8d74.png)](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/pixelfeds-instagram-import/) [Privacy in the FediverseWhat you need to know.![](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/content/images/icon/favicon-1-5.webp)Phoenix Paulina SchmidPhoenix Paulina Schmid![](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/content/images/thumbnail/fediprivacy.png)](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/privacy-in-the-fediverse/) [How Businesses Can Leverage the FediverseDiscover how businesses can leverage the Fediverse to engage with audiences ethically, build community trust, and reduce reliance on Big Tech.![](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/content/images/icon/favicon-1.webp)Phoenix Paulina SchmidPhoenix Paulina Schmid![](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1542744173-05336fcc7ad4)](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/businesses-can-leverage-the-fediverse/) ****While you're here:** Would you mind taking ****10 seconds** to help me tailor the upcoming content to your interests and tech stack? 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Check for this too. ### You can also now access posts like: [Archived Statement: “Liebe wen du willst e.V.” (2022)An translation and archive of gelbphoenix’s 2022 statement regarding the German LGBTQ+ association “Liebe wen du willst e.V.” and its practices.![](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/content/images/icon/favicon-1-4de38629c1f1ff59cdbc167b27f74948e7ff6eb4368846e9bbc97ae3dc60881b.webp)Phoenix Paulina SchmidPhoenix Paulina Schmid![](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/content/images/thumbnail/liebe-wen-du-willst-webseite-600-29c3e7377403bedc9190d0d952e15b4ade5d406ea003c731e92a520e7ffdf2e4.png)](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/bringing-my-content-home-statement-liebe-wen-du-willst/) [Monetization Options for Content Creators on the FediverseExplore innovative monetization strategies for content creators on the Fediverse – from direct support to merchanding.![](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/content/images/icon/favicon-1-2.webp)Phoenix Paulina SchmidPhoenix Paulina Schmid![](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1504868584819-f8e8b4b6d7e3)](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/monetization-options-on-the-fediverse/) ****While you're here:** Would you mind taking ****10 seconds** to help me tailor the upcoming content to your interests and tech stack? 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URL: https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/thanks-spark/ Last updated: 2026-06-22T20:55:27.000Z Check your EMail (spam folder and promotions tab as well in Gmail) for emails from "Phoenix Paulina Schmid". You get the newest blog posts via EMail and can now already comment of posts on the webpage – instead of just in the Fediverse. Try that with the latest blog post. 😊 ### You can also now access posts like: [Archived Statement: “Liebe wen du willst e.V.” (2022)An translation and archive of gelbphoenix’s 2022 statement regarding the German LGBTQ+ association “Liebe wen du willst e.V.” and its practices.![](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/content/images/icon/favicon-1-4de38629c1f1ff59cdbc167b27f74948e7ff6eb4368846e9bbc97ae3dc60881b.webp)Phoenix Paulina SchmidPhoenix Paulina Schmid![](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/content/images/thumbnail/liebe-wen-du-willst-webseite-600-29c3e7377403bedc9190d0d952e15b4ade5d406ea003c731e92a520e7ffdf2e4.png)](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/bringing-my-content-home-statement-liebe-wen-du-willst/) [Monetization Options for Content Creators on the FediverseExplore innovative monetization strategies for content creators on the Fediverse – from direct support to merchanding.![](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/content/images/icon/favicon-1-2.webp)Phoenix Paulina SchmidPhoenix Paulina Schmid![](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1504868584819-f8e8b4b6d7e3)](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/monetization-options-on-the-fediverse/) ****While you're here:** Would you mind taking ****10 seconds** to help me tailor the upcoming content to your interests and tech stack? [Take the survey ](https://cloud.gelbphoenix.de/apps/forms/s/KwqoCQLk6JXD6wnM42yFKnCX?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) ## How to Log in to your account **Please click the "SIGN IN" link in the main menu.** Enter the email you used to sign up and you will be sent a **log-in link to the email you used to subscribe with**. ### **No passwords** or user names are required. It's really that simple. **Have a very nice day,** \~Phoenix Paulina ❤️ ## Posts ### GNU Taler vs. the Digital Euro: A Question of Cryptographic vs. Institutional Privacy URL: https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/gnu-taler-vs-the-digital-euro/ Last updated: 2026-08-30T12:03:34.000Z Imagine your passport wasn't issued by a country but by a commercial payments network. If that network updated its terms, faced regulatory pressure, or decided to deprioritize your region, your ability to transact would vanish overnight. This isn't science fiction. We're sleepwalking into exactly this with central bank digital currencies (CBDCs). The European Commission is building the Digital Euro, a system that will give the ECB real-time visibility into every transaction you make, with the ability to freeze, limit, or condition your money on their terms. There's an alternative that already exists: GNU Taler. It offers genuine financial privacy without sacrificing regulatory compliance. But the ECB isn't building it. Neither is any major government. And that silence says something. ## **The Digital Euro promise* The pitch sounds good. A digital version of the euro, available to everyone, that works offline and costs nothing to use, with no more reliance on commercial banks and direct access to central bank money. The ECB emphasizes accessibility for unbanked people, more competition, and payments that are instant and settlement-final. But read the fine print. The architecture is surveillance-first: the ECB will hold real-time transaction data for every Digital Euro movement, not anonymized, not aggregated. Individual records tied to your identity, your devices, your geographic location, your spending patterns. That's not a feature. It's the whole point. ## **The Privacy inversion* Commercial banks today are required to report suspicious transactions to authorities. There's friction, procedures, an assumption of baseline privacy: the ECB doesn't watch every coffee purchase. Digital Euro infrastructure inverts this. Total observation becomes the default. Privacy becomes the exception you have to argue for, not the right you inherit. And the argument gets framed as a threat: "Privacy-preserving payments? You must be hiding something. Only criminals want that." This move, conflating financial privacy with criminality, is a red herring. Legitimate reasons to want transactional privacy abound: protection from abusive partners, security from targeted theft, defense against political persecution, freedom from commercial profiling. But once observation is built into the infrastructure, those reasons don't matter. The capability exists, and history shows it gets used. ## **GNU Taler's cryptographic alternative* GNU Taler inverts the privacy model. It uses cryptographic commitments to separate two truths the Digital Euro tries to merge: the merchant knows you paid, but the central bank doesn't know who paid. Here's how: you withdraw a coin from your bank (authenticated). The bank issues a coin with a blinded serial number, cryptographically hidden from the bank itself. You spend the coin at a merchant. The merchant verifies it's genuine. The merchant deposits the coin at the bank. The bank confirms it's valid. The bank, though, never links which withdrawal belongs to which spending. The blinding prevents that. The merchant learns who paid (for refunds, shipping, warranties), but the central bank learns only aggregate flows and balances, no transaction graph, no spending-pattern surveillance. The result: transaction transparency for regulatory compliance, spending privacy for citizens. ***If you like this blog post you can support my work by either becoming a paid member or leaving a tip.** [Donate ](#/portal/support) ## **Technical & Institutional Comparison* **Observation Model** *Digital Euro:* Total observation by default, opt-out privacy (with friction and exceptions). *GNU Taler:* Privacy by default, transparency where it matters (merchants, aggregate compliance). **Issuance and Control** *Digital Euro:* Centralized, issued by the ECB, policy set by technocrats and finance ministers. *GNU Taler:* Can be issued by any bank or institution. The cryptography is open-source and auditable. Multiple issuers compete; no single point of control. **Resilience** *Digital Euro:* A centralized payment rail. ECB systems go down, payments stop. ECB policy changes overnight, your financial freedom changes.*GNU Taler:* Decentralized by design, with different issuers meaning different policies. Cryptographic verification works offline, and one issuer's failure doesn't collapse the network. **Regulatory Compliance** *Digital Euro:* Compliance through surveillance. The ECB watches everything, then enforces rules.*GNU Taler:* Compliance through transparency. The system verifies legitimate transactions without identifying individuals. Banks verify coins, regulatory oversight still happens, but it doesn't require a total transaction ledger. ## **Why this matters* The Digital Euro is marketed as a public good. It'll increase inclusion and choice. On the surface, fair enough. But the architecture reveals this isn't really about inclusion or choice: it's about centralizing state surveillance over economic life. Once a government controls the rails, the basic layer of how money moves, it doesn't just get regulatory information, it gets policy leverage. Frozen accounts aren't a bug. They're a feature. Conditional spending (you can't buy X) isn't theoretical. It's an operational capability waiting to be deployed. Canada in 2022 is one data point: the government froze trucker protestors' bank accounts with a single keystroke. Russia's capital controls are another. So is what China's doing with digital yuan tracking. These aren't edge cases: they're demonstrations of what's possible when you combine total observation with centralized policy. The EU is more liberal than those examples. But the question isn't whether today's administrators would abuse the power, it's whether tomorrow's will. And once the infrastructure is in place, it's much harder to undo than to expand. ## **What should happen* I'm not arguing the Digital Euro should be killed. Centralized CBDCs are coming. The question is what we build alongside them. **GNU Taler, or something like it, should be a co-equal payment rail, not an alternative for fringe users:** a funded, supported, standard option with the same interoperability and reach as the Digital Euro. Citizens should genuinely choose between privacy-preserving and surveilled payment systems. **Cryptographic privacy should be the default, not the exception.** If we're building public payment infrastructure, the baseline should be that individuals aren't profiled, with transparency opt-in only for specific transactions such as audits, compliance checks, or fraud investigations, not universal surveillance. **Open source auditing is non-negotiable.** If the ECB is building critical financial infrastructure, the code should be open, the cryptography reviewed, and the policies public. "Trust us" isn't good enough. **Multiple issuers should be possible from day one.** The ECB can issue euros, but so should major banks, payment services, and fintech platforms, each with their own policies, risk profiles, and privacy choices. Citizens pick which issuer to trust. Will any of this happen? Almost certainly not. The ECB didn't design Digital Euro surveillance into the architecture by accident. It's the whole point. ## **Why this silence matters* GNU Taler's absence from the Digital Euro infrastructure is a choice, not an accident. Choices about monetary infrastructure are choices about power. The ECB will tell you the Digital Euro is about financial inclusion, speed, removing middlemen. True enough. But that's not the whole story. The whole story is that the Digital Euro is about centralizing observation and control over how Europeans move money. That's not automatically evil. Governments have legitimate reasons for financial oversight: fraud prevention, tax compliance, sanctions enforcement. But the infrastructure you build determines whether that oversight can be abused. Once total observation is baked in, the pressure to use it expands. History shows this. GNU Taler exists to prove another way is possible: one that maintains regulatory compliance without requiring total surveillance, and that respects both the legitimacy of oversight and the legitimacy of privacy. The EU isn't building it. That tells us what the actual priorities are. ## **What you can do* If you care about this, if you think financial privacy matters or you're skeptical of unchecked state surveillance, here's what's actionable: **Learn the technical details.** Understand how the Digital Euro will work. Understand what GNU Taler does differently. The more technically literate citizens are, the harder it becomes to hand-wave away the implications. **Demand alternatives.** Talk to your MEPs. Write to the ECB. Ask why privacy-preserving payment systems aren't being co-funded alongside the Digital Euro. Make it politically uncomfortable to ignore. **Support the projects building this.** GNU Taler is open-source and peer-reviewed. If you have the skills, contribute. If you don't, fund the people who do. The only way alternatives survive is if they're resourced. **Think long-term.** The Digital Euro will launch. You'll probably use it. That's fine. But infrastructure choices made today shape policy possibilities for the next decade. If you care about financial freedom in 2035, care about how payments are architected in 2026. The Digital Euro is coming. The question isn't whether you can stop it. The question is whether you'll push for alternatives: whether you'll insist that the infrastructure of money reflects both legitimate oversight and legitimate privacy. That question is open for now. If you want to hear more from me, you can find me in the Fediverse at [@gelbphoenix@social.gelbphoenix.de](https://gelbphoenix.link/mastodon?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) (Mastodon) or [@gelbphoenix@gram.social](https://gelbphoenix.link/pixelfed?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) (Pixelfed). For more posts like this subscribe to my newsletter or support me by [**becoming a member**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/#/portal/signup) or [donating](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/#/portal/support). Liked this post? Please share it with others via: [**Mastodon**](https://share.joinmastodon.org/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de#text=Look%20at%20this%20blog%20post%2C%20that%20I%20found!%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.gelbphoenix.de%2Fgnu-taler-vs-the-digital-euro), [**Bluesky**](https://bsky.app/intent/compose?text=Look%20at%20this%20blog%20post%20I%20found!%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.gelbphoenix.de%2Fgnu-taler-vs-the-digital-euro&ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) or anywhere else by copying the link. ### Hermes Agent: Local AI Without the Abdication URL: https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/hermes-agent-local-ai/ Last updated: 2026-08-09T13:27:30.000Z You're building infrastructure in your homelab. You need an AI that understands your environment, can execute commands safely, and stays under your control. The obvious choice is cloud AI – ChatGPT, Claude, Anthropic's API. But that means handing your infrastructure queries, your code, your automation scripts to a third party. Every command you run, every debugging session, is logged and could be used for training. There's a trap here, though. The wrong way to solve this is to just **delegate the whole problem to an AI agent.** Point Hermes at your servers, tell it to "fix this" and walk away. That's [**vibecoding**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/the-price-of-vibecoding/) – trading one form of abdication for another. The right way is different. Hermes Agent is a toolkit for building workflows that stay under your control – where you remain responsible for every decision the agent makes. ## **What Hermes Actually Is* Hermes is an open-source AI agent framework by Nous Research. It wraps language models with tools: file operations, terminal commands, web fetching, code execution. It can reason about tasks, plan sequences of actions, and execute them. The key difference from just using ChatGPT: Hermes is modular. You choose the model. You choose the tools it has access to. You choose what it can do. You run it in your homelab, on your network, with your data staying local unless you explicitly send it elsewhere. It has skills – reusable workflows you define once and invoke repeatedly. It has persistent memory about your environment. But none of this is automatic or invisible. You write the skills. You audit the commands before they run. You stay in the loop. _This post is for subscribers only._ ### The Domain as Your Passport URL: https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/the-domain-as-your-passport/ Last updated: 2026-07-21T18:00:14.000Z Imagine your passport wasn't issued by a country (like the ones in the upper picture) but by a commercial media network. If you broke an arbitrarily updated Terms of Service or if the platform simply decided to sunset your account then all things connected to that account (your identity, connections, history and – if applicable – your way to earn money) would suddenly vanish in a second overnight. This is the reality of modern internet and online identity. We rely upon `@example` on Instagram, Twitter and co, `example` on Discord or `example@gmail.com`. In every of those cases, you are a tenant on corporate infrastructure. True digital sovereignty requires a portable and self-owned identity. And the tool to achieve exactly this isn't some blockchain system but exists sind 1983 – the **Domain Name System (DNS)**. ## **Why are Domains the Ultimate Identity Anchor*? While you "rent" – which is more like paying a fee for the re a domain from a registrar does DNS remain one of the most successful decentralised naming platforms and systems in the world. No single company owns `.de`, `.org` and `.com`. You unlock two critical powers if you use your own domain (e.g. `yourdomain.com`) as your identity across services. Firstly the power of portability as you can simply change your DNS records if your server hoster, Fediverse instance or mail provider goes down or changes their policy. That allows that your audience doesn't loose you as your identity follows you. Also do you unlock the power of independent verification without relying upon a gatekeeper as you don't need to pay a subscription to gain a check mark. Pointing to a domain's DNS or hosting configuration files proves ownership instantly and cryptographically across the web. ***If you like this blog post you can support my work by either becoming a paid member or leaving a tip.** [Donate ](#/portal/support) ## **The Sovereign Identity Stack* One Domain, Five Protocols A single domain can serve as you unified identity across completely different network architectures. | Protocol / Platform | Sovereign Handle Format | How Your Domain Connects | What It Gives You | | ----------------------- | ----------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Email | [you@yourdomain.com](mailto:you@yourdomain.com) | MX records, SPF, DKIM, DMARC | Complete ownership of your communication channel and newsletter audience. | | Fediverse (ActivityPub) | @you@yourdomain.com | Webfinger redirects or hosting your own single-user instance | Permanent social handle regardless of which server holds your data. | | Matrix | @you:yourdomain.com | /.well-known/matrix/ JSON configs & DNS SRV records | Sovereign, end-to-end encrypted chat identity across the Matrix network | | AT Protocol (Bluesky) | @yourdomain.com | DNS TXT record (\_atproto) or HTTP well-known path | Instant, free verification that proves you are who you claim to be. | | IndieWeb / Webmention | yourdomain.com rel="me" links & IndieAuth | Cross-site authentication and unified identity across independent blogs. | | ## **How does this work* Under the hood do almost all modern open protocols verify domain ownership using one of the following two methods. ### DNS Records (TXT & SRV) For example does the AT Protocol or custom email setups ask you to add a simple TXT record to your domain's DNS zone. What that process can look like for the AT Protocol have I described [here](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/bridge-your-fediverse-account-to-bluesky-with-a-custom-domain-handle/). ### Well-Known Configuration Files Protocols like Matrix or ActivityPub check the ownership of domains via a small file that your domain serves over HTTP from a standard location (e.g. `yourdomain.com/.well-known/`). For Matrix does a simple `matrix/client` file tell clients where your actual homeserver is. ```json { "m.homeserver": { "base_url": "https://matrix.yourdomain.com" } } ``` This abstraction layer means your actual infrastructure can move from a VPS to a home server in your living room without your public handle changing. ## **Breaking free from the "Rent-A-Handle" Economy* When you rely upon platform-native handles, you give the control over your equity away to others who you can't control or don't even know. By treating your domain as your digital passport do you decouple **who you are** from **where your data is stored**. It turns the web back into what it was always intended to be: a federated ecosystem where individuals hold the keys to their own presence. ***If you haven't already, register a personal domain for cheap and point your handles to it. It’s the smallest investment you can make for the highest return in digital autonomy.*** If you want to hear more from me, you can find me in the Fediverse at [@gelbphoenix@social.gelbphoenix.de](https://gelbphoenix.link/mastodon?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) (Mastodon) or [@gelbphoenix@gram.social](https://gelbphoenix.link/pixelfed?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) (Pixelfed). For more posts like this subscribe to my newsletter or support me by [**becoming a member**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/#/portal/signup) or [donating](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/#/portal/support). Liked this post? Please share it with others via: [**Mastodon**](https://share.joinmastodon.org/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de#text=Look%20at%20this%20blog%20post%2C%20that%20I%20found!%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.gelbphoenix.de%2Fthe-domain-as-your-passport), [**Bluesky**](https://bsky.app/intent/compose?text=Look%20at%20this%20blog%20post%20I%20found!%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.gelbphoenix.de%2Fthe-domain-as-your-passport&ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) or anywhere else by copying the link. ### Streamlining Digital Libraries URL: https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/streamlining-digital-libraries/ Last updated: 2026-07-05T20:00:53.000Z If you're anything like me then you aren't just getting your eBooks and eComics on just one platform but many different ones. Problem with that is how you're getting all this together into a single place, organised and synchronised with your eReader. You end up manually downloading eBooks, trying to fix metadata by hand and wrestling with cables or cloud uploads just to read a book. It works if you have a book or two but not with a growing library. Managing it quickly turns from a relaxing hobby into basically a second job. For a long time Calibre and Calibre Web have been the go-to solutions for taking back control of your media. But even then, I found myself wanting more – more automations and better integration with my devices and the services that I use. That's exactly why I built [**Autocaliweb**](https://codeberg.org/gelbphoenix/autocaliweb?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de). ## **What is Autocaliweb?* In short, Autocaliweb is an open-source eBook management platform that you can self-host. It takes the web interface of Calibre-Web, supercharges it with the heavy-lifting automation services of Calibre-Web Automated you actually need to keep a library running in the background and combines it with own features. Instead of forcing you to jump between different tools to download, convert, and sync, Autocaliweb acts as the central brain of your digital bookshelf. ***If you like this blog post you can support my work by either becoming a paid member or leaving a tip.** [Donate ](#/portal/support) ## **What make it different to other solutions?* While being built on top of amazing free and open-source projects I didn't just wanted to smash these projects together. I wanted to add features and fix specific friction points while – at that time – providing a up to date version of the projects. Those core features that define Autocaliweb are: - A native support for docker mods (like those from LinuxServer.io) which adapt perfectly to your stack without requiring a manual custom build. - Autocaliweb provides granular Kobo eReader syncing. You can set if your Kobo eReader should show the Kobo Plus or Overdrive tabs and Instapaper Integration directly from the Web UI. - Send your eBook library to multiple Send-to-Reader eMail addresses. - Full support for custom Open ID Connect (OIDC) providers with `well-known` configuration support with an optional auto-login. - It features native integration with **Hardcover.app** to cache author information and sync your reading progress (especially helpful if you're using a Kobo eReader). ## **Moving to a new home* If you've been already following my work, you have noticed that Autocaliweb had it's repository moved from GitHub to the Berlin-based Codeberg. Making it – from my perspective the f**irst and only** calibre based web platform **with an official repository on Codeberg**. When you build a project centered around digital sovereignty and taking back control of your eBook library, it only feels right to host the code in a place that shares those exact same community-driven values. Moving away from corporate, algorithm-heavy US platforms to an independent, European forge aligns perfectly with what Autocaliweb stands for. ## **What's coming next?* Next on the roadmap is an official Autocaliweb addon for [**Libre Workspace**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/open-source-alternative-to-microsoft-365-and-google-workspace/). If you have further ideas than please either mention those in the exclusive Matrix space *(for Growth members)* or as a feature request on the repository. In the meantime you can try and use Autocaliweb via Docker, natively or as an Proxmox LXC via the Proxmox Helper Scripts. Let me know how it works for your library, and happy reading! 📖 If you want to hear more from me, you can find me in the Fediverse at [@gelbphoenix@social.gelbphoenix.de](https://gelbphoenix.link/mastodon?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) (Mastodon) or [@gelbphoenix@gram.social](https://gelbphoenix.link/pixelfed?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) (Pixelfed). For more posts like this subscribe to my newsletter or support me by [**becoming a member**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/#/portal/signup) or [donating](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/#/portal/support). Liked this post? Please share it with others via: [**Mastodon**](https://share.joinmastodon.org/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de#text=Look%20at%20this%20blog%20post%2C%20that%20I%20found!%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.gelbphoenix.de%2Fstreamlining-digital-libraries), [**Bluesky**](https://bsky.app/intent/compose?text=Look%20at%20this%20blog%20post%20I%20found!%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.gelbphoenix.de%2Fstreamlining-digital-libraries&ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) or anywhere else by copying the link. ### Why We Still Need Pride Today URL: https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/why-we-still-need-pride-today/ Last updated: 2026-07-02T13:36:07.000Z On May 23rd, the first Christopher Street Day (CSD) in the German city of Gütersloh took place. 1,500 people were a part of it, making it from the start the second largest CSD in the whole of the East Westfalia-Lippe (OWL) region. Some of you may be ask yourselves now “Why do we still need CSDs and Pride today?” and “What exactly is Pride and the LGBTQIA+ Community?“ This text – written by a transgender lesbian – tries to give an answer to both questions. The acronym LGBTQIA+ stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bi, Trans, Queer, Inter, A-(gender,sexual,romantic) and all other people who don’t fall under the category of people who either like just the opposite gender (Heterosexual) and/or identify with the gender they were assigned at birth (Cisgender). The term Pride in this case means also to be proud of your own identity in direct refusal to hide, deflect or apologize for who we are. For why we still need Pride and CSDs: Yes today the situation for the queer Community in the political West is better than decades ago – that is a fact. But we still don’t have equal rights and are, in fact, facing increasing levels of attack and discrimination simply because of who we are. The Pride community and movement started in 1969 in New York City in the US when patrons of the Stonewall Inn on Christopher Street started a riot and fought back against police violence and raids. Today as well as back then, Pride is a riot born out of resistance. While we also celebrate the progress we already have achieved when we organise Christopher Street Days, we remember that those rights weren’t handed to us peacefully, they were fought for. CSDs therefore are also time where we remember all those died in the struggle for our rights and demonstrations for our future. ***If you like this blog post you can support my work by either becoming a paid member or leaving a tip.** [Donate ](#/portal/support) Pride is also needed in a time where far-right parties gain popularity across Europe, the political West and globally. Wherever far-right and right-wing populist parties – like the German AfD, the British Reform UK, the Italian Fratelli d’Italia or the Republican Party in the US – gain power, they immediately attack and revert the progress that the Pride movement achieved. These parties especially attack transgender and non-binary people and stoke violence against the transgender community. This has lead to a measurable surge of hate speech and deadly violence on the streets against trans and non-binary people as well as everyone who doesn’t correspond to the far-right gender stereotype. Directly turning political rhetoric into a threat for human lives. Attacks on transgender and non-binary people aren’t where it stops. They are the starting point for a systemic rollback of broader democratic and civil liberties. Let it be seen in Italy, where the ruling right-wing populist Fratelli d’Italia under Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni stripped lesbian parents of their legal rights as parents by removing the non-biological parent from their child’s birth certificate, the UK, where the government has used legal and administrative guidance to restrict trans people's access to public services, and the US, where a relentless wave of state and federal legislation has banned gender-affirming care, restricted drag performances and enacted “Don’t Say Gay“ laws that effectively erased LGBTQIA+ people and visibility from schools. This backtracking of human rights globally is exactly why we need Pride and why local visibility matters now more than ever. The people attending the first CSD in Gütersloh weren’t just partying and celebrating the achievements of the LGBTQIA+ community but making a loud and clear political message. In a world where queer existence is up again for debate is simply standing together in our hometowns an act of defiance and resistance. It sends a clear message to everyone who wish to erase us: > We are here. We are Queer. And if you don’t respect our existence, expect resistance! From the Stonewall Inn in 1969 to streets in Gütersloh and other towns and cities today remains the heartbeat of Pride remain unchanged: it’s a refusal to hide and apologies for who we are. The first CSD in Gütersloh was a beautiful milestone especially for the city. ***Let it be a reminder for everyone that as long as there are those trying to push us LGBTQIA+ people into shadows, we – queer people and allies – will step into the light together.*** 🏳️‍🌈 If you want to hear more from me, you can find me in the Fediverse at [@gelbphoenix@social.gelbphoenix.de](https://gelbphoenix.link/mastodon?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) (Mastodon) or [@gelbphoenix@gram.social](https://gelbphoenix.link/pixelfed?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) (Pixelfed). For more posts like this subscribe to my newsletter or support me by [**becoming a member**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/#/portal/signup) or [donating](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/#/portal/support). Liked this post? Please share it with others via: [**Mastodon**](https://share.joinmastodon.org/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de#text=Look%20at%20this%20blog%20post%2C%20that%20I%20found!%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.gelbphoenix.de%2Fwhy-we-still-need-pride-today), [**Bluesky**](https://bsky.app/intent/compose?text=Look%20at%20this%20blog%20post%20I%20found!%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.gelbphoenix.de%2Fwhy-we-still-need-pride-today&ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) or anywhere else by copying the link. ### The Price of Vibecoding URL: https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/the-price-of-vibecoding/ Last updated: 2026-06-21T09:49:40.000Z When looking at the current world of [**Commercial Media**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/why-i-call-it-commercial-media/)only a few platforms feel as exhausting as Microsoft's LinkedIn. It has become an optimized ecosystem of algorithmic manipulation, content generated by Large Language Models or short LLMs (what people also call "AI-slop") and corporate tracking. For anyone advocating and promoting the Open Social Web, the alternative likely seems obvious: We need a decentralised, private alternative to LinkedIn that is built on open protocols like [**ActivityPub**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/deep-dive-into-activitypub/). A place where professionals, freelancers and companies can connect without a central middleman collecting and selling their data. An earlier idea for a post on this blog was a new part of the series "A Beginner's Guide to Decentralized Social Media" about [**Bizzfed**](https://www.bizzfed.de/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de). But as I looked into the platform I did find a massive security breach which was a direct result of how Bizzfed was and is built. Let's unravel why the platform became a textbook example of the hidden dangers of Vibecoding – the practice of letting LLM agents code a whole software and deploy it into production. ## The Illusion of Transparency The development of Bizzfed is unique. The Codeberg repository features an explicit "AI-Notice", where the developer René Hamdorf transparently laid out that large portions of Bizzfed's codebase were generated by Anthropic's Claude LLM. Those commits are tagged with a `Co-Authored-By: Claude Sonnet 4.6 ` trailer. In earlier project announcements Hamdorf defended this modern workflow: > KI-gestützte Entwicklung: Ja, Claude von Anthropic war mein Entwicklungsassistent — wie andere Entwickler heute Copilot oder Cursor nutzen. Den Code schreibe, reviewe und verantworte ich. Das Projekt ist Open Source (AGPL-3.0), jeder kann reinschauen: codeberg.org/rhamdorf/BizzFed The [source](https://www.bizzfed.de/posts/CQPGBa1K1LQpC%5Fle?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) is in German, the text is in English: "AI-assisted development: Yes, Claude from Anthropic was my development assistant – like other developers use Copilot or Cursor today. I write, review and take responsibility for the code. The project is Open Source (AGPL-3.0), everybody can take a look at it: codeberg.org/rhamdorf/BizzFed" On paper, it sounds like a sort of win for Open Source but in the world of cyber security and decentralised infrastructure can't you just "vibe" your way through code reviews. ***If you like this blog post you can support my work by either becoming a paid member or leaving a tip.** [Donate ](#/portal/support) ## When the LLM Handles the Deployment The scepticism of the community grew as users looked under the hood. A user shared that Claude didn't just generate a large part of the codebase, it was also responsible for the deployment and configuration. From my own experience, I can say: When you stop intimately understanding your own deployment pipeline because you let an LLM drive your terminal, disaster is usually only a coin flip away. And Hamdorf lost that coin flip. Within days of releasing early access the official account of Bizzfed was compromised because the LLM published the password publicly in the repository while Bizzfed's Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) process failed to function. Said account released posts like "SLOP SLOP SLOP SLOP SLOP SLOP SLOP" and "Sad to see another good idea be ruined by vibecoding..." ![A thread by BizzFed tracking an account compromise, moving from a security exposure warning to a complaint about "vibecoding" and a spam post reading "SLOP SLOP SLOP..."](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/content/images/2026/06/image.png) Screenshot of the posts released when the official Bizzfed account was compromised. Source: [@ryan\_harg@chaos.social](https://chaos.social/@ryan%5Fharg/116736158152327269?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) ## The Immune Response of the Fediverse In decentralised networks, security is a collective responsibility. If an instance is poorly managed and secured or leaks staff credentials does it become an attack vector for spam, malicious data injection or security exploits across the entire network. Therefore, the reaction of some admins of Fediverse instances was swift and uncompromising as they started to [defederate](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/defederation-in-the-fediverse-balancing-autonomy-and-community/) the main instance of Bizzfed. This was a natural immune response of the Fediverse. Handing the keys to an LLM agent contradicts the very culture of the decentralised web and the very core of what makes self-hosting safe. ## Hard Lesson for the Open Web Painful is the irony of the Bizzfed situation. We need an alternative to LinkedIn and co without commercial AI-slop and the toxic "hustle culture" but a attempt at that was compromised by the own reliance on vibecoding. Let me be clear: LLMs and AI technology can be a good tool if used correctly but an over-reliance on it leads to situations like these. You can't delegate responsibility to an LLM in the sovereign and decentralised web as true sovereignty requires human vigilance. ***What do you think? Was it a sign that the Fediverse is too delicate for vibecoding or was it a case of poor human oversight? Let me know your thoughts.*** 🤖 If you want to hear more from me, you can find me in the Fediverse at [@gelbphoenix@social.gelbphoenix.de](https://gelbphoenix.link/mastodon?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) (Mastodon) or [@gelbphoenix@gram.social](https://gelbphoenix.link/pixelfed?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) (Pixelfed). For more posts like this subscribe to my newsletter or support me by [**becoming a member**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/#/portal/signup) or [donating](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/#/portal/support). Liked this post? Please share it with others via: [**Mastodon**](https://share.joinmastodon.org/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de#text=Look%20at%20this%20blog%20post%2C%20that%20I%20found!%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.gelbphoenix.de%2Fthe-price-of-vibecoding), [**Bluesky**](https://bsky.app/intent/compose?text=Look%20at%20this%20blog%20post%20I%20found!%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.gelbphoenix.de%2Fthe-price-of-vibecoding&ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) or anywhere else by copying the link. ### Digital Sovereign Ghost URL: https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/digital-sovereign-ghost-local-tinybird/ Last updated: 2026-06-21T09:50:29.000Z [**Ghost**](https://ghost.io/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) is a wonderful blogging and publishing platform and running an own modern blog is more than just putting a Content Management System on a VPS or use a dedicated provider. As it is a constant commitment to digital sovereignity, data ownership and minimizing unnecessary dependencies on foreign cloud providers. When Ghost published its 6.0 version, it introduced a native analytics feature that relies upon the New York, US-based [**Tinybird**](https://tinybird.co/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) for cookie-free, real-time data processing. And by default does the documentation steer the admin of self-hosted Ghost instances (servers) to signup for an free Tinybird account for the cloud based offering. The free offering is good for small and medium blogs but does run on the cloud infrastructure of Google and(/or) Amazon. Exactly this point feels for me like an compromise of the very principles that led for me to do self-hosting in the first place and therefore led to me to look for the possibility to pull that dependency into my own control. ## **The Experiment* My try to move to local Tinybird Tinybird offers two ways to self-host its infrastructure. Tinybird **Self-Managed Regions** and **Tinybird Local**. The former one is aimed at enterprise-scale deployments with the related resources, whereas the latter is designed for development. But with the right configuration and a robust reverse proxy can the Tinybird Local container function as a lightweight, permanent backend for Ghost Analytics on a self-hosted Ghost instance. **I tested** the possibility of that in the **night from** the **6th to the 7th of June 2026**. And as you see this version of the blog post I can say that **this was successful** – the analytics of this blog use the Tinybird Local container instead of the cloud offering. ## **The Architecture* What is running under the hood We need to look at what the Tinybird Local is to understand how this works. This isn't a monolithic black box but a developer-centric streaming data platform build on top of **ClickHouse** – an database designed for analytics data. When you spin up the `tinybird-local` container you are essentially starting a lightweight project model similar to like in the cloud offering of Tinybird but contained in a single container. Here is how the data flows in this self-hosted ecosystem: 1. **The Reader:** Someone visits the blog. Ghost's native tracking script sends an event. 2. **Caddy:** Intercepts the analytics traffic and securely routes it to the local infrastructure. 3. **Tinybird Local:** Ingests the raw event stream, validates it, and efficiently stores and aggregates the analytics data. 4. **Ghost Dashboard:** Queries the local Tinybird API to display your real-time visitor stats. ***If you like this blog post you can support my work by either becoming a paid member or leaving a tip.** [Donate ](#/portal/support) ## **The Setup* Making it Work ⚠️ The following is not officially supported by either team of Ghost or Tinybird. Proceed with your own risk. To transition your analytics backend from the cloud offering to an deployed instance of Tinybird Local we have to do the following (Requirement is to have Ghost already deployed via Docker and to have at least 8GB of RAM in your server): **Docker Compose** We can simply add the following configuration to the compose.yml with which we run Ghost: ``` tinybird-local: image: tinybirdco/tinybird-local:latest container_name: tinybird-local restart: unless-stopped ports: - "127.0.0.1:7181:7181" volumes: - ./data/tb_local/clickhouse:/var/lib/clickhouse - ./data/tb_local/redis:/redis-data profiles: [analytics] networks: - proxy deploy: resources: limits: cpus: '6.0' # Set this to your needs memory: 4096M reservations: memory: 2048M healthcheck: test: ["CMD", "curl", "-fsS", "http://localhost:7181"] interval: 5s timeout: 5s retries: 30 tinybird-sync: # Do not alter this without updating the Ghost container as well image: ghost:${GHOST_VERSION} container_name: tinybird-sync command: > sh -c " if [ -d /var/lib/ghost/current/core/server/data/tinybird ]; then rm -rf /data/tinybird/*; cp -rf /var/lib/ghost/current/core/server/data/tinybird/* /data/tinybird/; echo 'Tinybird files synced into shared volume.'; else echo 'Tinybird source directory not found.'; fi " volumes: - ./data/tinybird/files:/data/tinybird depends_on: tinybird-local: # Add this condition: service_healthy # Add this tinybird-login: condition: service_completed_successfully networks: - proxy profiles: [analytics] restart: no tinybird-deploy: build: context: ./tinybird dockerfile: Dockerfile container_name: tinybird-deploy working_dir: /data/tinybird command: > sh -c ' for i in $(seq 1 20); do if tb-wrapper --cloud deploy -v; then exit 0 fi echo "Tinybird deploy not ready yet, retrying in 5s..." sleep 5 done exit 1 ' # Change this volumes: - ./data/tinybird/home:/home/tinybird - ./data/tinybird/files:/data/tinybird depends_on: tinybird-sync: condition: service_completed_successfully profiles: [analytics] networks: - proxy tty: true ``` **Caddy** Allowing Ghost to talk with the Tinybird Local container requires that we add the following to the Caddyfile. Replace `DOMAIN` with your own domain. ``` # Tinybird for Ghost tinybird.DOMAIN { @tinybird_admin { path /tokens* not remote_ip 127.0.0.1 ::1 100.64.0.0/10 } respond @tinybird_admin "Forbidden" 403 reverse_proxy 127.0.0.1:7181 } ``` **Environment file** After starting the `tinybird-local` container for the first time can we look up the tokens via the `http://localhost:7181/tokens` URL and changing or adding the respective tokens to the .env file. Don't forget to also change the .tinyb file in the subdirectories of data/tinybird. ## **Closing thoughts* Securing your own digital sovereignty isn't always easy. It sometimes requires peeking behind or around official documentations and occasionally repurposing tools to serve production needs. By pulling the Ghost Analytics of self-hosted instances out of the cloud do we eliminate a major point of external surveillance and take responsibility for the data privacy of the readers of our blog and members of our communities. It's just pure and high-power independent publishing. ***Would you – if you have a Ghost based blog – switch your analytics backend or stay with whatever you have? Let's discuss!*** 📝 If you want to hear more from me, you can find me in the Fediverse at [@gelbphoenix@social.gelbphoenix.de](https://gelbphoenix.link/mastodon?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) (Mastodon) or [@gelbphoenix@gram.social](https://gelbphoenix.link/pixelfed?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) (Pixelfed). For more posts like this subscribe to my newsletter or support me by [**becoming a member**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/#/portal/signup) or [donating](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/#/portal/support). Liked this post? Please share it with others via: [**Mastodon**](https://share.joinmastodon.org/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de#text=Look%20at%20this%20blog%20post%2C%20that%20I%20found!%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.gelbphoenix.de%2Fdigital-sovereign-ghost-local-tinybird%2F), [**Bluesky**](https://bsky.app/intent/compose?text=Look%20at%20this%20blog%20post%20I%20found!%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.gelbphoenix.de%2Fdigital-sovereign-ghost-local-tinybird%2F&ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) or anywhere else by copying the link. ### Bringing my content home: Statement about the association "Liebe wen du willst" URL: https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/bringing-my-content-home-statement-liebe-wen-du-willst/ Last updated: 2026-06-14T16:01:40.000Z As part to maintain my own digital sovereignty and to archive my past public work do I publish an translation of a statement that I wrote in German back in January 2022\. This statement was published by LISL NRW – a queer organisation in North Rhine-Westphalia which is closely associated with the liberal Free Democratic Party in Germany – and addressed severe issues surrounding an association called "Liebe wen du willst e.V." (rough translation of that would be "Love who you want e.V."). At that time did the association – which claimed to be against hate speech and provided crisis and emergency hotlines as well as groups via WhatsApp – face heavy criticism from the queer Community in German and the German speaking area after the association and it's founder posted an video mocking neopronouns (which came up as the German language doesn't have a neutral gendered pronoun for people). Beyond this offensive content did looking closer at their infrastructure reveal several highly concerning problems regarding data privacy, structural transparency and uncertified crisis counselling involving minors. In light of my passion for digital rights and sovereignty, decentralised communication and saver spaces does archiving this perspective here remain important for me. Below is the complete and unaltered English translation of the [**original 2022 statement**](https://www.lisl-nrw.de/post/statement-zum-verein-liebe-wen-du-willst-von-phoenix-schmid?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de). (For transparency: I did pick up "Paulina" as my second name way after it's original publishing) Join me in ****celebrating Pride Mont**h with a ****free** one-week trial of the ****Growth membership**! ***Only for June 2026!** [Claim your free Week ](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/proud-tech) _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### Digital Cash, Not Crypto URL: https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/digital-cash-not-crypto-gnu-taler/ Last updated: 2026-06-21T09:51:19.000Z We have succumbed to a lie when it comes to the topic of digital payments. For years we had only the narrative that we have only a choice between giving up our privacy for massive credit card processors (like **MasterCard** or **Visa**) or dive into volatile energy-intensive and resource-hungry world of cryptocurrency (like **Bitcoin** or **Ethereum**). But since 2025 (since 2016 as Proof of Concept) exists a third way that is mostly unknown and only somewhat used in Switzerland. This is a official GNU project and called [**GNU Taler**](https://taler.net/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) (or simply Taler). Unlike cryptocurrencies like those named above is Taler **not a new currency** but a payment protocol build on top of the traditional banking system. It doesn't use Blockchain technology, doesn't waste energy and solves one fundamental problem: > *How do we make digital payments truly anonymous for buyers, while keeping them completely transparent for sellers?* ## **The Core Concept behind GNU Taler* Asymmetric Privacy Most privacy tools that exist today try to hide everyone. In recognising that payment systems need a different approach to survive in the real world and not being banned by governments for facilitating tax evasion, Taler split privacy right down the middle. **Customers are completely anonymous.** GNU Taler uses blind signatures (a cryptographic method that lets someone – in this case a bank – sign a digital coin without seeing the specific value or serial number). The shop you can buy from, banks and the infrastructure operators themselves have no idea who a customer is. **Merchants are completely visible.** Every transaction that a shop/merchant deposits is traceable. Businesses can't use it to hide income and making it completely compliant with taxation laws out of the box. ## **How it works* Instead of relying on distributed ledgers does GNU Taler introduce a few simple roles to handle transactions securely: ![A diagram illustrating the workflow of an Anonymous Payment Process involving a Customer, Merchant, Exchange, Banks, and an Auditor.](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/content/images/2026/06/Screenshot-From-2026-06-02-00-31-42.png) The ecosystem flow (**Source: GNU Taler)* The magic of Taler happens in four core pieces: 1. **The Customer bank and Wallet**: Someone (You or anyone else) use regular fiat currency (like Euros or Swiss Francs) to fund their local Taler wallet. 2. **The Exchange**: The Exchange acts as the bridge as it takes your traditional money and issues signed digital coins to your wallet. And the exchange only knows it issued valid money but can't track specific coins back to the customer because of the blind signatures. 3. **The Merchant and Merchant bank**: When clicking "Pay" does the customer's wallet directly send the digital coins to the merchant – which checks the signatures instantly and hands over or confirms the order. 4. **The Auditor**: A critical independent body which checks that the cash reserves of the Exchange match the issued coins perfectly and that it doesn't print money out of thin air. ## **Why It beats traditional Crypto for Daily Use* If you have ever tried to pay for a coffee with cryptocurrency like Bitcoin then you know the pain. Waiting minutes for block confirmations, dealing with price swings and paying unpredictable gas fees. Taler operates at the speed of all other web traffic. Transactions take milliseconds because they are just cryptographic signature verifications. Because a digital coin via Taler can be bound to a existing fiat currency (e.g. 1 Taler-€ = 1€) there is zero volatility risk. It acts exactly like the physical cash in your physical wallet – once you withdraw it, it's your business alone how you send it. ***If you like this blog post you can support my work by either becoming a paid member or leaving a tip.** [Donate ](#/portal/support) ## **Local sovereignty* Digital regional currency without the Overhead One of the most fascinating aspects of Taler is that it isn't locked to fiat currency like the Euro, Swiss Franc or US Dollar. An Exchange operator can define coins in any custom denomination and GNU Taler is arguably the most robust infrastructure ever build for regional or complementary currencies. Regional currencies are designed to keep wealth within a specific community and encouraging people to buy from local shops instead of global retail giants. Historically these projects have relied upon paper vouchers that are a nightmare to maintain and audit. With GNU Taler a municipality, local business association or a community network can spin up their own Exchange using **FOSS** (Free and Open Source Software) tools. Taler includes `LibEuFin` a project that provides free software tooling for FinTech as well the possibility to create and manage own digital regional currency. And as payments with Taler are fast, mobile-friendly and dead-simple they can compete with the convenience of Apple Pay, Google Pay and co, while guaranteeing that the money stays within the regional economy. On a smaller scale (such as e.g. youth centers or street festivals) this exact tech stack can be used to run completely private and digital token or voucher systems which can run entirely without an connection to the outside world or an internet uplink. ## **Roadmap to Adoption* GNU Taler isn't just an academic paper or a proof of concept anymore as it's gaining some traction. One of the biggest drivers is the [**NGI Taler**](https://nlnet.nl/taler/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) initiative by the **European Commission** and the **Swiss Government**. Run in partnership with organizations like the **NLnet Foundation**, its explicit goal is to bring Taler to market across Europe as a production-ready, best-in-class electronic payment system. Even in the discussion of establishing **Central Bank Digital Currencies** (CBDCs) – like an **digital Euro –** does GNU Taler stand out as an strong alternative and even national banks have come forward to state their support for GNU Taler and the Swiss National Bank (SNB) highlighted the technical feasibility in it's [**Working Paper 3/2021**](https://www.snb.ch/en/publications/research/working-papers/2021/working%5Fpaper%5F2021%5F03?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de). ## Taking back the Wallet The real power of GNU Taler isn't just the cryptography but that it successfully challenges the Status Quo. Taler proves that digital convenience doesn't inherently require to give up privacy and submit to surveillance capitalism or speculative financial bubbles. For privacy advocates and the open source community are protocols like Taler a missing piece to the answer to the digital sovereignty question. We already have reclaimed our communication with decentralised and/or open source tools, our hosting with independent infrastructure and our development environments with FOSS alternatives. It is only logical to think about doing the same thing to our financial transactions. Whether GNU Taler is ultimately adopted as the blueprint for a digital Euro or simply spun up by communities to power (local) economies, it shows us what an [**ethical digital future**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/the-architecture-of-autonomy-and-freedom/) can look like. It's cash, completely upgraded for the Internet age and the infrastructure is completely open to build upon. ***Have you already tried GNU Taler or not? Let's talk about it! And come back when this series continues.*** 🪙 If you want to hear more from me, you can find me in the Fediverse at [@gelbphoenix@social.gelbphoenix.de](https://gelbphoenix.link/mastodon?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) (Mastodon) or [@gelbphoenix@gram.social](https://gelbphoenix.link/pixelfed?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) (Pixelfed). For more posts like this subscribe to my newsletter or support me by [**becoming a member**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/#/portal/signup) or [donating](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/#/portal/support). Liked this post? Please share it with others via: [**Mastodon**](https://share.joinmastodon.org/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de#text=Look%20at%20this%20blog%20post%2C%20that%20I%20found!%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.gelbphoenix.de%2Fdigital-cash-not-crypto-gnu-taler%2F), [**Bluesky**](https://bsky.app/intent/compose?text=Look%20at%20this%20blog%20post%20I%20found!%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.gelbphoenix.de%2Fdigital-cash-not-crypto-gnu-taler%2F&ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) or anywhere else by copying the link. ### Why I Call It "Commercial Media" URL: https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/why-i-call-it-commercial-media/ Last updated: 2026-06-14T15:51:56.000Z If you have interacted with me you might have seen me use the term **"Commercial Media"** instead of **"Social Media"** for platforms like **Instagram**, **TikTok**, **YouTube**, **Twitch** and co and use the term "Social Media" for the [**Fediverse**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/fedi-what/). This isn't about semantic nitpicking or an attempt to be different and difficult. It's about language and how we perceive reality. For over a decade we have allowed a handful of conglomerates to dictate the terms of our digital interactions. It's a category error to call platforms like Facebook, Instagram or TikTok "Social Media" as it mistakes the user's activity for the platforms purpose. It should be time to look past the "pretty" interfaces and take the infrastructure into view. ## **Intent versus Infrastructure* People defend these platforms usually with a single boiled down argument: "I use it to talk to my friends, find my community and share my art. That is social!" That's right. We Humans are inherently social and cooperative beings. If you would trap fifty people in a cooperative mall for hours you would see that those people have formed a community. They will eventually sit down, share stories and laugh because someone told a joke. But this wouldn't turn the mall into a public park or a community center as the mall was still build and engineered from the ground up to show advertisements, hold lots of foot traffic and extract money from your or anybodies presence. This logic also applies on the internet. The users intent is social, to form connections, help each other and express ourselves. The platforms infrastructure on the other hand is commercial, to maximize the daily active users, extract behavioural data and monetize it. ***If you like this blog post you can support my work by either becoming a paid member or leaving a tip.** [Donate ](#/portal/support) When we call it "Social Media" we center the conversation on our behaviour, calling it "Commercial Media" does it finally center the business model of the platforms. ## **Cost of the "Social" label* Words have power. Platforms labeled as "Social" carry the connotation of public utility and we trade it like a public town square. But a true public town square doesn't require you to sign of data-harvesting agreement just to walk across the pavement and it doesn't employ hundreds to thousands of data scientists to engineer psychological traps to keep you staring. By framing these spaces as social do we internalize their systemic failures. When algorithms feed us outrage to boost engagement and activity, we blame "human nature" or "toxic internet culture". When we find ourselves doomscrolling at 2:00 AM, we blame an own "lack of discipline". But it isn't a failure of our willpower it's the success of highly optimized commercial products. You aren't failing to socialize but successfully being monetized. The algorithms do exactly what they were coded to do. ## **Changing Vocabulary, Reclaiming the Web* Rebranding this in our speech does matter because it strips away the illusion of the unearned goodwill of these corporations and forces us to view a timeline on these platforms not as a stream of human consciousness but as ad-delivering mechanisms that tolerate human interaction to keep lights on. Once you see the commercial nature of these platforms that illusion shatters and you realise that those commercial platforms can't be reformed because they function exactly as intended. But the solution isn't to stop being online socially. It's time to move social lives to spaces especially designed for human beings and not shareholders. That's why the Open Social Web, [**self-hosting**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/why-to-self-host-taking-control-of-your-data-and-services/), federated protocols and decentralised spaces matter as they aren't just technical alternatives but ideological refusals to let our relationships be treated as resources for surveillance capitalism. ***Next time you talk about the Commercial Web, call it what it is. Words matter and on Commercial Media are you the product.*** If you want to hear more from me you can find me in the Fediverse at [@gelbphoenix@social.gelbphoenix.de](https://gelbphoenix.link/mastodon?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) (Mastodon) or [@gelbphoenix@gram.social](https://gelbphoenix.link/pixelfed?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) (Pixelfed). For more posts like this subscribe to my newsletter or support me by [**becoming a member**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/#/portal/signup) or [donating](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/#/portal/support). Liked this post? Please share it with others via: [**Mastodon**](https://share.joinmastodon.org/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de#text=Look%20at%20this%20blog%20post%2C%20that%20I%20found!%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.gelbphoenix.de%2Fwhy-i-call-it-commercial-media), [**Bluesky**](https://bsky.app/intent/compose?text=Look%20at%20this%20blog%20post%20I%20found!%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.gelbphoenix.de%2Fwhy-i-call-it-commercial-media&ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) or anywhere else by copying the link. ### Beyond the Subscriber List URL: https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/beyond-the-subscriber-list/ Last updated: 2026-06-14T15:52:19.000Z If you look at the modern independent media landscape you see one big name dominating the conversation – **Substack**. In "[**The Glass Floor of Digital Sovereignty**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/the-glass-floor-of-digital-sovereignty/)" I wrote about an architectural trick which **Bluesky** created to give the illusion of control of your data and online presence while leaving the heavy infrastructure in the hands of few corporate relays. This exact trick is played on independent authors, journalists and writers. Substack has branded itself as the savior of independent journalism, personal writing and blogging as a whole. And the pitch is very seductive: *“Write what you want, monetize your audience, and own your subscribers. If you ever want to leave, you can just take your subscriber list and walk away.”* And just like Bluesky's portable identities does Substack's promise of "ownership" sound like a victory for digital sovereignty but is just a mirage. It trades structural independence for an exit strategy and confuses data portability with true autonomy. ## **The dangerous Illusion* Cornerstone of Substack's pro-writer marketing is the ability to export the Subscriber list of your publication as a CSV file. This is on paper different than any Commercial Media or Medium, which lock exactly this data in their database. But an list of subscriber EMail addresses doesn't make an media empire, it's static data and to use that data you'll have to face a harsh reality – you need more than just an own server where your blog/publication lives. (You can somewhat see it here what it needs.) You'll need to route your newsletter through massive commercial email infrastructure like Mailgun as else it would vanish into the SPAM folders of your subscribers or be even rejected by Google, Apple and other large mail providers. Substack knows that as they have build exactly that massive and centralised engine. That's why they can allow publications [that would be banned in most of Europe](https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2023/11/substack-extremism-nazi-white-supremacy-newsletters/676156/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) while not having to seriously improve their service. When you use Substack, you aren't just hosting content. You are relying on an centralised intermediary – [who pushes and makes money of fascist publications on it's platform](https://www.theguardian.com/media/2026/feb/07/revealed-how-substack-makes-money-from-hosting-nazi-newsletters?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) – to maintain your visibility. ***If you like this blog post you can support my work by either becoming a paid member or leaving a tip.** [Donate ](#/portal/support) ## **The free-as-in-freedom Alternative* This is where the true power of the Open Social Web and Federation comes in. The paradigm shifts when a blog or a publication is [**build natively on a decentralised protocol**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/connecting-your-blog-to-the-fediverse-a-guide-for-independent-publishers/) like [**ActivityPub**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/deep-dive-into-activitypub/). For that you can use software like Ghost (like this blog), WriteFreely, or Wordpress with the ActivityPub Plugin. In the [**Fediverse**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/fedi-what/) the distribution isn't tied to a singular delivery network like EMail or corporate algorithm and recommendation engine as your blog is itself an actor. It directly and actively interacts with the wider Open Social Web. You can see the handle for this blog when you click on "ActivityPub" at the top or on the button below. [Follow this blog on the Fediverse ](#/activitypub) This also allows for sovereign distribution as when someone on [**Mastodon**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/beginners-guide-to-mastodon/), [**Pixelfed**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/beginners-guide-to-pixelfed/) or any other modern federated software follows your blog the communication happens on an open standard set by the W3C. No single entity can sit between your blog and their instance to demand e.g. a 15% cut of revenue or threaten a ban your domain because of an algorithm change. And if you self-host your instance or host it on a small VPS the rules of engagement will be determined by you and the people you actually interact with. By utilizing ActivityPub for more than just microblogging or to post pictures we replace the fragile plumbing of EMail delivery with a resilient, decentralized web of nodes. (Which can of course also have EMail newsletter delivery as a support.) ## **Land over Lease* For many writers the trade-off between convenience and digital sovereignty is maybe worth it. But it isn't a pro-writer – especially pro-journalist – platform they think it is. Substack is just another walled garden which has put signs up for the exit door to an desert. If we truly want an resilient web that is pro-writer and pro-journalist we have to look away from the perceived convenience of centralised platforms and embrace the slightly messy but decentralised reality of the Open Social Web and the Fediverse. Stop relying upon corporations for our digital identities – even nicer ones – and let's start building on infrastructure that we can actually control. ***What do you think? Is a portable CSV file enough to guarantee your independence, or do we need to abandon platforms entirely for protocols? Let's discuss it on the Fediverse.*** 🕸️ If you want to hear more from me you can find me in the Fediverse at [@gelbphoenix@social.gelbphoenix.de](https://gelbphoenix.link/mastodon?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) (Mastodon) or [@gelbphoenix@gram.social](https://gelbphoenix.link/pixelfed?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) (Pixelfed). For more posts like this subscribe to my newsletter or support me by [**becoming a member**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/#/portal/signup) or [donating](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/#/portal/support). Liked this post? Please share it with others via: [**Mastodon**](https://share.joinmastodon.org/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de#text=Look%20at%20this%20blog%20post%2C%20that%20I%20found!%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.gelbphoenix.de%2Fbeyond-the-subscriber-list), [**Bluesky**](https://bsky.app/intent/compose?text=Look%20at%20this%20blog%20post%20I%20found!%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.gelbphoenix.de%2Fbeyond-the-subscriber-list&ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) or anywhere else by copying the link. ### The Glass Floor of Digital Sovereignty URL: https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/the-glass-floor-of-digital-sovereignty/ Last updated: 2026-06-22T17:01:23.000Z When many talk about the [**Fediverse**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/fedi-what/), they mean the "**Open Social Web**" – an collection of every platform that isn't a walled garden – including **Bluesky**. The platform – that was published in 2022 and has since then ever grown – has opened itself to Personal Data Servers (PDS) that can either be hosted by an third party or yourself. That fact gave me an question about if we really want and need the Bluesky kind of federation for the Fediverse or not. My answer – and here a spoiler alert – is a "No". Let me explain this for you. ## **What is the basis of Bluesky?* Unlike the Fediverse wasn't Bluesky build upon [**the ActivityPub protocol**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/deep-dive-into-activitypub/) – which is an official recommendation of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) – but Bluesky (the company) build an own protocol – the "**Authenticated Transfer Protocol**" or short "**AT Protocol**" ("ATproto"). Where ActivityPub functions more like E-Mail and SMS do (I explained the exact way in the linked article) does ATproto differentiate. The AT Protocol isn't exactly build to have separate servers but (simplified) three different layers: 1. **Personal Data Servers (PDS)**: These are where your content and digital live in the "ATmosphere" (a term for the ATproto space) lives. 2. **Relays**: Massive aggregators that crawl every PDS instance to create a "fire hose" of all global content. 3. **AppView(s)**: This is the frontend (or frontends) which you see and use to interact with the ATproto content. It also is responsible to create your feed out of the content that the underlying Relay provides. ## **The problem* This layering is exactly where I see the problem. While the design of ATproto achieves to create identities that can be used for every type of content without having to create multiple accounts does it give control over your digital live to at least one third party that you generally don't know or control. This is most likely the operator of the relay that is connected with your PDS. While you can easily host an own PDS for cheap and low power does the story change if you want to control and host anything above this layer. To host and maintain an Relay is a massive network infrastructure project which needs the respective hardware specs. This makes it for home labs and private individuals technically and economically out of reach, not just difficult. Therefor creating a **"glass floor"** problem for digital sovereignty where you can own and control your data but not the pathways that deliver it as Relay providers can also block you as easy as any commercial media company (e.g. Meta, Google, X). ## **The gap of Sovereignty* If I don't like how an Fediverse instance is operated or moderated. Or I just want to be on one with my friends then I just can move to a smaller instance or start an own instance. The style of federation that ActivityPub has ensures that rules of engagement and content are set by people I actually interact with. This isn't the case with how ATproto is designed. ***If you like this blog post you can support my work by either becoming a paid member or leaving a tip.** [Donate ](#/portal/support) In the "ATmosphere" do the Relays and AppViews become gatekeepers of network visibility. If the operator of the largest Relay – Bluesky (the company) – decides to ban your PDS from their relay you aren't just blocked from one instance but invisible to anyone (the majority of the "ATmosphere") using that Relay to get their content. ## **The trade-off* The argument for Bluesky and the AT Protocol is often performance. It is fast and handles viral moments better than ActivityPub. That is true but at what cost? We trade digital sovereignty with technical convenience when we choose the streamlined algorithmic efficiency of ATproto's infrastructure with the sometimes slow and messy server-to-server nature of the Fediverse and ActivityPub. The Fediverse is build on principles similar to [**Federalism and Subsidiarity**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/the-architecture-of-autonomy-and-freedom/). The fragmentation of the Fediverse – which many criticise – is a feature, not a bug. Especially in context of digital sovereignty. In the ActivityPub based network of instances does the "small world" server-to-server communication mean that there is no single point of failure – technically and/or politically. (Like it was the [**case with Bluesky**](https://techcrunch.com/2026/04/17/its-not-just-you-bluesky-is-sorta-down/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de)) ## **Conclusion* We don't need fancier versions of commercial media platforms and including Bluesky and ATproto in the Fediverse dilutes the meaning of the decentralisation that the Fediverse stands for. We would be accepting a whole network where the pathways are owned by a few massive entities which don't have to respect our values. Digital sovereignty doesn't just mean to own your data but also to own the means to work with and distribute said data. My No to the Bluesky kind of federation is not meant to discredit the existence of the platform as a whole and as part of the wider "Open Social Web". It's a fascinating experiment in network and protocol design as well as account portability. However it shouldn't be a blueprint for the future of the Fediverse. (Except for some features like "Starter kits".) Where the Fediverse is a network of allotments and community gardens is Bluesky a park owned by a corporation that lets us just enter. Both have their place, but only one is truly sovereign. ***What do you value more: the lightning-fast speed of a centralized relay, or the messy, resilient freedom of a sovereign instance? Let’s discuss this on the Fediverse.*** If you want to hear more from me, you can find me in the Fediverse at [@gelbphoenix@social.gelbphoenix.de](https://gelbphoenix.link/mastodon?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) (Mastodon) or [@gelbphoenix@gram.social](https://gelbphoenix.link/pixelfed?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) (Pixelfed). For more posts like this subscribe to my newsletter or support me by [**becoming a member**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/#/portal/signup) or [donating](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/#/portal/support). Liked this post? Please share it with others via: [**Mastodon**](https://share.joinmastodon.org/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de#text=Look%20at%20this%20blog%20post%2C%20that%20I%20found!%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.gelbphoenix.de%2Fthe-glass-floor-of-digital-sovereignty), [**Bluesky**](https://bsky.app/intent/compose?text=Look%20at%20this%20blog%20post%20I%20found!%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.gelbphoenix.de%2Fthe-glass-floor-of-digital-sovereignty&ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) or anywhere else by copying the link. ### The Architecture of Autonomy and Freedom URL: https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/the-architecture-of-autonomy-and-freedom/ Last updated: 2026-06-14T15:52:59.000Z On the sixth of December 2025 I published an blog post about why we need [**a sovereign Europe**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/a-sovereign-europe/). Back then I focused on the political shift of the US that happened in 2025 with and after the second inauguration of US President Donald Trump. That shift was and is a wake-up call to us Europeans. Our data, identities and security are in some sort or way in the hands of Washington DC. Sovereignty isn't just about trade agreements or military aid, it's also about the very infrastructure of our daily lives. If we want a united Europe then we can't build it upon rented infrastructure and security. European democracy can't survive when it's public discourse is hosted and controlled by platforms and algorithms designed in California and governed by the whims of billionaires. ## **The Digital Dimension of Subsidiarity* In politics and in the context of the confederation that the European Union already is do we talk about subsidiarity – the idea that matters should be handled at the smallest and most regional authority. It's a idea designed to prevent a concentration of power and respect local autonomy. But we have ignored this idea in our pockets while we continue to fight for it in the European Parliament as well as our national parliaments. Our current digital lives as European societies are the antithesis of subsidiarity – they are hyper-centralised and governed by an approach where a single decision in a company headquarters in Silicon Valley or Texas can sway elections in Warsaw, Berlin or Bucharest. ## **A digital and technical mirror* At this point does the [**Fediverse**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/fedi-what/) come into perspective – not as a collection of niche apps but as a technical mirror to the European project. We are essentially talking about digital subsidiarity when we talk about [**ActivityPub**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/deep-dive-into-activitypub/) and decentralised networks. In the Fediverse a so called "instance" (commonly also referred to as a server) is like a EU member state or your local city/municipality. Instances have their own rules, culture and moderation – much like I described the necessity for Europe to have independent control in the blog post mentioned at the top of this blog post. Yet they form a united front because they basically speak the same open language. It's a federation that respects the individual while empowering collectives. ## **Security Policy "Protocols, not Platforms"* We are outsourcing our sovereignty if we continue to host our digital discourse on proprietary platforms. For a united federal Europe to be resilient our public institutions – from the European Parliament to the local town administration – must inhabit a digital space they actually own. We don't need a "European \[add US social media platform\]" – that would be just a different kind of centralised trap – we need a commitment to open protocols for our digital infrastructure. By moving our digital hangouts and town squares to decentralised protocols we ensure that no single entity – be it either governments and/or a volatile billionaires – can pull the plug on our democratic discourse and exchanges. ## **Building the European Digital Town Square* The 2025 wake-up call taught us that "strategic and tactical autonomy" is a hollow phrase if we don't own the very infrastructure and source code. At this time are we at a crossroads – we can remain digital tenants or we can become digital citizens in a decentralised web. A Federal Europe requires a decentralised and federal web. ***If you like this blog post you can support my work by either becoming a paid member or leaving a tip.** [Donate ](#/portal/support) That point means that we Europeans need to invest in decentralised and open source infrastructure as diverse and resilient as us Europeans. It also means recognising that every [**Mastodon**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/beginners-guide-to-mastodon/) instance, every [**PeerTube**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/beginners-guide-to-peertube/) node and every [**Forgejo**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/forgejo-the-fresh-outlook-on-software-forges/) server is a small part in the independent European digital town. ## **Conclusion* This isn't a task for just Brussels, national or state governments but a mission for all of us. When we – Europeans, Americans or where ever we are on planet Earth – choose to host our own data, to contribute to open source projects or to move out communities to decentralised platforms (like for example in [**Moving The Hangout**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/moving-the-hangout/)) are we performing an act of digital state building. We can prove that a different internet is possible – one which isn't used as an weapon of influence but as a tool for real connection. As like the future of Europe is federal so must be the web too. Instead of the ashes of the walled garden centralisation let us build a (digital) home that really belongs to us. ***The Future of Europe and the Web is Federated. Are you ready to join the it?*** If you want to hear more from me you can find me in the Fediverse at [@gelbphoenix@social.gelbphoenix.de](https://gelbphoenix.link/mastodon?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) (Mastodon) or [@gelbphoenix@gram.social](https://gelbphoenix.link/pixelfed?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) (Pixelfed). For more posts like this subscribe to my newsletter or support me by [**becoming a member**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/#/portal/signup) or [donating](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/#/portal/support). Liked this post? Please share it with others via: [**Mastodon**](https://share.joinmastodon.org/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de#text=Look%20at%20this%20blog%20post%2C%20that%20I%20found!%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.gelbphoenix.de%2Fthe-architecture-of-autonomy-and-freedom), [**Bluesky**](https://bsky.app/intent/compose?text=Look%20at%20this%20blog%20post%20I%20found!%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.gelbphoenix.de%2Fthe-architecture-of-autonomy-and-freedom&ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) or anywhere else by copying the link. ### Moving the Hangout URL: https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/moving-the-hangout/ Last updated: 2026-06-14T15:53:20.000Z When **Discord announced** that **mandatory age verification** will be rolled out (I wrote about it [here](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/your-face-or-your-features/)), I recommended that you to switch to the **Matrix protocol** and explained what is generally is. In the time between this and the linked post Discord has delayed the rollout of the age verification policy and doubled down on it. Now you could possibly think something like "*But my friends and communities are on Discord"* and I want to give you here reasons and argument points for why you, your friends and the communities your part of should switch to, not just visit, the **\[matrix\]**. ## **The trap* "Inference" is just another word for Surveillance The age verification policy of Discord that will be rolled out in 2026 relies on Age Inference models that will guess your age based upon multiple factors like activity patterns, payment methods and device data. This is instead of just blatantly ask for an ID of you – which they will still do if they "doubt" you. This is **behavioral profiling** – not "safety". This won't protect minors from harm on Discord's platform but opens up that this data about you is collected and sold to both bad actors and government agencies which can't collect that data themselves. Discord is moving from being a chat app for gamers and communities to a profiling engine for bad actors, companies and governments. ## **The Fallacy of the Network Effect* Many people will find it hard to leave Discord because of the **Network Effect** – an idea that a tool or a platform is only useful if you are there too. That economic phenomenon is specifically targeted to trap you in Walled Gardens. But leaving Discord for an open protocol doesn't have to mean to leave your friends and communities behind. **It is more about moving houses, not people.** ## **The Sovereign Alternative* Your House, Your Rules A – if not the biggest – misconception about the move from Discord to \[matrix\] is that you could lose the feel that Discord has. There are of course some changes but the ecosystem around \[matrix\] has matured to a point where it isn't a and no longer feels like an compromise. Older Matrix clients felt like a terminal where Discord had a "digital living room" vibe. But with Matrix 2.0 this changed and clients like **Element**, **Element X** and **Cinny** support **Spaces** (similar to Discord's servers), **nested rooms** and with **MatrixRTC** a native voice and video call feature that rivals the voice channels of Discord – without the lag of a crowded **Jitsi** server. ## **Don't burn the bridge* How you can reach your friends from the Matrix Where in [this post](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/your-face-or-your-features/) I explained how you can start with \[matrix\], should the focus here be how you can reach your friends and communities from \[matrix\]. We can do that with co called "Bridges". In the Matrix protocol ecosystem **bridges connect** external **services with Matrix.** There are bridges for platforms like **Signal**, Meta's **WhatsApp**, **Slack** and Discord. The full list of services that can be bridged can you see [here](https://matrix.org/ecosystem/bridges/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de). But know that bridges won't work in end-to-end encrypted rooms For Discord we can use either the [*mautrix-discord*](https://github.com/mautrix/discord?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de)bridge –if you want to self-host the bridge – or the bot from[t2bot.io](https://t2bot.io/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de). You can also the other bridges to Discord or even bridge other services and messengers to Matrix and make our \[matrix\] Account a sort of "Super-App". ## **Security: Choice, not Setting* Why \[matrix\] over Discord or messengers like WhatsApp and Signal? When you use Discord your messages, shared files are stored non encrypted on their servers. Video and voice calls on Discord are since March 2026 via their "DAVE" protocol end to end encrypted (E2EE). While the addition of this is an win for privacy does it show an fundamental difference in philosophy. Discord's encryption of voice and video calls as well as the encryption on messengers like WhatsAppand Signal are centralised E2EE solutions. Even if their encryption protocols are open source do the companies behind the platforms and messengers own the infrastructure on which they run aka (the literal "keys to the kingdom"). ***If you like this blog post you can support my work by either becoming a paid member or leaving a tip.** [Donate ](#/portal/support) On Matrix is encryption not an feature to be added to a product but an essential part of the protocol. That is also the reason why governments (for example the governments of **France** and the **UK**), militaries (for example the **German Bundeswehr** and the **US Navy**), international organisations (like **NATO** and the **UN**) and companies (like **Hexagon** and **Mozilla**) use the Matrix protocol. And because of the open source and federated nature of the protocol is it also a solution if legislation similar to the existing Chat Control 1.0 and proposed Chat Control 2.0 in the European Union is more widely enacted. ## **Reclaim your Digital Space and Independence* The move away from an engine of behavioral profiling and walled garden to an open source and federated space is not just an technical choice but the reclaiming of your digital sovereignty and independence. And it isn't one large step but a series of smaller steps and only so far as you want. If you also follow the "**BuyFromEU**" movement (or regional variants) then is also a big reason to do this switch the fact that Discord is a company based in the Californian city of San Fransisco. \[matrix\] itself is developed by an Foundation based in the UK. So if you want to start switching to \[matrix\] you can look at the tutorial in [this post](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/your-face-or-your-features/) on how to do that. ***Are you and your friends switching? Either reach out to me on Matrix, join the Matrix space for paid members or comment.*** 💬 If you want to hear more from me you can find me in the Fediverse at [@gelbphoenix@social.gelbphoenix.de](https://gelbphoenix.link/mastodon?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) (Mastodon) or [@gelbphoenix@gram.social](https://gelbphoenix.link/pixelfed?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) (Pixelfed). For more posts like this subscribe to my newsletter or support me by [**becoming a member**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/#/portal/signup) or [donating](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/#/portal/support). Liked this post? Please share it with others via: [**Mastodon**](https://share.joinmastodon.org/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de#text=Look%20at%20this%20blog%20post%2C%20that%20I%20found!%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.gelbphoenix.de%2Fmoving-the-hangout), [**Bluesky**](https://bsky.app/intent/compose?text=Look%20at%20this%20blog%20post%20I%20found!%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.gelbphoenix.de%2Fmoving-the-hangout&ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) or anywhere else by copying the link. ### Open-Source Alternative to Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace URL: https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/open-source-alternative-to-microsoft-365-and-google-workspace/ Last updated: 2026-06-21T09:52:50.000Z [**Libre Workspace**](https://libre-workspace.org/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) is a crucial part of my self-hosting infrastructure, running smoothly on one of my VPS instances at [Hetzner](https://www.hetzner.com/cloud/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de). (As I wrote in [**Why I Still Self-Host**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/why-i-still-self-host/)) In this article we'll explore what Libre Workspace exactly is, how you can run it and what it replaces. ## Libre... What? Libre Workspace is an modular server platform which aims to be an alternative to Microsoft 365, Google Workspace and co. It relies only on free and open source components as its core. The collaboration platform is modular and developed as a free and open source (FOSS) project with its [**repository**](https://codeberg.org/Libre%5FWorkspace/libre-workspace?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) on [Codeberg](https://codeberg.org/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de). The project includes in its core [**Nextcloud**](https://nextcloud.com/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) with either [**Collabora Office**](https://www.collaboraonline.com/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) or [**ONLYOFFICE**](https://www.onlyoffice.com/docs?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) as its Cloud and Online Office solutions, [**Matrix**](https://matrix.org/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) with the [**Element**](https://element.io/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) Web Client as an alternative to Microsoft Teams, [**Jitsi**](https://jitsi.org/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) as its web meeting and call solution, [**Guacamole**](https://guacamole.apache.org/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) for the Cloud Desktop and Samba AD-DC for centralised user and group management. Libre Workspace is also extendable with addons which are available via either the included Addon Manager or the [**Libre Workspace Forum**](https://forum.libre-workspace.org/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de). Some of the available Addons (official ones also have their repositories on Codeberg under the Libre Workspace organization) include [**Immich**](https://immich.app/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de), [**Mailcow**](https://mailcow.email/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de)and [**Vaultwarden**](https://github.com/dani-garcia/vaultwarden?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de). ## How to run it? You have decided to run Libre Workspace and have four ways to do it. One is that you decide to use the offer of [**Libre Workspace Cloud**](https://www.libre-workspace.org/en/libre-workspace-cloud/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) the let the developer of Libre Workspace manage it for you. The smallest offer only costs 12,30€/Month. ***If you like this blog post you can support my work by either becoming a paid member or leaving a tip.** [Donate ](#/portal/support) If you want to run it on your own hardware you can either do the setup and management yourself or use the offerings of [**Libre Workspace Pilot**](https://www.libre-workspace.org/en/libre-workspace-pilot/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de). If you want to also use addons or software that needs constant access to the wider internet (like Mailcow or [**Mastodon**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/admins-guide-to-self-hosting-a-mastodon-instance/)) then it's more preferable to setup Libre Workspace on an VPS. Here can you also use the One-Time Setup Service of Libre Workspace Pilot or you can do it yourself via the methods described in the [**documentation**](https://docs.libre-workspace.org/setup/installation.html?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) of Libre Workspace. ## Conclusion The Libre Workspace project simplifies self-hosting for me. It's Open ID Connect Provider allows me to use my account on my Libre Workspace instance to connect to multiple different self-hosted software and services. ***Are you already self-hosting your workspace, or are you still relying on Microsoft and Google? Let me know in the comments or join the discussion on the Fediverse or the Libre Workspace forum!*** If you want to hear more from me, you can find me in the Fediverse at [@gelbphoenix@social.gelbphoenix.de](https://gelbphoenix.link/mastodon?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) (Mastodon) or [@gelbphoenix@gram.social](https://gelbphoenix.link/pixelfed?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) (Pixelfed). For more posts like this subscribe to my newsletter or support me by [**becoming a member**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/#/portal/signup) or [donating](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/#/portal/support). Liked this post? Please share it with others via: [**Mastodon**](https://share.joinmastodon.org/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de#text=Look%20at%20this%20blog%20post%2C%20that%20I%20found!%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.gelbphoenix.de%2Fopen-source-alternative-to-microsoft-365-and-google-workspace), [**Bluesky**](https://bsky.app/intent/compose?text=Look%20at%20this%20blog%20post%20I%20found!%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.gelbphoenix.de%2Fopen-source-alternative-to-microsoft-365-and-google-workspace&ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) or anywhere else by copying the link. ### Your Face or Your Features URL: https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/your-face-or-your-features/ Last updated: 2026-06-14T15:53:50.000Z On the 9th of Feburary 2026 Discord announced that they will roll out their age verification requirement worldwide. This would require every account to basically dox themselves to access every feature as accounts are being set to a teen experience per default as long as they don't verify their age with either a face scan or an photo of their government-issued ID. This brings criticism from Discord's users and privacy minded people because this policy treats every user like they are a teenager unless they give Discord their personally identifiable data. And that despite the fact that Discord already lost user data and IDs of \~70.000 users of the platform in a massive data breach in October of 2025 as news sources like [The Verge](https://www.theverge.com/news/792032/discord-customer-service-data-breach-hack?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) reported. ## **What can you do about it?* With the rollout happening in early March 2026 users have to prepare to either one of these options: live with a massively reduced feature set, having to give Discord their data to regain access to the full feature set or leave the platform for other alternatives like IRC or the Matrix protocol. I personally are recommending the Matrix protocol ("\[matrix\]") because of following reasons: - **Decentralisation**: The Matrix protocol is inherently designed to be decentralised and therefor harder to regulate than a centralised platform. - **Open Source**: The protocol is completely open source meaning that even if a government tries to ban the protocol or tries to influence it to be worse can people take the source code and make it into another project. This point plus the decentralisation also allows the community to develop different servers so that admins have a choice which one they want to host. - **E2E Encrypted**: \[matrix\] is also inherently designed to have end to end encryption per default. Meaning that your messages are only readable by you and the ones who you send messages to. No admin, government or other people can read your messages. - **Interoperability**: You can easily use different clients (like Element, FluffyChat and Cinny) and can even use bridges to chat with people using other services and protocols. - **Self-hostable**: If you don't want to trust an server admin or want to provide an server for your friends and family you can do that. ## **How can I start?* Short tutorial to start with Matrix If you want to follow my recommendation and start using Matrix you can do the following steps: 1. **Find a server you want to join.** This can be whatever homeserver (as they are called by \[matrix\]) you like. Either the main matrix.org homeserver or other homeservers like tchncs.de or socialnetwork24.com. 2. **Create an account.** Creating an account on an homeserver can include different requirements. Like providing an e-mail address for account recovery and solving an captcha for bot prevention. 3. **Add another devices and start chatting with other people.** After creating your account and logging in you can start to chat with other people or join rooms – even those on other homeservers if your server allows federation. You can also add other devices like your smartphone or an desktop client. ⚠️ ****Keep your recovery key save.** Without it you loose access to all of your chats if you loose access to your account and nobody can help you with that. So please either print it out and/or secure it in your password manager. ***If you like this blog post you can support my work by either becoming a paid member or leaving a tip.** [Donate ](#/portal/support) ## **How to move your friends?* The hardest part of leaving Discord isn't the software; it's the network effect – convincing your friends to come with you. Don't force a full switch right now. It doesn't mean that you can't try to convince your friends to switch – you definitely can do that but it shouldn't be a reason to argue about. Discord has made its choice to prioritize surveillance over user trust. Now, we have to make ours. ***If you decide to make the jump, feel free to*** [***reach out to me on Matrix***](https://gelbphoenix.link/matrix?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) ***– I’ll see you there!*** 💬 If you want to hear more from me you can find me in the Fediverse at [@gelbphoenix@social.gelbphoenix.de](https://gelbphoenix.link/mastodon?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) (Mastodon) or [@gelbphoenix@gram.social](https://gelbphoenix.link/pixelfed?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) (Pixelfed). For more posts like this subscribe to my newsletter or support me by [**becoming a member**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/#/portal/signup) or [donating](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/#/portal/support). Liked this post? Please share it with others via: [**Mastodon**](https://share.joinmastodon.org/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de#text=Look%20at%20this%20blog%20post%2C%20that%20I%20found!%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.gelbphoenix.de%2Fyour-face-or-your-features), [**Bluesky**](https://bsky.app/intent/compose?text=Look%20at%20this%20blog%20post%20I%20found!%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.gelbphoenix.de%2Fyour-face-or-your-features&ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) or anywhere else by copying the link. ### Why I Still Self-Host URL: https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/why-i-still-self-host/ Last updated: 2026-06-15T14:57:37.000Z hen I started to self-host in 2025 it was more about learning advanced server administration and leaving the big cloud storage providers. Over the time in 2025 my starting VPS expanded to a small private infrastructure with multiple different self-hosted services which allowed me to leave more and more big tech and proprietary services which allowed me to save money which i would have had to spend on subscriptions on these services. ## ***Under the Hood** The Hardware part of my Homelab Currently I have three Virtual Private Servers by Hetzner – which is my trusted VPS and storage provider since I started to self-host. One is a CX53 which is x86\_64 based, the other two are ARM based the CAX41 and CAX11 and all are hosted in Hetzner's EU data centers in Nürnberg, Germany and Helsinki, Finland. Later in the year did I remove the CAX41 from my infrastructure because of monetary reasons. For storage I have also two BX11 storage boxes (one as a Backup place and one for storage) with Hetzner which each have 1TB capacity and are upgradeable. > If you yourself want to start with Hetzner – which I can strongly recommend – you can use the link (non sponsored) at [**gelbphoenix.link/hetzner**](https://gelbphoenix.link/hetzner?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de). Besides my VPS instances at Hetzner have I also a Raspberry Pi 4 with 4GB of RAM and a Dell Optiplex 3050 SFF (Intel i5-7500, 8GB RAM, 1TB SSD, 250GB NVMe SSD) which are in my home. _This post is for subscribers only._ ### A Sovereign Europe URL: https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/a-sovereign-europe/ Last updated: 2026-06-14T15:54:02.000Z Since Donald Trump’s second inauguration in the end of January 2025, the West’s geopolitical environment has changed dramatically. Washington has shifted from a broadly cooperative transatlantic stance under the previous Biden-Harris administration to a far more confrontational, transactional posture. If this trajectory continues, it amounts to a 180° reversal in U.S. policy toward Europe. ## **How did this came about?* After the second Trump administration started its term on the 20th January 2025 it was fast to reduce much of the US economic and logistical support for Ukraine – which is in a defensive war against Russia since 2022 – and started to spread views and falsehoods against Europe. The new escalation of the deterioration of the transatlantic alliance was the "Liberation Day" where the European Union as a whole market was hit with tariffs of twenty percent – a symbol against a strong and united European Common Market capable of competing with US economic hegemony. This did cause a worldwide reaction – other countries were themselves hit with a tariff of at least ten percent –, retaliatory tariffs and the starting of communities like Buy from EU. ## **Newest developments* In the start of December 2025 was a new National Security Strategy paper released by the second Trump administration. You would think "so far – so good" but that paper is different from older National Security Strategy papers as this is not a routine rewording of old talking points. The new US National Security Strategy recasts Europe less as a partner to be steadied and more as a theatre in which Washington will pursue transactional bargains and – in places – actively shape domestic politics and political landscapes. It also shifts the adversary position from Russia to the European Union and proposes that the US should “cultivate resistance” inside Europe. Which means that what had long been framed as “common interest” between Europe and the US – shared values, collective defence, coordinated diplomatic posture – is now being replaced by a transactional, interest‑first paradigm. For many European states, this risks undermining decades of post‑war integration and cooperation. After three years of large-scale US support, international trackers show a sharp decline in some categories of military aid through mid-to-late 2025 – even as humanitarian and EU funding streams remain active – leaving Kyjiw to rely more heavily on European and multilateral support mechanisms for urgent requirements. ## **What comes now?* If the current trajectory of US foreign policy continues – transactional, ideologically driven, and dismissive of Europe as a partner – then Europe must stop treating the US as a security guarantor. Instead, it ought to embrace sovereignty and collective resilience. Because the reality is stark: in a world of shifting power balances, Europe’s survival as a global actor depends on its ability to act independently and united. **The US was a shining beacon of democracy and freedom.** The stature of liberty is a symbol of that. If the current trajectory of US policy continues to move forward then this position changes and the beacon of democracy will become another authoritarian state in this world. When and if that happens a united Europe would stand alone for democracy and it's values and if it accepts that it can no longer take foreign guarantees for granted, it may rediscover and reinforce its own strengths: political cohesion, economic integration, and a shared commitment to pluralistic democracy. ***If you like this blog post you can support my work by either becoming a paid member or leaving a tip.** [Donate ](#/portal/support) **A sovereign, self‑reliant Europe that acts with confidence and solidarity could become not a vassal of global power games, but a proactive actor shaping its own destiny.** If the U.S. falters, Europe may yet rise – not as a follower, but as a beacon of stability. And maybe, in that transformed Europe, the values once championed by the West will endure – because they were defended by Europeans themselves. ***Have you reacted to the policy changes from the US – either personally and/or work-related? Let's discuss!*** 🗽 If you want to hear more from me you can find me in the Fediverse at [@gelbphoenix@social.gelbphoenix.de](https://gelbphoenix.link/mastodon?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) (Mastodon) or [@gelbphoenix@gram.social](https://gelbphoenix.link/pixelfed?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) (Pixelfed). For more posts like this subscribe to my newsletter or support me by [**becoming a member**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/#/portal/signup) or [donating](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/#/portal/support). Liked this post? Please share it with others via: [**Mastodon**](https://share.joinmastodon.org/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de#text=Look%20at%20this%20blog%20post%2C%20that%20I%20found!%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.gelbphoenix.de%2Fa-sovereign-europe), [**Bluesky**](https://bsky.app/intent/compose?text=Look%20at%20this%20blog%20post%20I%20found!%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.gelbphoenix.de%2Fa-sovereign-europe&ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) or anywhere else by copying the link. ### Forgejo: The fresh outlook on Software Forges URL: https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/forgejo-the-fresh-outlook-on-software-forges/ Last updated: 2026-06-14T15:54:48.000Z Self‑hosting a site like **GitHub** or **GitLab** has never felt more “right” than it does now. [**Forgejo**](https://forgejo.org/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) – the fork of [**Gitea**](https://gitea.io/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) that prides itself on lean code, speed, and enterprise‑ready features – is delivering a wave of improvements that make it an ideal choice for teams and solo devs alike. Below is a quick rundown of the most recent updates and the practical implications for your workflow. ## **Forgejo's history* Forgejo itself was forked from Gitea in 2022 because of the – sort of hostile – takeover of the Gitea peoject by the for-profit company Gitea Limited. The initial fork – which was carried out after the leadership of the Gitea project didn't responded to an open letter – was a so called "soft fork" but it was changed in 2024 to a "hard fork" (difference is that the project that has hard forked doesn't actively contribute to the former upstream project). After becaming a hard fork independent from Gitea was Forgejo attacked by maintainers of Gitea over the functioning of Git when the Forgejo maintainers cherry picked commits merged into Gitea despite that the Forgejo maintainers respecting the licence of the Gitea code. ## **Security Boosts* 2FA, EXIF Stripping, and Actions Secrets - **Global Two‑Factor Enforcement** – With the new `security.GLOBAL_TWO_FACTOR_REQUIREMENT` setting, administrators can enforce TOTP (or other 2FA methods) for all users or just admins. This adds a solid layer of protection against credential‑stealing attacks. - **Avatar Privacy** – Forgejo now strips EXIF data from uploaded avatar images automatically. This small but important step removes the risk of leaking personally identifiable information (e.g., GPS coordinates) when sharing profile pictures. An admin can run the `forgejo doctor avatar-strip-exif` command to purge existing avatars of metadata. - **Secrets Management** – Secrets used in Actions are now handled by a more secure module introduced in 2024, already in use for TOTP secrets. This tightening reduces the attack surface for compromised repositories. - **Action Logs** – You can now view previous logs for retried Actions runs via a convenient dropdown, giving greater transparency into CI/CD pipelines. All these changes collectively tighten Forgejo’s security posture while keeping the user experience smooth. \[3\] ## **Usability Enhancements* - **Action Retry Visibility** – By adding a UI element for previous action attempts, developers can diagnose failures without digging through logs. - **Avatar Image Privacy** – The aforementioned EXIF stripping not only protects privacy but also reduces storage overhead by eliminating unnecessary metadata. - **Federation** – Forgejo works on implementing the [ActivityPub protocol](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/deep-dive-into-activitypub/) to federate software forges with each other. These incremental UI/UX tweaks make Forgejo a more developer‑friendly platform without adding bloat. ***If you like this blog post you can support my work by either becoming a paid member or leaving a tip.** [Donate ](#/portal/support) ## **Migration Path from Gitea* If you’re moving deployments from Gitea, Forgejo provides a dedicated migration tutorial. Like Gitea Forgejo has migration tools to migrate or mirror repositories from other forges like GitHub, GitLab and co. You can even mirror your repositories from your Forgejo deployment to other forges. ## **Installing Forgejo* This pushed you to install Forgejo? Here's how you can install the software forge with Docker. Forgejo can be installed on either your own server in your [Homelab](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/why-to-self-host-taking-control-of-your-data-and-services/) or on a Virtual Private Server (e.g. from [Hetzner](https://www.hetzner.com/de/cloud/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de)) > *This requires that you have already installed Docker and Docker Compose on the install system.* At first we either use the Docker Compose example from [Forgejo](https://forgejo.org/docs/latest/admin/installation/docker/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) or an boilerplate repository (for example: [My own boilerplates repo](https://git.gelbphoenix.de/gelbphoenix/boilerplate/src/branch/main/forgejo?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de)). Depending on which example you have chosen can you make your own changes and you should change the password for the database. If you want to use the existing SSH daemon on your system for Forgejo too you can follow the [README for forgejo](https://git.gelbphoenix.de/gelbphoenix/boilerplate/src/branch/main/forgejo/README.md?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) in my boilerplates repository for steps to activate SSH passthrough for Forgejo. ## **Why Forgejo is Worth a Second Look* - **Simplicity & Speed** – Forgejo is designed to be lightweight, meaning faster startup times and lower resource footprints than heavier alternatives. - **Self‑Hosted Control** – You decide where your code lives, how it’s backed up, and who has access. - **Active Community** – The rapid release cadence and active support channels (chat, RSS feeds) mean bugs are squashed quickly. - **Future‑Proofing** – With LTS branches and regular point releases, you can stay secure without constant upgrades. If you’re building a team’s internal repo, a hobby project, or simply want to own your code, Forgejo give you the confidence that the platform will stay secure, responsive, and feature‑rich for years to come. ***Happy coding and happy self‑hosting!*** 💻 If you want to hear more from me you can find me in the Fediverse at [@gelbphoenix@social.gelbphoenix.de](https://gelbphoenix.link/mastodon?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) (Mastodon) or [@gelbphoenix@gram.social](https://gelbphoenix.link/pixelfed?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) (Pixelfed). For more posts like this subscribe to my newsletter or support me by [**becoming a member**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/#/portal/signup) or [donating](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/#/portal/support). Liked this post? Please share it with others via: [**Mastodon**](https://share.joinmastodon.org/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de#text=Look%20at%20this%20blog%20post%2C%20that%20I%20found!%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.gelbphoenix.de%2Fforgejo-the-fresh-outlook-on-software-forges), [**Bluesky**](https://bsky.app/intent/compose?text=Look%20at%20this%20blog%20post%20I%20found!%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.gelbphoenix.de%2Fforgejo-the-fresh-outlook-on-software-forges&ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) or anywhere else by copying the link. ### Roblox: A Safehaven for Extremists and Predators URL: https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/roblox-a-safehaven-for-extremists-and-predators/ Last updated: 2026-06-14T15:54:58.000Z ⚠️ ***CONTENT NOTE:** This article discusses child exploitation and extremist content on the kids online gaming platform Roblox. ***Reader discretion is advised.** The gaming platform Roblox, a digital universe with nearly 400 million monthly users, is currently facing a significant crisis that calls into question its ability to moderate its content and protect its predominantly young user base of kids and minors. Recent events, particularly the banning of a popular user and content creator known as "Schlep" has ignited a firestorm of controversy, highlighting long-simmering concerns about extremism, child safety, and corporate negligence on the platform. ## ***The 'Schlep' Controversy** ****A Tipping Point** The recent turmoil began when Roblox send a cease and desist to and banned popular user, content creator and activist Schlep, who had been exposing predatory content on the platform and who helped to arrest at least six predators. In response to his ban, Schlep announced his intention to sue Roblox, a move that reportedly caused the company's stock prices to plumet. This action by Roblox has been widely criticized as an attempt to silence a whistleblower rather than address the underlying issues he and others exposed. The backlash was swift and widespread, sparking a debate about the effectiveness of platform moderation versus the actions of vigilante users. Critics have accused Roblox of hypocrisy, suggesting the company prioritizes legal threats over the safety of its child user. This sentiment has fueled campaigns like "#FreeSchlep" and "#BoycottRoblox," which have gained support from major content creators. A petition demanding that Roblox CEO David Baszucki "fix what he’s caused or resign" had already gathered over 90,000 signatures at the point of writing. While Roblox released a statement explaining its policy on removing "vigilante groups," it did not mention Schlep by name but by assosiation. In Roblox's statement from the 13\. August 2025 the company compared vigilante groups and individuals to actual predators. This caused for another outcry as many saw this also as Roblox directly comparing Schlep with actual predators. Some big Roblox focused content creators have left the companys "Star Program" since Schlep was banned from the platform. ## ***A Breeding Ground for Extremism** The issue of extremism on Roblox is itself not a recent phenomenon; the platform has been a fertile ground for far-right and hateful ideologies for over a decade. This exploitation of the user-generated platform has manifested in various alarming ways, from the creation of a Nazi gas chamber simulation, which Roblox eventually removed, to games that simulate vehicle attacks against protesters, mirroring a common trope in far-right memes. Critics have identified specific games as "known extremist \[and/or\] nazi hub\[s\]," which Roblox has allowed to persist for years. ***If you like this blog post you can support my work by either becoming a paid member or leaving a tip.** [Donate ](#/portal/support) Beyond hosting such content, extremists have used the platform's name and context for recruitment and radicalization on other sites like Telegram. The research group Tech Against Terrorism discovered messages containing bomb-making instructions disguised with references to the game, such as, “Hey kid, want to make a mailbox bomb for Roblox?” The danger has repeatedly spilled over from the virtual world into reality. In a particularly stark example, the FBI arrested a man who was allegedly using a game on Roblox – which is a known extremist hub – to plan a real-life terrorist attack. In another case, Roblox sued a YouTuber for $1.65 million after he made violent threats against a developers' conference and attempted to upload images of Adolf Hitler onto the platform. The platform's struggle with extremist content is ongoing and adapts to current events, as seen when the Israeli government urged users to report pro-Palestinian activity it claimed contained antisemitic content following the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023. ## ***Allegations of Negligence and an Unsafe Environment** The platform's moderation challenges extend beyond extremist content. The controversy has brought renewed attention to Roblox's alleged "negligence toward protecting young players," which had previously been the subject of lawsuits in Texas. For years, parents and safety advocates have raised alarms about grooming, bullying, and exposure to inappropriate content on the platform. Critics argue that by banning a popular user and content creator who was actively trying to make the platform safer, Roblox has sent a chilling message that its corporate image and the happyness of it's investors is more important than the well-being and safety of its users. The current crisis facing Roblox is not merely about a single banned user. It is a symptom of systemic issues within a platform that has become a cornerstone of modern childhood. The community's response, through petitions and social media campaigns, as well as goverment lawsuits and media documentations indicates a deep-seated demand for accountability and fundamental change to ensure the digital playground is not a safe haven for those who wish to do harm. ***What do you think about this? If you're a Roblox user, have you drawn a consequence out of the ongoing situation?*** If you want to hear more from me you can find me in the Fediverse at [@gelbphoenix@social.gelbphoenix.de](https://gelbphoenix.link/mastodon?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) (Mastodon) or [@gelbphoenix@gram.social](https://gelbphoenix.link/pixelfed?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) (Pixelfed). For more posts like this subscribe to my newsletter or support me by [**becoming a member**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/#/portal/signup) or [donating](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/#/portal/support). Liked this post? Please share it with others via: [**Mastodon**](https://share.joinmastodon.org/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de#text=Look%20at%20this%20blog%20post%2C%20that%20I%20found!%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.gelbphoenix.de%2Froblox-a-safehaven-for-extremists-and-predators), [**Bluesky**](https://bsky.app/intent/compose?text=Look%20at%20this%20blog%20post%20I%20found!%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.gelbphoenix.de%2Froblox-a-safehaven-for-extremists-and-predators&ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) or anywhere else by copying the link. ### Why to self-host? URL: https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/why-to-self-host-taking-control-of-your-data-and-services/ Last updated: 2026-06-14T15:55:10.000Z In today's digital landscape, many organizations and people rely on cloud-based solutions for hosting their applications and data. But there’s a growing trend towards self-hosting – for good reasons. ## **Why should I consider it?* Breaking down the key benefits. ### **1\. Complete Control over Your Data** The most significant advantage of self-hosting is absolute control. You aren’t reliant on a third-party provider’s infrastructure, security protocols, or uptime guarantees. You manage everything – from server configuration to data backups. You can even host your own Social Media presence with either software which is part of the [**Fediverse**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/fedi-what/). You can even have your storage selfhosted with for example [**Nextcloud**](https://nextcloud.com/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) or [**Opencloud**](https://opencloud.eu/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de). ### **2\. Enhanced Data Security** When you self-host, you dictate the security measures. This is particularly crucial for industries with stringent data privacy requirements, such as healthcare, legal, and finance. Or if you are even in a jurisdiction which has strong data protection and privacy relulations like the EU's GDPR. You can implement custom security protocols and monitor your environment directly. ### **3\. Customization Options** Self-hosting allows for extensive customization. You can tailor your environment to perfectly match your specific needs and workflows. This flexibility is a major draw for organizations with unique requirements. Many Open Source services that you can self-host even allow you to customize very large portions of their UI design to fit your identity. ***If you like this blog post you can support my work by either becoming a paid member or leaving a tip.** [Donate ](#/portal/support) ### **4\. Addressing Scalability & Reliability Concerns** While self-hosting requires more responsibility, it’s increasingly viable. You can scale your resources as your needs grow, and you have direct control over your system’s reliability. If you rely on a platform for your online presence – maybe because you made content creation your job – you would be even independent of large Very Large Online Providers (VLOPs) like Google, Meta or X/Twitter. ## ***What are Use Cases?** For yourself and multiple Industries Self-hosting is relevant and needed across a broad range of industries. It’s commonly used in: - Healthcare - Legal and Financial institutions - Large enterprises - Educational institutions - Research facilities - Local and national governments ## ***It Pays to Consider the Effort** Ultimately, self-hosting is a strategic choice. While it presents challenges – like initial costs and update responsibilities – the benefits of control, security, and customization can make it a worthwhile investment. In the long term can self-hosting be even cheaper than to buy multiple subscriptions for multiple services or cloud storage. I personally self-host with a mix of a local homelab and multiple Virtual Private Servers (VPS). Services I self-host are very different and reach from Storage and Collaboration (**Nextcloud**), Artificial Intelligence ([**Ollama**](https://ollama.com/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) and [**Open WebUI**](https://openwebui.com/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de)), Social Media ([**Mastodon**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/admins-guide-to-self-hosting-a-mastodon-instance/)) to Messaging ([**Matrix**](https://matrix.org/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) and [**Element**](https://element.io/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de)) and Video Calls ([**Jitsi**](https://jitsi.org/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de)). ***Do you think that you want to start self-hosting? If yes, why? If no, why not? Discuss with me*** [***here***](https://social.gelbphoenix.de/@gelbphoenix/114959771580097676?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de)***.*** If you want to hear more from me you can find me in the Fediverse at [@gelbphoenix@social.gelbphoenix.de](https://gelbphoenix.link/mastodon?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) (Mastodon) or [@gelbphoenix@gram.social](https://gelbphoenix.link/pixelfed?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) (Pixelfed). For more posts like this subscribe to my newsletter or support me by [**becoming a member**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/#/portal/signup) or [donating](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/#/portal/support). Liked this post? Please share it with others via: [**Mastodon**](https://share.joinmastodon.org/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de#text=Look%20at%20this%20blog%20post%2C%20that%20I%20found!%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.gelbphoenix.de%2Fwhy-to-self-host-taking-control-of-your-data-and-services), [**Bluesky**](https://bsky.app/intent/compose?text=Look%20at%20this%20blog%20post%20I%20found!%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.gelbphoenix.de%2Fwhy-to-self-host-taking-control-of-your-data-and-services&ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) or anywhere else by copying the link. ### Introducing Mastodon's “Fetch Replies” Feature URL: https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/introducing-mastodons-fetch-replies-feature/ Last updated: 2026-06-14T15:55:19.000Z [**Mastodon**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/beginners-guide-to-mastodon/) 4.4 – now rolling out across many instances – includes an exciting experimental feature: *server-side recursive fetching of remote replies*, enabled by an environment variable (`FETCH_REPLIES_ENABLED`). Let’s dive into what this means for users, admins, and the [Fediverse](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/fedi-what/) at large. ## **The Challenge* Fragmented Conversations Historically, Mastodon only displays replies that have been federated to your local instance. That means you often miss pieces of the thread if the server you're on hasn’t yet fetched them. This fragmentation is especially painful for single-user or small instances – without manual workarounds like visiting the original server’s “open original page”. ## **The Innovation* Fetch All Replies Thanks to merged pull requests (notably [**mastodon/mastodon #32615**](https://github.com/mastodon/mastodon/pull/32615?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de)), Mastodon’s backend now supports automatically fetching all replies in a thread in the background whenever a remote post is viewed. The details: - When users open a thread, the server initiates a background task. - It recursively retrieves missing replies from other instances. - These replies are stored on your instance, making subsequent views richer and more complete. ## **What it means for You* - **Richer conversation visibility**: You’ll start seeing more replies from across the Fediverse, no matter the origin. - **Better experience for niche instances**: Small or personal instances gain fuller context and activity in threads. - **Still experimental**: Server admins must set the `FETCH_REPLIES_ENABLED` variable; it’s disabled by default and may increase server load slightly. ***If you like this blog post you can support my work by either becoming a paid member or leaving a tip.** [Donate ](#/portal/support) ## **Admin Tips and Configuration* If you run your own Mastodon server and want to enable this: 1. Update to Mastodon 4.4+. 2. Set or add `FETCH_REPLIES_ENABLED=true` in your environment. 3. Restart the server so the feature triggers on remote-post views. This design ensures efficiency: replies are fetched only when a thread is accessed – not preemptively – preventing unnecessary federation overhead. ## **How this fits Mastodon’s Philosophy* Mastodon stands for decentralization, inclusivity, and community ownership. By extending threads across instances seamlessly, *Fetch Replies* improves conversational flow while staying true to server-based federation architecture. The mission is clear: keep the system distributed, but make it *feel* whole – no more jumping between instances to follow a conversation thread. ## **Next Steps on the Roadmap* Mastodon's 4.5 release will likely build on this, officially rolling out the possibility to create "Quote Posts" and refining thread context fetching in the front-end UI. Expect smoother navigation, clearer visual indicators of fetched replies, and perhaps an option to manually re-fetch context. ## **Conclusion* The *Fetch Replies* experiment tackles one of Mastodon's most-cited limitations – fragmented threads – without compromising its federated model. It's a smart blend of performance and completeness, and marks a meaningful step toward a more cohesive user experience. If you're running your own server or courting smaller instances, enabling `FETCH_REPLIES_ENABLED` is a no-brainer. For everyday users, this just means better conversation flows with zero effort – especially on [smaller instances](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/how-to-private-or-family-fediverse-instance/). ***Ready to try it? Find a Mastodon instance with Fetch Replies enabled or enable it on your server and dive into richer, more connected conversations today!*** 💬 If you want to hear more from me you can find me in the Fediverse at [@gelbphoenix@social.gelbphoenix.de](https://gelbphoenix.link/mastodon?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) (Mastodon) or [@gelbphoenix@gram.social](https://gelbphoenix.link/pixelfed?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) (Pixelfed). For more posts like this subscribe to my newsletter or support me by [**becoming a member**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/#/portal/signup) or [donating](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/#/portal/support). Liked this post? Please share it with others via: [**Mastodon**](https://share.joinmastodon.org/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de#text=Look%20at%20this%20blog%20post%2C%20that%20I%20found!%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.gelbphoenix.de%2Fintroducing-mastodons-fetch-replies-feature), [**Bluesky**](https://bsky.app/intent/compose?text=Look%20at%20this%20blog%20post%20I%20found!%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.gelbphoenix.de%2Fintroducing-mastodons-fetch-replies-feature&ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) or anywhere else by copying the link. ### Spotlight on Three Next-Gen Open‑Social Apps from FediForum 2025 URL: https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/spotlight-on-open-social-apps-from-fediforum-2025/ Last updated: 2026-06-14T15:55:27.000Z A few weeks ago at the June [**FediForum**](https://fediforum.org/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) **2025** virtual unconference, three innovative tools made waves: [**Bonfire Social**](https://bonfirenetworks.org/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de), [**Channel.org**](https://channel.org/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de), and [**Bounce**](https://blog.anew.social/bounce-a-cross-protocol-migration-tool/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de). Each brings a fresh angle to the open social web – customized community building, curated cross-platform feeds, and seamless account migration. In this post, you'll get the full picture: what each does, why it matters, and how creators, developers, and admins can experiment with them. ## **Introduction* The Next Phase of the Decentralized Social Web The Fediverse has long balanced autonomy and fragmentation – but as adoption grows, so does the need for specialized tools that meet real-world needs. At FediForum, these three new apps showcased distinct strategies for enriching the decentralized landscape while retaining core values of openness, control, and interoperability . ## **Bonfire Social* Modular Community Framework **Bonfire Social 1.0**, officially released at FediForum, is a self-hosted, modular platform that allows communities to build their own tailored social spaces . - **Core purpose**: Provides a toolkit – feeds, threaded discussions, multiple profiles, privacy “circles,” and more – bundled into customizable “flavors.” - **Featured perks**: - **Flavor presets** like Bonfire Community and Open Science cater to specific uses. - Advanced feed-building tools let users filter by engagement, date, sources, and enable “boundaries” for who can read or reply. - Native support for ActivityPub means full federation with [**Mastodon**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/beginners-guide-to-mastodon/), [**PeerTube**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/beginners-guide-to-peertube/), [**Pixelfed**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/beginners-guide-to-pixelfed/), etc. - **Why it matters**: Think of it as "WordPress for the Fediverse" – enabling niche communities to self-govern and craft their own user experience. ## Channel.org Curated Cross‑Network Topic Feeds **Channel.org** (from the UK based [**Newsmast Foundation**](https://www.newsmastfoundation.org/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de)) is a Mastodon-based service that empowers users to build and share curated “channels” drawing from hashtags, added contributors, RSS feeds, and even Bluesky accounts. - **Core purpose**: Create thematic feeds – like newsletters or mini-communities – that others can follow. - **Featured perks**: - Pulls content from multiple networks: Fediverse, Bluesky, RSS. - Built-in filters: keyword, NSFW, and hate speech shields to ensure clean, focused feeds. - **Why it matters**: Tackles algorithm fatigue by giving users deliberate control over what they see – ideal for creators, journalists, educators, and community organizers. ***If you like this blog post you can support my work by either becoming a paid member or leaving a tip.** [Donate ](#/portal/support) ## **Bounce* Effortless Bluesky to Mastodon Migration **Bounce**, developed by [**A New Social**](https://anew.social/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) and [**Bridgy Fed**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/bridge-your-fediverse-account-to-bluesky-with-a-custom-domain-handle/), makes migrating a Bluesky account to Mastodon seamless. - **Core purpose**: Move your account – followers, followings, posts – between protocols (ATProto ↔ ActivityPub) while preserving social graph. - **Featured perks**: - Uses ActivityPub’s Move activity plus AT Protocol interoperability to transfer data. - Keeps both followers and who you follow intact, easing platform switching. - **Why it matters**: Lowering the barrier to migration underlines the Fediverse promise: true data portability and user control. ## Comparison Table | App | Focus | Federation / Protocols | Notable Feature | | -------------- | ------------------------------------ | --------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------- | | Bonfire Social | Modular, self-hosted communities | ActivityPub | Custom flavors, circles/boundaries, multiple profiles | | Channel.org | Curated cross-network topic channels | Fediverse/ActivityPub + Bluesky/ATProto + RSS | Shared channels, filters, NSFW/hate protection | | Bounce | Account migration tool | ActivityPub + AT Protocol | Full follower/following transfer | ## Use Cases - **Bonfire Social**: Perfect for grassroots groups, academic collaborations, fan clubs – anyone wanting deep customization and control. - **Channel.org**: Ideal for content curators – podcasters, journalists, educators – who want to curate and publish thematic feeds across ecosystems. - **Bounce**: A must-have for users feeling locked into Bluesky but yearning to join the Mastodon universe without losing their social ties. These three tools signal a new phase in Fediverse evolution – one marked by **modularity, curation, and portability**. ***Whether you're building, curating, or migrating, they offer a chance to experiment and help shape the future of the open social web.*** 🌐 If you want to hear more from me you can find me in the Fediverse at [@gelbphoenix@social.gelbphoenix.de](https://gelbphoenix.link/mastodon?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) (Mastodon) or [@gelbphoenix@gram.social](https://gelbphoenix.link/pixelfed?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) (Pixelfed). For more posts like this subscribe to my newsletter or support me by [**becoming a member**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/#/portal/signup) or [donating](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/#/portal/support). Liked this post? Please share it with others via: [**Mastodon**](https://share.joinmastodon.org/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de#text=Look%20at%20this%20blog%20post%2C%20that%20I%20found!%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.gelbphoenix.de%2Fspotlight-on-open-social-apps-from-fediforum-2025), [**Bluesky**](https://bsky.app/intent/compose?text=Look%20at%20this%20blog%20post%20I%20found!%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.gelbphoenix.de%2Fspotlight-on-open-social-apps-from-fediforum-2025&ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) or anywhere else by copying the link. ### Defederation in the Fediverse URL: https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/defederation-in-the-fediverse-balancing-autonomy-and-community/ Last updated: 2026-06-14T15:55:36.000Z The [**Fediverse**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/fedi-what/), a decentralized network of interconnected social platforms, thrives on the principles of user autonomy, privacy, and community-driven governance. At the heart of this ecosystem lies the concept of **defederation –** a mechanism that allows individual servers (instances) to sever ties with others, effectively controlling the flow of content and interactions. ## **Understanding Defederation* In the Fediverse, each instance operates independently, setting its own rules and moderation policies. Defederation occurs when an instance decides to block communication with another, preventing users from seeing or interacting with content from the defederated server. This action is typically taken to uphold community standards, protect users from harmful content, or maintain the integrity of the instance's environment. ## **Reasons Behind Defederation* Instances may choose to defederate for various reasons: - **Content Moderation Discrepancies**: Differences in moderation policies can lead to conflicts, prompting instances to disconnect from those with incompatible standards. - **Spam and Malicious Activity**: To protect users from spam, harassment, or coordinated manipulation campaigns, instances may sever ties with offending servers. ***If you like this blog post you can support my work by either becoming a paid member or leaving a tip.** [Donate ](#/portal/support) - **Ideological Differences**: Instances may defederate from others that promote content contrary to their community's values or beliefs. These decisions are often made to preserve the safety and well-being of the community, reflecting the decentralized nature of the Fediverse where each instance exercises autonomy over its connections. ## **Impact on Communities* Defederation can have significant effects on both the blocking and blocked instances. Research indicates that defederation may lead to a decrease in user activity on the blocked servers, while the blocking servers often maintain stable participation levels. Interestingly, studies have found no substantial change in message toxicity following defederation events, suggesting that while defederation can isolate problematic content, it doesn't necessarily alter user behavior on the affected servers. ## **Navigating the Balance* While defederation serves as a tool for maintaining community standards, it also raises questions about the balance between autonomy and interconnectedness. Overuse or misuse of defederation can lead to fragmentation, limiting the diversity of interactions and perspectives within the Fediverse. Conversely, judicious use of defederation can empower communities to create safe and inclusive spaces aligned with their values. Defederation embodies the Fediverse's commitment to decentralized governance, allowing communities to self-regulate and uphold their standards. As the Fediverse continues to evolve, ongoing dialogue and collaboration among instance administrators and users will be crucial in navigating the complexities of defederation, ensuring that the network remains a vibrant and diverse ecosystem for all. If you want to hear more from me you can find me in the Fediverse at [@gelbphoenix@social.gelbphoenix.de](https://gelbphoenix.link/mastodon?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) (Mastodon) or [@gelbphoenix@gram.social](https://gelbphoenix.link/pixelfed?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) (Pixelfed). For more posts like this subscribe to my newsletter or support me by [**becoming a member**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/#/portal/signup) or [donating](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/#/portal/support). Liked this post? Please share it with others via: [**Mastodon**](https://share.joinmastodon.org/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de#text=Look%20at%20this%20blog%20post%2C%20that%20I%20found!%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.gelbphoenix.de%2Fdefederation-in-the-fediverse-balancing-autonomy-and-community), [**Bluesky**](https://bsky.app/intent/compose?text=Look%20at%20this%20blog%20post%20I%20found!%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.gelbphoenix.de%2Fdefederation-in-the-fediverse-balancing-autonomy-and-community&ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) or anywhere else by copying the link. ### Flipboard meets the Fediverse URL: https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/flipboard-meets-the-fediverse-a-new-era-of-content-aggregation/ Last updated: 2026-06-14T16:00:16.000Z In a significant move towards decentralization, [**Flipboard**](https://flipboard.com/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) has integrated with the [**Fediverse**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/fedi-what/), allowing users to follow and engage with content from platforms like [**Mastodon**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/beginners-guide-to-mastodon/) and Threads directly within the Flipboard app. This development marks a pivotal step in bridging traditional content aggregation with decentralized social media. ## **Flipboard's Federated Journey* Flipboard's integration with the Fediverse began in earnest in early 2023\. By February, the company launched its own Mastodon instance, [**flipboard.social**](https://flipboard.social/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de), providing a space for users to explore federated content. Subsequently, Flipboard expanded Mastodon support to its Android application, enabling users to access their Mastodon bookmarks and @mentions within the app. By August 2024, Flipboard announced that users could follow federated Threads and Mastodon accounts, such as @POTUS (Until January 2024) and @MKBHD, and see all their posts on Flipboard. This integration allows users to engage with people on other social networks, expanding the types of content and conversations available within the Flipboard experience. _This post is for subscribers only._ ### A Beginner's Guide to Decentralized Social Media - BookWyrm URL: https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/a-beginners-guide-to-decentralized-social-media-bookwyrm/ Last updated: 2026-06-14T15:55:44.000Z [**BookWyrm**](https://joinbookwyrm.com/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) is a federated, open‑source social reading network that offers an ad‑free, privacy‑focused alternative to mainstream book catalog platforms. Built on the [**ActivityPub**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/deep-dive-into-activitypub/) protocol, it enables readers to catalog books, write reviews, follow friends, and participate in decentralized book clubs – all while preserving full control over data through self‑hosted instances or choice of public communities. In this post, we’ll explore BookWyrm’s core features, federation mechanics, hosting options, community use cases, and how it compares to centralized services like **Goodreads**, helping you decide whether to join an existing server or launch your own instance. ## **What is BookWyrm?* BookWyrm is a social reading network that enables users to track their reading history, write reviews, and engage with friends over shared books. It operates on the ActivityPub protocol, letting BookWyrm users interact seamlessly with accounts on [**Mastodon**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/beginners-guide-to-mastodon/), Pleroma, and other [**Fediverse**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/fedi-what/) platforms. The project is maintained by a small core team led by Mouse Reeve and welcomes contributions through its GitHub repository. By design it is ad-free, privacy-focused, and anti-corporate, ensuring user data isn’t monetized or sold. ## **Key Features* ### Customizable Shelves & Lists Users create default shelves – “to read,” “reading,” “read,” “dropped” – and can add custom lists to organize books by theme or project. ### Reviews, Ratings & Quotes Each book entry supports 1-5 star ratings, long-form reviews, inline quotes, and threaded comments for rich discussion. ***If you like this blog post you can support my work by either becoming a paid member or leaving a tip.** [Donate ](#/portal/support) ### Privacy Controls Posts (reviews or status updates) can be marked public, unlisted, followers-only, or private – offering granular control over who sees what. ### Federation & Interoperability Because it’s ActivityPub-compliant, BookWyrm users can follow Mastodon and Pleroma accounts, while non-BookWyrm Fediverse accounts can discover and interact with your reviews and shelves. ## **Federation & Protocol Details* BookWyrm uses ActivityPub, the same protocol behind the Fediverse platforms Mastodon, [**PeerTube**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/beginners-guide-to-peertube/), and [**Pixelfed**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/beginners-guide-to-pixelfed/) – allowing cross-platform federation. Instances exchange “notes” (book reviews) and “follows” (user relationships) through standardized APIs, ensuring you never miss a friend’s update, even if they’re on a different server. This decentralization prevents any single point of failure and aligns with the Fediverse’s anti-corporate ethos. ## **Self-Hosting & Setup* Anyone with basic server access can self-host BookWyrm by cloning the GitHub repo, installing dependencies (Python, PostgreSQL, Redis), and configuring a domain name. The official documentation walks through Docker-Compose setups, environment variables, and migrations to help you spin up an instance in under an hour. For those who prefer not to self-host, you can pick from dozens of public instances using a directory like [**FediDB**](https://new.fedidb.org/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de). ## **Community & Use Cases* BookWyrm communities range from university reading groups to genre-specific fans (sci-fi, romance, academic). Instructors use it for class reading lists and peer reviews. Hobbyists form “read-along” clubs, sharing real-time progress bars and discussion threads. Because of its federation, cross-instance book clubs can flourish without a centralized moderator. ### Comparison: BookWyrm vs. Goodreads | Feature | BookWyrm | Goodreads | | ---------------- | ----------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------ | | Ownership | Decentralized, open-source, community-run | Corporate-owned by Amazon | | Data Portability | Full database export via API | Limited export tools | | Federation | ActivityPub with Mastodon, Pleroma, etc. | None | | Privacy & Ads | No ads, no tracking | Ad-supported, tracks reading behavior | | Customization | User-defined shelves, privacy controls | Fixed categories, limited privacy settings | ## **Getting Started* Choosing an Instance 1. **Browse by Size & Language**: Use the list view on Fediverse Observer to filter by uptime, language, or signup policies. 2. **Map View for Latency**: Select a server geographically close to you via the map interface for faster load times. 3. **Instance Rules**: Review each community’s code of conduct and theme – some are genre-focused, others are academic or family-friendly. BookWyrm fills the niche for readers seeking a decentralized, privacy-first alternative to mainstream book platforms. By harnessing ActivityPub federation, it fosters genuine, cross-instance communities and lifelong discovery without corporate oversight. Whether you self-host or join an existing server, BookWyrm offers a robust, user-centric space to share your literary journey. ***Want to liberate your reading from big corporates? Try out BookWyrm.*** 📚 If you want to hear more from me you can find me in the Fediverse at [@gelbphoenix@social.gelbphoenix.de](https://gelbphoenix.link/mastodon?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) (Mastodon) or [@gelbphoenix@gram.social](https://gelbphoenix.link/pixelfed?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) (Pixelfed). For more posts like this subscribe to my newsletter or support me by [**becoming a member**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/#/portal/signup) or [donating](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/#/portal/support). Liked this post? Please share it with others via: [**Mastodon**](https://share.joinmastodon.org/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de#text=Look%20at%20this%20blog%20post%2C%20that%20I%20found!%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.gelbphoenix.de%2Fa-beginners-guide-to-decentralized-social-media-bookwyrm), [**Bluesky**](https://bsky.app/intent/compose?text=Look%20at%20this%20blog%20post%20I%20found!%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.gelbphoenix.de%2Fa-beginners-guide-to-decentralized-social-media-bookwyrm&ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) or anywhere else by copying the link. ### How to Set Up a Private or Family Fediverse Instance URL: https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/how-to-private-or-family-fediverse-instance/ Last updated: 2026-06-14T15:55:53.000Z The [**Fediverse**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/fedi-what/) is all about freedom – freedom to communicate, to connect, and to control your online experience. But what if you could go a step further and **build your very own private social network** for your family, friends, or community? Running a private Fediverse instance means you can create a **safe**, **customized**, and **ad-free** environment, while still having the option to connect with the broader decentralized world – if you want to. In this guide, we'll look you how to set up your own instance from scratch. ## **Why run Your own Private Instance?* There are many good reasons to set up a private Fediverse server: - **Full control**: You define the rules, the users, and the experience. - **Privacy and safety**: No tracking, no ads, no unwanted strangers. - **Customization**: Add family branding, emojis, or features you like. - **Learning opportunity**: Perfect small project for families or communities to learn about self-hosting. Whether you're setting up a network for your family, a local club, or a group of friends, a private instance gives you ownership over your digital space. ## **Choosing the Right Software* The Fediverse is more than just Mastodon. Depending on your needs, different software might be a better fit: | Software | Pros | Cons | | ----------------- | ---------------------------- | -------------------------------------- | | Mastodon | Polished, familiar interface | Heavier resource usage | | Pleroma / Akkoma | Lightweight, customizable | Interface less polished out of the box | | Misskey / Sharkey | Creative, fun features | More complex setup | For most family or small-group instances, **Pleroma** or **Akkoma** is a great choice because they are light on resources and easy to manage. However, if you want a familiar "Twitter-like" feel, [**Mastodon**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/beginners-guide-to-mastodon/) is a safe bet. ## **Setting Up Hosting* You have two main options for hosting: - **VPS (Virtual Private Server)**: Services like [**Hetzner**](https://hetzner.com/cloud?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) or [**OVH**](https://www.ovhcloud.com/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) offer cheap servers (\~5-10€/month). Ideal if you want reliability and easy remote access. - **Home Server / Raspberry Pi**: Hosting at home gives you even more privacy, but requires configuring your router and handling dynamic IPs. > 💡 **Tip**: For a small private server, you don't need much power. 1–2 GB RAM and 1–2 vCPUs are usually enough. ## **Domain name and SSL* A memorable domain makes access easy: Examples: `fitz-amobi.social`, `singh.chat`, `firefriends.net` - **DNS Setup**: Point your domain's A and AAAA records to your server's IP address. - **SSL Certificate**: [**Caddy**](https://caddyserver.com/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) is an excellent web server that automatically handles HTTPS certificates for you – no manual Let's Encrypt setup needed! *It can also function as a reverse proxy if you want to host multiple services on a server.* If you're hosting at home without a static IP, consider setting up a **Cloudflare Tunnel** to expose your server securely without public IP hassles. ## **Access Control* Keeping It Private To keep your server truly private: - **Disable public registrations**: Most software lets you allow "invite only" signups. *Some even let you use your existing LDAP and OIDC infrastructure – which comes in handy if accounts should be strickly controlled and managed.* - **Use approval workflows**: Review and approve any new accounts manually if needed. ***If you like this blog post you can support my work by either becoming a paid member or leaving a tip.** [Donate ](#/portal/support) - **Hide your instance**: In Mastodon and others, you can disable visibility in public directories like [**FediDB**](https://fedidb.org/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de). - **Federation controls**: Optionally block federation with unknown or unwanted instances. With these settings, your Fediverse home stays cozy and under your control. ## **Maintaining Your Instance* Running a server isn't a one-time task – here’s how to keep things running smoothly: - **Backups**: Regularly back up your database and media files. (Simple cronjobs or backup scripts work well.) - **Updates**: Keep your Fediverse software and your system packages updated to patch security vulnerabilities. *You can follow either the specific accounts (maybe via RSS) to be notified if updates are available.* - **Monitoring**: Set up a simple monitor like UptimeRobot, or self-host something lightweight like Gatus. Don’t worry – maintenance for a small private server usually only takes a few minutes per month once everything is set up! --- ## **Optional* Controlled Federation One beauty of the Fediverse is that you **can** connect with others – but **only if you want to**. Options you have: - **Closed federation**: Only follow approved instances or users. - **Whitelist federation**: Allow connections only to selected instances (great for other family/friend servers). - **Relays**: Optional – if you want your instance to feel more lively. But for private use, they aren't needed. *It's more recommended to use a service like* [***FediBuzz***](https://relay.fedi.buzz/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) *than to use general relays.* > You control whether your server is a quiet island or a small connected archipelago. ## **Conclusion* Setting up your own private Fediverse instance isn’t just a technical project – it’s an investment in **digital independence** for you and your loved ones. With a little bit of setup, you can create a safe, cozy, ad-free space where your group can share updates, pictures, and conversations without worrying about algorithms, surveillance, or toxic public platforms. ***In the Fediverse, you are the platform – and that’s a beautiful thing.*** If you want to hear more from me you can find me in the Fediverse at [@gelbphoenix@social.gelbphoenix.de](https://gelbphoenix.link/mastodon?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) (Mastodon) or [@gelbphoenix@gram.social](https://gelbphoenix.link/pixelfed?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) (Pixelfed). For more posts like this subscribe to my newsletter or support me by [**becoming a member**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/#/portal/signup) or [donating](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/#/portal/support). Liked this post? Please share it with others via: [**Mastodon**](https://share.joinmastodon.org/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de#text=Look%20at%20this%20blog%20post%2C%20that%20I%20found!%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.gelbphoenix.de%2Fhow-to-private-or-family-fediverse-instance), [**Bluesky**](https://bsky.app/intent/compose?text=Look%20at%20this%20blog%20post%20I%20found!%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.gelbphoenix.de%2Fhow-to-private-or-family-fediverse-instance&ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) or anywhere else by copying the link. ### Fediscovery - Improving Search and Discovery on the Fediverse URL: https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/fediscovery-improving-search-and-discovery/ Last updated: 2026-06-14T15:56:01.000Z A decentralized network like the [**Fediverse**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/fedi-what/) excels at resilience and user autonomy, but its very fragmentation makes finding people, posts, and trending content a challenge. The [**Fediscovery**](https://www.fediscovery.org/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) project – led by the [**Mastodon gGmbH**](https://joinmastodon.org/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de)– the team and company behind the Mastodon project – and funded by the EU’s [**NGI Search**](https://www.ngisearch.eu/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) program – defines a set of open specifications and ships a reference implementation to bridge instances with discovery providers, while honoring user privacy choices. Together, these efforts promise standardized APIs for account search, content indexing, trends, and data-sharing, plus easy opt-in integration for servers and clients. In this post, we’ll cover the underlying problem, unpack the core specifications, walk through the reference implementation, and explain how instance operators and client developers can get involved in making the Fediverse truly discoverable. ## **The Problem with Search in the Fediverse* Every Fediverse server today handles discovery on its own, so finding an account or hashtag often means hopping between instances or relying on external web crawlers. This fragmentation hurts new users and small servers, who lack the network effects to surface relevant content or emerging communities. ## **The Fediscovery Project* “Fediverse Discovery Providers” – also called Fediscovery – is spearheaded by Mastodon gGmbH under a grant from NGI Search, part of the EU’s Next Generation Internet initiative. Its mission is to specify how any Fediverse software can plug into external discovery services – enabling servers to query account directories, search for public posts, and fetch trending topics – from standardized APIs. ## **Technical Specifications* Capabilities and APIs Fediscovery’s spec defines four core capability sets that any provider must implement: 1. **Account Search**: Servers call a `/accounts` endpoint to find discoverable users by username, display name, or metadata. 2. **Content Indexing & Trends**: A `/trends` API surfaces top hashtags, links, and posts across participating providers. 3. **Data Sharing**: Rules for how and when providers ingest public content – honoring instance-level privacy flags and user opt-ins. 4. **Debug and Health**: Simple endpoints let operators verify connectivity and compliance with the spec. All interactions require lightweight API authentication and respect “public” visibility flags so that only opted-in content is indexed. ***If you like this blog post you can support my work by either becoming a paid member or leaving a tip.** [Donate ](#/portal/support) ## **Reference Implementation* To jump-start adoption, the project provides a Ruby on Rails reference server – called [**fediscoverer**](https://github.com/mastodon/fediscoverer?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) – plus plugins for logging, debugging, and testing. Developers can find the sample code on GitHub, fork it to build custom providers, or contribute to the upstream spec repository as it evolves. ## **Integrating Fediscovery* How Instances and Clients Can Opt In Instance admins simply add one or more discovery providers to their Mastodon, Pleroma, or other software’s config – listing provider URLs and API keys. Clients then fetch provider metadata via WebFinger and automatically enable unified search bars and “explore” tabs across all providers. ## **Privacy and Centralization Concerns* Fediscovery only indexes content explicitly marked “public” and honors each user’s instance-level opt-in settings, preventing unwanted centralization of private posts. While providers offer some centralization, multiple competing implementations and independent installations ensure no single service controls discovery for the entire Fediverse. ## **Roadmap and How to Get Involved* The initial spec drafts and reference code are public on GitHub; over the coming months, new endpoints (e.g., for media search) and client-side UX guidelines will land alongside community feedback. Join discussions on the Fediforum mailing list, contribute to issues in the spec repo or help and engage with project developers and maintainers at events like FOSDEM or FediForum. ## **Towards a More Discoverable Fediverse* By standardizing discovery, Fediscovery empowers every server and client to surface relevant people, posts, and trends – helping newcomers connect and small communities thrive. ***As you self-host or build Fediverse apps, give Fediscovery a try and help shape the open social web’s search future.*** 🔍 If you want to hear more from me you can find me in the Fediverse at [@gelbphoenix@social.gelbphoenix.de](https://gelbphoenix.link/mastodon?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) (Mastodon) or [@gelbphoenix@gram.social](https://gelbphoenix.link/pixelfed?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) (Pixelfed). For more posts like this subscribe to my newsletter or support me by [**becoming a member**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/#/portal/signup) or [donating](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/#/portal/support). Liked this post? Please share it with others via: [**Mastodon**](https://share.joinmastodon.org/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de#text=Look%20at%20this%20blog%20post%2C%20that%20I%20found!%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.gelbphoenix.de%2Ffediscovery-improving-search-and-discovery), [**Bluesky**](https://bsky.app/intent/compose?text=Look%20at%20this%20blog%20post%20I%20found!%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.gelbphoenix.de%2Ffediscovery-improving-search-and-discovery&ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) or anywhere else by copying the link. ### Admin’s Guide to Self-Hosting a Mastodon Instance URL: https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/admins-guide-to-self-hosting-a-mastodon-instance/ Last updated: 2026-07-29T18:44:08.000Z In this guide, you’ll learn how to deploy an own [**Mastodon**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/beginners-guide-to-mastodon/) instance with **Docker Compose**, set up **Caddy** as a reverse proxy for automatic HTTPS and configure regular cleanup jobs. Finally, we cover routine maintenance tasks (migrations, asset pre-compilation) and security hardening to keep your [**Fediverse**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/fedi-what/) node running smoothly and securely. ## **Prerequisites* ### Server Requirements - **VPS**: ≥ 4 CPU cores, ≥ 50 GB disk (e.g. [Hetzner CX32](https://www.hetzner.com/de/cloud/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de)) - **OS**: Ubuntu 24.04 LTS or Debian 12 (64-bit) - **Software**: Docker (v27.3.1+), Docker Compose (v2.29.7+), Git - **Domain**: A DNS A and AAAA record pointing to your server’s IP - **SMTP**: Access to an SMTP server for outgoing mail (e.g. Mailgun, SendGrid) ### Optional but Recommended - A non-root system user (e.g. `mastodon`) with Docker group privileges - Firewall configured (e.g. `ufw` allowing 80, 443, 22) - Basic swap space for asset compilation ## **Step 1* Clone the Boilerplate We’ll leverage a ready-made Mastodon Docker setup to save time: ``` sudo git clone https://git.gelbphoenix.de/gelbphoenix/boilerplate.git sudo mv boilerplate/mastodon/ /opt/ ``` This repository includes a `compose.yml`, an `auto-cleanup.sh` script, and a Caddy site definition. > After moving the `mastodon` folder you can delete the rest of the boilerplate folder. ## Step 2 Initial Configuration ### 2.1 Pull the images and preparations Before we can create the needed configuration variables in the next step do we have to pull the needed images (while being in `/opt/mastodon`). ``` cd /opt/mastodon docker compose pull ``` After we have pulled the needed images do we also have to create the `public/` folder and change the ownership of that folder to the user and group ID of 991. ``` mkdir public chown -R 991:991 public/* ``` If you also want to have the possibility to customize the `robots.txt` then move the included file into the just created folder. ### 2.2 Create `.env.production` Run Mastodon’s setup task to generate environment defaults interactively: `docker compose run --rm console rake mastodon:setup` Copy the output into `.env.production` in `/opt/mastodon`. Mastodon reads these variables at runtime to configure DB, Redis, federation, SMTP, etc. ### 2.3 Optional Elasticsearch To enable full-text search, uncomment the `es` service in `compose.yml`, then add to `.env.production`: ``` ES_ENABLED=true ES_HOST=es ES_PORT=9200 ``` This boots `db`, `redis`, `web`, `streaming`, `sidekiq`, and (optionally) `es` [GitHub](https://git.gelbphoenix.de/gelbphoenix/boilerplate/src/commit/main/mastodon/compose.yml?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de). Check logs with `docker compose logs -f web` and confirm `health` endpoints return OK. ## Step 3 Configure Caddy for HTTPS & Reverse Proxy ### 3.1 Caddyfile Place this in `/etc/caddy/Caddyfile` (or under `sites-available`/`sites-enabled`): ``` [YOUR MASTODON DOMAIN] { root * /opt/mastodon/public encode gzip @static file handle @static { file_server } handle /api/v1/streaming* { reverse_proxy localhost:4000 } handle { reverse_proxy localhost:3000 } header { -Server Strict-Transport-Security "max-age=31536000; includeSubDomains; preload" X-XSS-Protection "1; mode=block" X-Robots-Tag "noindex,nofollow" } header /sw.js Cache-Control "public, max-age=0"; header /emoji* Cache-Control "public, max-age=31536000, immutable" header /packs* Cache-Control "public, max-age=31536000, immutable" header /system/accounts/avatars* Cache-Control "public, max-age=31536000, immutable" header /system/media_attachments/files* Cache-Control "public, max-age=31536000, immutable" handle_errors { @5xx expression `{http.error.status_code} >= 500 && {http.error.status_code} < 600` rewrite @5xx /500.html file_server } } ``` - Caddy auto-obtains Let’s Encrypt certs and redirects HTTP → HTTPS. - It forwards `/api/v1/streaming/*` to the streaming container and everything else to Puma. ### 3.2 Start/Reload Caddy If not already enabled: `sudo systemctl enable --now caddy` Else: `sudo systemctl reload caddy` ***If you like this blog post you can support my work by either becoming a paid member or leaving a tip.** [Donate ](#/portal/support) ## **Step 4* Media & Preview-Card Cleanup To avoid unbounded disk usage, use `auto-cleanup.sh` (runs `tootctl media remove` and `tootctl preview_cards remove`): `````` sudo chmod +x auto-cleanup.sh # Into the crontab (sudo crontab -e): 0 0 * * * /opt/mastodon/auto-cleanup.sh ``` This frees old media and cards daily at 00:00. ## **Step 5* Automated Updates Ensure that you either update your server manually on a regular basis or automatically. You can follow Mastodon's engineering account at [@MastodonEngineering@mastodon.social](https://mastodon.social/@MastodonEngineering?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) for notifications when a new Mastodon version is released. ## **Step 6* Maintenance & Upgrades ### 6.1 Database Migrations After updating images, run: `docker compose exec --rm web rails db:migrate` If using PgBouncer, connect directly to Postgres for migrations. ### 6.2 Asset Pre-Compilation `docker compose exec --rm web rails assets:precompile` Ensure sufficient RAM or swap during this step. ### 6.3 Restart Services `docker compose down && docker compose up -d` ## **Step 7* Security Hardening - **Firewall**: Only allow ports 22, 80, 443. - **Fail2Ban**: Protect SSH and Rails login endpoints. (Else you could also use CrowdSec.) - **Regular OS updates**: `apt update && apt upgrade -y`. - **Caddy**: Benefits from modern TLS defaults out of the box. - **Backups**: Ensure that you have regular backups in the case that something breaks or your server is otherwise not easily rebooted. (No backup, no mercy!) ## **Step 8* Alternatives & Federation Although this guide focuses on Mastodon, the same pattern can applies to Pleroma, Friendica, etc. in a very general way – *please follow official guides for other services*. Federation seamlessly connects your instance with the entire Fediverse. ## **Conclusion* You now have a production-ready, self-hosted Fediverse node with automated HTTPS, backups, cleanup, and updates. Monitor logs, stay on top of upgrades, and enjoy the decentralized social web! ***Happy federating!*** 🕸️ If you want to hear more from me you can find me in the Fediverse at [@gelbphoenix@social.gelbphoenix.de](https://gelbphoenix.link/mastodon?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) (Mastodon) or [@gelbphoenix@gram.social](https://gelbphoenix.link/pixelfed?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) (Pixelfed). For more posts like this subscribe to my newsletter or support me by [**becoming a member**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/#/portal/signup) or [donating](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/#/portal/support). Liked this post? Please share it with others via: [**Mastodon**](https://share.joinmastodon.org/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de#text=Look%20at%20this%20blog%20post%2C%20that%20I%20found!%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.gelbphoenix.de%2Fadmins-guide-to-self-hosting-a-mastodon-instance), [**Bluesky**](https://bsky.app/intent/compose?text=Look%20at%20this%20blog%20post%20I%20found!%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.gelbphoenix.de%2Fadmins-guide-to-self-hosting-a-mastodon-instance&ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) or anywhere else by copying the link. ### Case Studies of Successful Fediverse Communities URL: https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/case-studies-of-successful-fediverse-communities/ Last updated: 2026-06-14T16:00:25.000Z The [**Fediverse**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/fedi-what/) isn’t just a collection of decentralized tools—it’s a vibrant ecosystem of diverse communities that have organically grown around shared values of openness, user control and community moderation. In this post, we delve deeply into several real-world examples that illustrate what success in the Fediverse looks like. We explore how these communities launched, the challenges they overcame and the unique elements that helped them thrive. ## **What Defines a “Successful” Fediverse Community?* Before examining the case studies, it’s important to define success in the context of decentralized networks. Key factors include: - **Community Engagement:** High levels of interaction, creative content and active discussions. - **Effective Moderation & Governance:** Transparent, community-driven moderation policies that balance freedom with safety. - **Technical Resilience:** Scalable infrastructure and well-defined protocols that support both growth and innovation. - **Inclusivity & Diversity:** A welcoming space that attracts a broad range of users, ensuring a healthy ecosystem. _This post is for subscribers only._ ### Scaling the Fediverse URL: https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/scaling-the-fediverse/ Last updated: 2026-06-14T15:56:18.000Z The [**Fediverse**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/fedi-what/) has emerged as a dynamic and decentralized alternative to traditional social media platforms, empowering users with greater control over their data and communities. However, the inherent nature of decentralization presents unique challenges, particularly in scaling infrastructure and fostering healthy community dynamics. Let us look at the key technical and community-related obstacles to scaling the Fediverse and explores the innovative approaches developers and administrators are employing to address these issues. ## **Technical Challenges of Decentralization* ### 1\. Federation Scalability Unlike centralized platforms that rely on a singular, monolithic infrastructure the Fediverse operates through a network of independently managed servers (instances) that communicate via open protocols, primarily ActivityPub. This distributed architecture introduces scalability challenges including: - **Increased Network Load**: As the Fediverse expands the volume of federation requests and data exchanges grows, placing a significant strain on smaller servers. - **Content Propagation Latency**: The distribution of messages and media across numerous instances can lead to delays and inconsistent user experiences. - **Protocol Interoperability**: Variations in ActivityPub implementations and other related protocols can result in compatibility issues between different Fediverse platforms. ### 2\. Managing Server Resources Operating a Fediverse instance demands substantial resources including storage, bandwidth and computational power. Small or volunteer-run servers often encounter difficulties in: - **Handling Peak Traffic**: Sudden surges in user activity can overwhelm server capacity, leading to performance degradation or outages. - **Database Optimization**: Efficient database solutions are crucial for managing and retrieving user-generated content across a federated network. - **Media Storage and Bandwidth Costs**: Instances that heavily feature video and image content, such as [**PeerTube**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/beginners-guide-to-peertube/) and [**Pixelfed**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/beginners-guide-to-pixelfed/), incur significant storage and bandwidth expenses. ***If you like this blog post you can support my work by either becoming a paid member or leaving a tip.** [Donate ](#/portal/support) ### 3\. Content Moderation Across Multiple Instances The decentralized nature of the Fediverse complicates content moderation as there is no central authority to enforce uniform policies. Key challenges include: - **Divergent Moderation Policies**: Instances may have differing moderation policies, leading to disagreements over server blocking and content filtering. - **Abuse Mitigation**: Combating harassment, spam and illegal content requires a combination of automated tools and human oversight. - **Moderation Team Scalability**: Smaller instances may struggle to maintain effective moderation due to limited volunteer or staff resources. ## **Addressing these Challenges* **How the Fediverse addresses these Challenges* ### 1\. Improving Federation Efficiency Developers are actively working on solutions to enhance federation scalability including: - **Protocol Optimizations**: Refining ActivityPub implementations to minimize redundant data transfers and improve overall efficiency. - **Relay Servers**: Utilizing relay servers to distribute content more efficiently reducing the load on individual instances. - **Content Caching**: Implementing edge caching strategies to reduce redundant network traffic and improve content delivery speeds. ### 2\. Enhancing Server Performance and Sustainability To assist server administrators in managing resources, various strategies are being adopted: - **Load Balancing and Resource Management**: Employing reverse proxies, distributed databases and caching mechanisms to handle high traffic volumes. - **Sustainable Funding Models**: Promoting donations, subscriptions and sponsorships to support server maintenance and operational costs. - **Containerization and Cloud Deployment**: Leveraging container technologies like Docker and Kubernetes for simplified scaling and deployment. ### 3\. Strengthening Content Moderation Practices Instances are experimenting with new moderation tools and practices to foster healthy communities: - **Shared Blocklists and Allowlists**: Utilizing federated blocklists and allowlists to collectively address problematic instances or content. - **Cross-instance Moderation**: Exploring the use of tools to flag potentially harmful content across instances and organisations to communicate with moderation teams of other instances. - **Community-Based Governance**: Implementing decentralized governance models that empower communities to establish and enforce their own moderation policies. ## **The Future of a Scalable Fediverse* Despite the ongoing challenges the Fediverse continues to evolve through innovative technical solutions and community-driven governance models. As more developers, administrators and users contribute to its growth the decentralized web has the potential to become more resilient, inclusive and scalable. By proactively addressing these challenges the Fediverse can continue to provide a viable alternative to centralized platforms while upholding its core principles of openness, privacy and user empowerment. ***If you're passionate about the Fediverse and want to contribute to its growth, consider supporting an instance, developing open-source tools, or participating in community discussions to help shape its future.*** 🌐 If you want to hear more from me you can find me in the Fediverse at [@gelbphoenix@social.gelbphoenix.de](https://gelbphoenix.link/mastodon?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) (Mastodon) or [@gelbphoenix@gram.social](https://gelbphoenix.link/pixelfed?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) (Pixelfed). For more posts like this subscribe to my newsletter or support me by [**becoming a member**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/#/portal/signup) or [donating](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/#/portal/support). Liked this post? Please share it with others via: [**Mastodon**](https://share.joinmastodon.org/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de#text=Look%20at%20this%20blog%20post%2C%20that%20I%20found!%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.gelbphoenix.de%2Fscaling-the-fediverse), [**Bluesky**](https://bsky.app/intent/compose?text=Look%20at%20this%20blog%20post%20I%20found!%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.gelbphoenix.de%2Fscaling-the-fediverse&ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) or anywhere else by copying the link. ### Connecting Your Blog to the Fediverse URL: https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/connecting-your-blog-to-the-fediverse-a-guide-for-independent-publishers/ Last updated: 2026-06-14T15:56:58.000Z As the digital landscape evolves, many content creators are looking beyond traditional social media platforms for more open and engaging ways to connect with their audiences. Enter the **Fediverse**—a decentralized network of interconnected social platforms powered by open protocols like **ActivityPub**. Whether you’re using **WordPress**, **Ghost**, or another blogging platform, integrating with the Fediverse can help you expand your reach, foster more meaningful interactions, and reclaim control over your online presence. In this post, we’ll explore the benefits of joining the Fediverse as a blogger and share practical steps to integrate your blog using ActivityPub tools available for platforms such as WordPress and Ghost. ## **What Is the Fediverse?* The Fediverse is a collective of independent social networks that can interact seamlessly thanks to open standards such as **ActivityPub** (a protocol developed for decentralized social communication). Rather than relying on a single, centralized platform, the Fediverse allows users to follow, share, and comment on content across a variety of services—whether it’s [**Mastodon**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/beginners-guide-to-mastodon/), [**Peertube**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/beginners-guide-to-peertube/), [**Pixelfed**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/beginners-guide-to-pixelfed/), or others. This decentralized approach enhances user privacy, data ownership, and community engagement. A consise explaination can be found [here](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/fedi-what/). ## **Why integrate Your Blog with the Fediverse?* Integrating your blog with the Fediverse offers several key benefits: - **Broader Audience Reach:** Your content is shared not just on your website but also appears in the feeds of users on various federated platforms. - **Seamless Engagement:** Readers can interact with your posts—liking, commenting, or boosting them—directly from their preferred social network, with their responses appearing as comments on your blog. - **Enhanced Content Ownership:** By federating your blog, you maintain full control over your content without being dependent on the policies or algorithms of centralized platforms. - **Unified Conversations:** Instead of fragmented discussions across multiple channels, the Fediverse helps centralize interactions around your content, creating a richer dialogue. ## **What is ActivityPub?* The Bridge to Federation [ActivityPub](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/deep-dive-into-activitypub/) is the open protocol that enables decentralized communication across the Fediverse. It allows your blog to act as a federated profile—broadcasting new posts to followers on platforms like Mastodon and Pixelfed. When someone comments on your post from a federated network, that interaction can be automatically synchronized back to your blog. For WordPress users, the ActivityPub plugin (developed by Automattic and others) has been available for a while, offering a robust way to integrate your site with the Fediverse. Meanwhile, Ghost has recently rolled out it's ActivityPub integration in a open beta in its Ghost(Pro) service – with a full release planned with Ghost 6.0 in Summer 2025, allowing bloggers and newsletter creators to publish directly to the Fediverse. 📝 **Example:* Once integrated, when you publish a new post on your blog, your followers on Mastodon or Pixelfed will see it in their feeds. ## **How to Integrate Your Blog* ### **For WordPress Bloggers** 1. **Install the ActivityPub Plugin:** Navigate to *Plugins → Add New* in your WordPress dashboard and search for “ActivityPub.” Install and activate the plugin. 2. **Configure Your Settings:** Customize how your blog’s content is shared—choose between a blog-wide profile or individual author profiles. Adjust options to share full posts or excerpts, and follow any additional setup for blogs installed in subdirectories (check your server’s rewrite rules). 3. **Publish and Monitor:** Once set up, publish a new post and give it a few minutes. Your post should automatically appear in the feeds of federated users who follow your profile, and interactions will be routed back as blog comments. ***If you like this blog post you can support my work by either becoming a paid member or leaving a tip.** [Donate ](#/portal/support) ### **For Ghost Bloggers** 💡 Since the release of Ghost 6.0 do self hosted instances of Ghost have the ability to federate. See the [Ghost documentation](https://docs.ghost.org/hosting?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de#social-web-activitypub-and-web-analytics-tinybird) on how to activate that for self hosted instances and what you possibly need to migrate. 1. **ActivityPub in Ghost(Pro):** If you’re a Ghost(Pro) user you already have the ActivityPub integration active until [these limits](https://docs.ghost.org/hosting?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de#hosted-activitypub-usage-limits). 2. **Publish Your Content:** When you publish a new blog post or newsletter, it will be federated to social platforms like Mastodon, Pixelfed, and Threads. Readers can follow your federated profile and engage with your content directly from their preferred apps. 3. **Engage with Your Audience:** Ghost’s integration even offers an “Inbox” feature to aggregate content and notifications from across the Fediverse, helping you stay connected with your audience in a decentralized manner. ## **Benefits Beyond Federation* - **Centralized Feedback:** Gather comments and interactions from multiple platforms in one place. - **Improved SEO:** Increased exposure on federated networks can drive more organic traffic to your blog. - **Future-Proofing:** As more platforms embrace decentralization (with even Meta’s Threads experimenting with interoperability), federated blogging positions you ahead of the curve. The Fediverse represents a dynamic shift toward a more decentralized and user-centric internet. Whether you’re using WordPress with its mature ActivityPub plugin or exploring the new beta integration in Ghost(Pro), connecting your blog to the Fediverse can help you reach wider audiences, foster richer engagement, and maintain control over your content. Embrace this open, federated future and let your content be seen—and heard—across the digital landscape. ***Ready to join the Fediverse? Explore the integration options for your blogging platform today and start connecting with a new, decentralized community.*** 📝 If you want to hear more from me you can find me in the Fediverse at [@gelbphoenix@social.gelbphoenix.de](https://gelbphoenix.link/mastodon?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) (Mastodon) or [@gelbphoenix@gram.social](https://gelbphoenix.link/pixelfed?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) (Pixelfed). For more posts like this subscribe to my newsletter or support me by [**becoming a member**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/#/portal/signup) or [donating](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/#/portal/support). Liked this post? Please share it with others via: [**Mastodon**](https://share.joinmastodon.org/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de#text=Look%20at%20this%20blog%20post%2C%20that%20I%20found!%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.gelbphoenix.de%2Fconnecting-your-blog-to-the-fediverse-a-guide-for-independent-publishers), [**Bluesky**](https://bsky.app/intent/compose?text=Look%20at%20this%20blog%20post%20I%20found!%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.gelbphoenix.de%2Fconnecting-your-blog-to-the-fediverse-a-guide-for-independent-publishers&ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) or anywhere else by copying the link. ### Fediverse Adoption by Major Platforms URL: https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/fediverse-adoption-by-major-platforms-opportunities-and-challenges/ Last updated: 2026-06-14T15:57:06.000Z The [**Fediverse**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/fedi-what/), a decentralized network of interconnected servers using the ActivityPub protocol, has long offered an alternative to centralized social media. The integration of platforms like **Tumblr** and Meta's **Threads** represents a significant moment for the Fediverse, bringing both considerable opportunities and potential challenges. ## **What are the Opportunities?* ### Increased User Base and Visibility A key advantage of major platforms joining the Fediverse is the potential expansion of its user base. With substantial audiences on Tumblr and Threads, their integration could introduce a broader demographic to decentralized social networking, potentially accelerating adoption. ### Enhanced Network Effects As more platforms federate, the value of the Fediverse is expected to increase. Users would benefit from greater interoperability, facilitating communication across platforms without being confined to a single provider. ### Legitimization of Decentralization The participation of established platforms could lend credibility to decentralized networks, potentially encouraging more developers, businesses, and creators to explore and adopt Fediverse-compatible solutions. ### Potential for Diverse Monetization Models Larger platforms bring established approaches to monetization. Their involvement could stimulate the development of diverse and potentially more sustainable revenue models that benefit smaller Fediverse projects, such as enhanced creator support and varied advertising mechanisms. ## **What are the Challenges?* ### Risk of Centralization The introduction of large corporate entities into the Fediverse raises valid concerns about potential centralization. If companies like Meta exert disproportionate influence, it could compromise the core principles of decentralization, privacy, and user control. ### Privacy Concerns and Data Handling Large corporate platforms often have extensive data collection practices. Integrating them into the Fediverse raises concerns about how they will handle user data and whether their policies align with the privacy-focused ethos of decentralized networks. ***If you like this blog post you can support my work by either becoming a paid member or leaving a tip.** [Donate ](#/portal/support) ### Moderation Conflicts Different platforms maintain varying moderation policies. Federating with corporate-owned services may lead to conflicts, particularly if their content policies diverge significantly from those of established Fediverse platforms. ### Technical and Governance Challenges Scaling ActivityPub to accommodate large platforms requires robust technical solutions. Large platforms may introduce customizations that create compatibility issues or fragment the ecosystem. Furthermore, existing governance models may need to adapt to accommodate the influx of new participants and address potential conflicts. ## **Conclusion* The integration of major platforms into the Fediverse presents both promising opportunities and complex challenges. While increased adoption and visibility could potentially advance decentralization, risks such as centralization, privacy issues, and governance concerns must be carefully addressed. The coming years will determine whether this development strengthens the Fediverse or undermines its foundational principles. ***Now is the time to engage with the Fediverse—join the conversation and help shape its future.*** 🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒 If you want to hear more from me you can find me in the Fediverse at [@gelbphoenix@social.gelbphoenix.de](https://gelbphoenix.link/mastodon?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) (Mastodon) or [@gelbphoenix@gram.social](https://gelbphoenix.link/pixelfed?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) (Pixelfed). For more posts like this subscribe to my newsletter or support me by [**becoming a member**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/#/portal/signup) or [donating](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/#/portal/support). Liked this post? Please share it with others via: [**Mastodon**](https://share.joinmastodon.org/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de#text=Look%20at%20this%20blog%20post%2C%20that%20I%20found!%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.gelbphoenix.de%2Ffediverse-adoption-by-major-platforms-opportunities-and-challenges), [**Bluesky**](https://bsky.app/intent/compose?text=Look%20at%20this%20blog%20post%20I%20found!%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.gelbphoenix.de%2Ffediverse-adoption-by-major-platforms-opportunities-and-challenges&ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) or anywhere else by copying the link. ### Decentralized Governance in the Fediverse URL: https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/governance-in-the-fediverse/ Last updated: 2026-06-14T16:00:34.000Z The rise of the [**Fediverse**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/fedi-what/)—an interconnected network of independently managed social media instances and platforms—has redefined how online communities govern themselves. Unlike **centralized platforms** that impose a **uniform set of rules** from a single authority, the **Fediverse** empowers **individual instance administrators** and **community members** to craft **rules tailored** to **their local norms and values**. In this post, we explore how these decentralized governance models are established, maintained, and evolve over time. _This post is for subscribers only._ ### Bridge Your Fediverse Account to Bluesky with a Custom Domain Handle URL: https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/bridge-your-fediverse-account-to-bluesky-with-a-custom-domain-handle/ Last updated: 2026-06-14T15:57:19.000Z Have you ever wished that your [**Fediverse**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/fedi-what/) presence could extend seamlessly to **Bluesky** — with a handle that reflects your personal or brand domain rather than a long, unwieldy auto-generated one? In this guide, we'll walk through the process of bridging your Fediverse account (whether on [**Mastodon**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/beginners-guide-to-mastodon/), [**Pixelfed**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/beginners-guide-to-pixelfed/) or another compatible service) to Bluesky using [**Bridgy Fed**](https://fed.brid.gy/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de), and how to configure your own domain as your handle. ⚠️ ****I'm actively discouraging the usage of Bluesky as Bluesky itself allows, works and verifies authoritarian organisations like US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).** ****Instead I strongly recommend switching to the** [****Fediverse**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/fedi-what/)****.** ## **Why bridge Your Fediverse account to Bluesky?* Bridging your Fediverse account to Bluesky offers several benefits: - **Unified Social Presence:** You can interact with users on both networks, ensuring your content reaches a broader audience. - **Ease of Cross-Posting:** Bridgy Fed automatically mirrors your public posts, replies and interactions between networks. - **Custom Identity:** With a custom domain handle, you’re not stuck with a long and clunky username like `name.yourfediverse.com.ap.brid.gy`. Instead, you can use something clean and memorable, such as `example.com`. ## **Prerequisites* Before you begin, make sure you have the following: - **A Fediverse Account:** This could be a Mastodon, Pixelfed or similar account. - **Access to Your Domain’s DNS:** You’ll need to add a TXT record. - **Your Account’s DID (Decentralized Identifier):** You can get this by messaging Bridgy Fed or clicking the copy icon next to the Bluesky handle in your Bridgy Fed user page. ## **Step 1* **Bridge Your Account with Bridgy Fed* The first step is to connect your Fediverse account to Bluesky through Bridgy Fed. - **Follow the Bridge Account:** From your Fediverse account, follow the Bridgy Fed account on Bluesky by following `@bsky.brid.gy@bsky.brid.gy`. - **Wait for the DM:** After a few seconds, you should receive a direct message (DM) from Bridgy Fed confirming that a bridged account is being created. **Note:** Your bridged Bluesky account will, by default, have a handle that looks something like `yourname.yourfediverse-server.com.ap.brid.gy`—which can be a bit long for everyday use. ![](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/content/images/2025/04/image.png) Confirmation message from @bsky.brid.gy@bsky.brid.gy ## **Step 2* Configure your custom Domain handle Now that your account is bridged, it’s time to claim a custom domain as your Bluesky handle. - **Access Your Bridgy Fed User Page:** Click the link provided in the DM from Bridgy Fed to open your user page. - **Copy Your DID:** On your user page, click the icon (often a tag or clipboard icon) to copy your Bluesky account’s DID (e.g., `did:plc:abc123...`). Else you can also DM "did" to the account to get your account's DID. - **Set Up the DNS Record:** - Log in to your domain registrar or DNS hosting control panel. - Create a new TXT record with the following details: - **Hostname:** This has to be at the `_atproto` Subdomain. For example, if you want to use `example.com`, set the host to `_atproto.example.com`. - **Value:** Paste the DID you copied, prefixed with `did=` (e.g., `did=did:plc:abc123...`). - **Wait for DNS Propagation:** DNS changes may take anywhere from a few minutes to several hours to propagate. You can check the status using the Bluesky Debug page. ***If you like this blog post you can support my work by either becoming a paid member or leaving a tip.** [Donate ](#/portal/support) ## **Step 3* Update Your Bridged Handle via DM With your DNS record set up and propagating, the final step is to tell Bridgy Fed to update your Bluesky handle. - **Confirmation:** Within a few seconds, Bridgy Fed should reply to confirm that your Bluesky account’s handle has been updated. Once confirmed, your new handle will appear on your Bluesky profile and in search results. **Send a DM to Bridgy Fed:** From your Fediverse account, send a DM to `@bsky.brid.gy@bsky.brid.gy` with the following text: ``` username example.com ``` Replace `example.com` with your desired custom handle. ![](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/content/images/2025/04/image-1.png) Instruction to Bridgy Fed to change the handle with the confirmation. Bridging your Fediverse account to Bluesky with Bridgy Fed not only broadens your social reach but also lets you craft a personalized online identity. With a few simple steps— following the bridge, configuring DNS, and updating your handle — you can seamlessly integrate your presence across platforms. ## **Want to reverse this or even block the bridge to Bluesky?* Bluesky – the company – itself verified US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on January 17th 2026 and therefor vetted the ICE to be hostable on their infrastructure. ICE itself has and continues to be criticized because of their methods and actions (like the [ICE killing of Rene Nicole Good](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killing%5Fof%5FRenee%5FGood?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de)). If you want to remove the bridge to Bluesky you can either unfollow or block of `@bsky.brid.gy@bsky.brid.gy` and (if applicable to you) the authorized app. If you also want to go that extra step and don't want to see posts from Bluesky that others might share to your timeline, you can also block the domain of `bsky.brid.gy` via when you unfollow or block the bridge. ***Whether you’re an individual looking to enhance your personal brand or an organization seeking a cohesive online identity, using your own domain as your Bluesky handle is a great way to stand out in the decentralized social web.*** 🦋 If you want to hear more from me you can find me in the Fediverse at [@gelbphoenix@social.gelbphoenix.de](https://gelbphoenix.link/mastodon?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) (Mastodon) or [@gelbphoenix@gram.social](https://gelbphoenix.link/pixelfed?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) (Pixelfed). For more posts like this subscribe to my newsletter or support me by [**becoming a member**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/#/portal/signup) or [donating](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/#/portal/support). Liked this post? Please share it with others via: [**Mastodon**](https://share.joinmastodon.org/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de#text=Look%20at%20this%20blog%20post%2C%20that%20I%20found!%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.gelbphoenix.de%2Fbridge-your-fediverse-account-to-bluesky-with-a-custom-domain-handle), [**Bluesky**](https://bsky.app/intent/compose?text=Look%20at%20this%20blog%20post%20I%20found!%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.gelbphoenix.de%2Fbridge-your-fediverse-account-to-bluesky-with-a-custom-domain-handle&ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) or anywhere else by copying the link. ### How Businesses Can Leverage the Fediverse URL: https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/businesses-can-leverage-the-fediverse/ Last updated: 2026-06-14T16:00:44.000Z The [**Fediverse**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/fedi-what/), a decentralized network of interconnected social media platforms, offers businesses a unique opportunity to engage with audiences in a way that prioritizes privacy, community, and open standards. Unlike traditional **centralized social media**, which often relies on extensive data collection and algorithmic control, the Fediverse enables direct, potentially more meaningful interactions. But how can businesses make the most of this ecosystem? Let’s explore the potential benefits and strategies. ## **Why Businesses should Consider the Fediverse* 1. **Direct Engagement with Audiences** – While some forms of algorithms still exist within individual Fediverse instances, they generally have less influence than on centralized platforms, potentially allowing for more direct interaction. 2. **Data Privacy and Ethical Marketing** – Many Fediverse platforms emphasize user privacy and minimal data collection, encouraging brands to adopt more ethical marketing practices. However, privacy policies vary between instances, so due diligence is important. 3. **Decentralized and Community-Oriented** – Businesses can participate in niche communities, building trust and reputation organically. 4. **Control Over Branding and Presence** – Companies can host their own instances, ensuring greater control over their content and moderation policies. A own instance also allows companies to host multiple accounts that are easily clearly branded. 5. **Reduced Dependency on Big Tech** – By diversifying their online presence, businesses mitigate some risks associated with reliance on centralized platforms, such as sudden algorithm changes, platform bans, or data breaches. _This post is for subscribers only._ ### Deep Dive into ActivityPub URL: https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/deep-dive-into-activitypub/ Last updated: 2026-06-14T15:57:29.000Z The [**Fediverse**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/fedi-what/) has gained significant attention in recent years as a decentralized alternative to corporate social media platforms. But what exactly powers this interconnected network of independent platforms? The answer lies in **ActivityPub**—a protocol that enables seamless communication across different services. In this post, we’ll explore what ActivityPub is, how it works, and why it matters for the future of the internet. ## **What is ActivityPub?* ActivityPub is an open, **decentralized social networking** protocol developed by the **W3C** (World Wide Web Consortium). It allows different platforms to communicate with each other in a standardized way, enabling users on one service to interact with users on another. Originally designed as an evolution of OStatus, ActivityPub became a W3C Recommendation in 2018 and has since become the backbone of many Fediverse platforms. At its core, ActivityPub defines a way for servers (instances) to exchange activity data using Activity Streams formatted messages. This allows for decentralized networking between platforms like [**Mastodon**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/beginners-guide-to-mastodon/) (microblogging, similar to Threads, Twitter, Bluesky), [**Pixelfed**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/beginners-guide-to-pixelfed/) (photo sharing like Instagram), [**PeerTube**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/beginners-guide-to-peertube/) (video sharing like YouTube), Wordpress (blogging, via a plugin), and many more. ## **How ActivityPub works* ActivityPub operates on a **client-server** and **server-to-server** model, ensuring interoperability across different platforms. ### Client-Server Model This aspect of ActivityPub enables users to interact with their home server via API calls. A user’s activities—such as creating a post, liking content, or following another user—are sent to their server, which processes the request and updates the database accordingly. ### Server-to-Server Model The real power of ActivityPub lies in its ability to connect different instances. When a user follows someone on another server, their home instance subscribes to updates from the remote account. When an action occurs (e.g., posting a status), the originating server sends an **Activity** to the followers’ servers, which then process and display the update. Understanding how ActivityPub enables decentralized communication requires familiarity with some key concepts: - **Actors**: Entities that can generate and receive activities, such as users, groups, or even bots. Each actor has a unique identifier (URI) and a profile. - **Activities**: Actions performed by actors, such as `Create`, `Like`, `Follow`, and `Announce` (boost/share). - **Objects**: The content generated by an actor, such as posts, comments, and videos. - **Inbox/Outbox**: Each actor has an inbox (to receive activities) and an outbox (to send activities). Servers communicate by pushing activities to the appropriate inboxes. ## **Why ActivityPub matters* ### Decentralization and User Autonomy Unlike traditional social media platforms that operate under centralized control, ActivityPub allows users to host their own instances or choose one they trust. This fosters diversity in moderation policies, community culture, and platform sustainability. ***If you like this blog post you can support my work by either becoming a paid member or leaving a tip.** [Donate ](#/portal/support) ### Interoperability ActivityPub allows different platforms to interconnect. A Mastodon user can follow a Pixelfed account, comment on a PeerTube video or like an episode of an Castopod hosted podcast without creating separate accounts on each platform. ### Resilience Against Censorship Because the Fediverse is distributed, no single entity can shut it down or control its narratives. This makes it a powerful tool for free expression and community-driven governance. ## **Challenges and Future of ActivityPub* Despite its strengths, ActivityPub is not without its challenges: - **Scalability**: Large instances can face performance issues due to the nature of federation. - **Moderation**: Handling bad actors across decentralized networks is complex and requires community-driven solutions and support for organisations like [**IFTAS**](https://iftas.org/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) (Independent Federated Trust and Safety). - **Adoption and Standardization**: While ActivityPub is gaining traction, wider adoption is still needed, and variations in implementation can sometimes create compatibility issues. The future of ActivityPub depends on continued development, improved infrastructure, and wider adoption beyond the Fediverse. With growing interest in decentralized social networks, ActivityPub stands as a key pillar in shaping the next generation of the internet. ActivityPub is a powerful protocol that empowers users, fosters interoperability, and decentralizes online communication. As concerns over privacy, data ownership, and platform control continue to rise, ActivityPub and the broader Fediverse offer a compelling alternative to corporate-controlled social media. Whether you're a developer, user, or advocate for the open web, understanding and supporting ActivityPub is a step toward a more user-centric internet. If you want to hear more from me you can find me in the Fediverse at [@gelbphoenix@social.gelbphoenix.de](https://gelbphoenix.link/mastodon?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) (Mastodon) or [@gelbphoenix@gram.social](https://gelbphoenix.link/pixelfed?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) (Pixelfed). For more posts like this subscribe to my newsletter or support me by [**becoming a member**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/#/portal/signup) or [donating](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/#/portal/support). Liked this post? Please share it with others via: [**Mastodon**](https://share.joinmastodon.org/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de#text=Look%20at%20this%20blog%20post%2C%20that%20I%20found!%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.gelbphoenix.de%2Fdeep-dive-into-activitypub), [**Bluesky**](https://bsky.app/intent/compose?text=Look%20at%20this%20blog%20post%20I%20found!%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.gelbphoenix.de%2Fdeep-dive-into-activitypub&ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) or anywhere else by copying the link. ### Monetization Options for Content Creators on the Fediverse URL: https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/monetization-options-on-the-fediverse/ Last updated: 2026-06-14T16:01:53.000Z The [**Fediverse**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/fedi-what/) has opened up a **new world for content creators**—one where **decentralization** and **community** values **meet** the **need for creative freedom**. However, with its focus on **open**, **ad-free**, and **community-run** **platforms** comes the challenge of sustainable monetization. In this post, we explore several monetization options for Fediverse content creators, weighing the pros and cons of each. If you want to know why you as a content creator or aspiring content creator should consider the Fediverse you can read [this post](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/why-content-creators-should-consider-the-fediverse-2/). ## **Direct Support and Crowdfunding* One of the most common ways creators earn revenue is by asking their community for direct support. Whether it’s through monthly subscriptions, one-off donations, or crowdfunding campaigns, this model has several benefits: - **Transparency and Community Trust:** Direct support aligns with the ethos of the Fediverse, where relationships are built on trust and reciprocity. - **Low Overhead:** Without complex third-party integrations, creators can use simple donation buttons or payment pointers. - **Real-World Examples:** Many creators link their profiles to payment services or integrate donation widgets on their personal websites. --- > “Direct support is widespread among Fediverse projects—it’s about creating a model that allows creators to be compensated without compromising community values.” --- _This post is for paying subscribers only._ ### The Effects of Algorithmic Feeds and How the Fediverse Fights Back URL: https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/effects-of-algorithmic-feeds-and-how-the-fediverse-fights-back/ Last updated: 2026-06-14T15:57:38.000Z In today’s digital landscape, **algorithmic feeds dominate** social media platforms. Whether it’s **Instagram**, **TikTok**, or **YouTube**, these feeds use complex algorithms to determine what content users see. While this approach can enhance engagement and keep users scrolling, it also introduces significant downsides. The [**Fediverse**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/fedi-what/), with its decentralized nature and chronological feeds, offers a compelling alternative that directly addresses these issues. ## **The Problems with Algorithmic Feeds* Algorithmic feeds operate based on engagement metrics, analyzing user behavior to curate content that maximizes time spent on a platform. While this can create a seemingly personalized experience, it often comes at a cost. The incentives behind these algorithms prioritize profit and platform retention over user well-being, leading to unintended consequences that affect content visibility, discourse, and digital privacy. #### \- **Manipulation of Attention** Algorithmic feeds are designed to maximize engagement, often prioritizing sensational, emotionally charged, or polarizing content. This can lead to an unhealthy consumption pattern, where users are trapped in an endless scroll of content engineered to keep them hooked. Besides of that shrinks the attention span of users which are using these social media platforms. #### \- **Echo Chambers, Filter Bubbles and Deprioritization of Chronological and Organic Content** Personalized feeds reinforce existing beliefs by showing users content they are likely to engage with. This can create echo chambers where opposing viewpoints are rarely or not seen, leading to a more divided and less informed society. Many creators and small publishers struggle with visibility because algorithmic feeds favor viral content and paid promotions. Users often miss posts from their friends or favorite creators simply because the algorithm deems them less relevant. ***If you like this blog post you can support my work by either becoming a paid member or leaving a tip.** [Donate ](#/portal/support) #### \- **Privacy Concerns and Data Exploitation** Most algorithms rely on vast amounts of personal data to tailor content to individual users. This results in a loss of privacy, as companies track user behavior to optimize feed recommendations and sell targeted ads. ## **How the Fediverse Offers a Solution* Unlike major social media platforms, the Fediverse takes a fundamentally different approach to content discovery and presentation. Here’s how it combats the negative effects of algorithmic feeds: #### 1\. **Chronological Feeds Instead of Algorithmic Curation** Most Fediverse platforms, including Mastodon, Pixelfed, and PeerTube, display posts in chronological order rather than using engagement-driven algorithms. This ensures that users see content in the order it was posted, reducing the manipulation of attention and making interactions feel more natural. #### 2\. **Decentralization Reduces Manipulation** Because the Fediverse is decentralized, no single entity controls what users see. There are no hidden algorithms pushing specific narratives, political agendas, or engagement traps. Each instance can moderate itself, but users have the freedom to choose where they participate. #### 3\. **No Forced Engagement Loops** Unlike commercial platforms that employ endless scrolling and autoplay features to keep users engaged, Fediverse platforms allow users to engage on their own terms. There’s no pressure to constantly refresh for new content, leading to a healthier and more intentional user experience. #### 4\. **User-Controlled Content Discovery** Instead of relying on an opaque algorithm, Fediverse users have direct control over what they see. They can follow hashtags, join communities that align with their interests, and rely on human-curated recommendations rather than AI-driven curation. #### 5\. **Privacy-Respecting Platforms** Fediverse platforms typically collect minimal user data. There’s no need to track every click and interaction to serve ads, as most instances operate without an ad-based revenue model. This means users don’t have to trade their privacy for a better feed experience and have the possibility to even self-host their own instance of a Fediverse service to effectively own their own data. ## **The Future of Social Media* Algorithmic vs. Organic Algorithmic feeds are unlikely to disappear from mainstream social media anytime soon, as they are highly profitable for large tech companies. However, the Fediverse presents a viable and growing alternative that prioritizes user control, transparency, and healthier digital interactions. As more people become aware of the downsides of algorithm-driven content curation, the appeal of decentralized, community-driven platforms will continue to grow. Whether you’re tired of engagement traps, concerned about data privacy, or simply want a more natural way to interact online, the Fediverse offers a refreshing change from the algorithmic status quo. ***Are you ready to escape algorithmic feeds and take control of your social media experience? Join the Fediverse and see what a more open and user-friendly internet can look like!*** If you want to hear more from me you can find me in the Fediverse at [@gelbphoenix@social.gelbphoenix.de](https://gelbphoenix.link/mastodon?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) (Mastodon) or [@gelbphoenix@gram.social](https://gelbphoenix.link/pixelfed?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) (Pixelfed). For more posts like this subscribe to my newsletter or support me by [**becoming a member**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/#/portal/signup) or [donating](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/#/portal/support). Liked this post? Please share it with others via: [**Mastodon**](https://share.joinmastodon.org/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de#text=Look%20at%20this%20blog%20post%2C%20that%20I%20found!%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.gelbphoenix.de%2Feffects-of-algorithmic-feeds-and-how-the-fediverse-fights-back), [**Bluesky**](https://bsky.app/intent/compose?text=Look%20at%20this%20blog%20post%20I%20found!%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.gelbphoenix.de%2Feffects-of-algorithmic-feeds-and-how-the-fediverse-fights-back&ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) or anywhere else by copying the link. ### A Beginner's Guide to Decentralized Social Media - Castopod URL: https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/beginners-guide-to-castopod/ Last updated: 2026-06-14T15:57:47.000Z In the ever-evolving world of social media, decentralization has emerged as a compelling alternative to traditional, corporate-controlled platforms. One such decentralized platform is **Castopod**. If you're a podcaster looking for an open, federated way to share your content, Castopod might be the perfect solution. In this post, we’ll explore what Castopod is, how it works, and why it could be a game-changer for podcasters. ## **What is Castopod?* Castopod is an open-source podcast hosting platform that allows creators to publish their podcasts while being part of the [**Fediverse**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/fedi-what/)—a network of interconnected, decentralized social media platforms that communicate using the ActivityPub protocol. This means your podcast isn’t just available on your website or RSS feed; it can be followed, shared, and interacted with directly from platforms like **Mastodon**, **Pleroma**, and **Misskey**. ## **How Does Castopod Work?* At its core, Castopod functions as a **self-hosted podcasting platform** that gives creators full control over their content. Here’s a breakdown of how it works: - **Self-Hosting:** You can install Castopod on your own server, ensuring that you own your content and aren’t subject to centralized control. - **Federation:** Thanks to its ActivityPub integration, Castopod accounts and podcasts can be followed from Mastodon and other Fediverse platforms, enabling direct engagement with listeners. ***If you like this blog post you can support my work by either becoming a paid member or leaving a tip.** [Donate ](#/portal/support) - **Customization:** Castopod provides various tools for branding, analytics, and monetization, giving podcasters more freedom than traditional platforms. - **RSS support:** Your podcast remains accessible via standard RSS feeds, meaning it can still be distributed on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other podcast directories. ## **Why choose Castopod?* If you’re wondering why you should opt for Castopod over mainstream podcasting solutions like Spotify for Creators, here are some compelling reasons: - **Decentralization:** You are not reliant on a single company that could change its terms of service or shut down. - **Direct audience interaction:** Listeners can comment, boost, and follow your podcast directly from the Fediverse. - **Monetization options:** Unlike ad-driven platforms, you have full control over how you monetize your podcast. - **No gatekeeping:** With Castopod, there are no arbitrary rules about what content is allowed, as long as it follows ethical guidelines. ## **How to Get Started with Castopod* Ready to dive into decentralized podcasting? Here’s how you can get started: 1. **Set up a server:** Install Castopod on a VPS (on for example: [Hetzner Cloud](https://hetzner.com/cloud?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de)) or a self-hosted server. 2. **Customize and create the page of your podcast:** Upload branding, descriptions, and set up your feed. 3. **Connect to the Fediverse:** Ensure your Castopod instance is federating correctly so users can follow your podcast from Mastodon and other platforms. 4. **Start publishing:** Upload episodes, interact with listeners, and enjoy the benefits of an open social web. Castopod represents an exciting new way to distribute and promote podcasts without relying on corporate gatekeepers. By embracing decentralized social media, podcasters can build stronger communities, retain control over their work, and be part of an ecosystem that prioritizes user freedom and interaction. Whether you’re an established podcaster or just getting started, Castopod is definitely worth considering. ***Are you ready to take the leap into decentralized podcasting? Let us know your thoughts and experiences!*** 📻 If you want to hear more from me you can find me in the Fediverse at [@gelbphoenix@social.gelbphoenix.de](https://gelbphoenix.link/mastodon?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) (Mastodon) or [@gelbphoenix@gram.social](https://gelbphoenix.link/pixelfed?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) (Pixelfed). For more posts like this subscribe to my newsletter or support me by [**becoming a member**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/#/portal/signup) or [donating](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/#/portal/support). Liked this post? Please share it with others via: [**Mastodon**](https://share.joinmastodon.org/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de#text=Look%20at%20this%20blog%20post%2C%20that%20I%20found!%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.gelbphoenix.de%2Fbeginners-guide-to-castopod), [**Bluesky**](https://bsky.app/intent/compose?text=Look%20at%20this%20blog%20post%20I%20found!%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.gelbphoenix.de%2Fbeginners-guide-to-castopod&ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) or anywhere else by copying the link. ### A Beginner's Guide to Decentralized Social Media - Lemmy and MBin URL: https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/beginners-guide-lemmy-and-mbin/ Last updated: 2026-06-14T15:57:57.000Z The landscape of social media is changing. While platforms like **Facebook**, **Reddit**, and **Twitter** (now X) dominate the mainstream, concerns about privacy, censorship, and corporate control have led many users to seek alternatives. Enter **decentralized social media** — platforms that are community-driven, open-source, and not controlled by a single corporation. Many of these platforms are part of the [**Fediverse**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/fedi-what/), a network of interconnected services that communicate using open protocols like ActivityPub. Among these alternatives, **Lemmy** and **MBin** stand out as powerful replacements for traditional social forums and link aggregators like Reddit. This guide will introduce you to these two platforms, how they work, and how you can get started. ## **What is Lemmy?* Lemmy is a federated, open-source alternative to Reddit. It functions as a link aggregator and discussion platform, where users can post links, images, and text, and engage in threaded discussions. ### **Key Features of Lemmy** - **Decentralization:** Lemmy is part of the **Fediverse**, meaning different servers can interact with each other. - **User-Moderated Communities:** Each Lemmy instance can have its own set of communities, rules, and moderation policies. - **Privacy-Focused:** Unlike Reddit, Lemmy does not track your activity or sell your data. - **Federation:** Users from one Lemmy instance can interact with communities hosted on different instances. - **Customizable Experience:** Choose an instance that aligns with your values and interests. ### **Getting Started with Lemmy** 1. **Find an Instance:** Browse instances at [join-lemmy.org](https://join-lemmy.org/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) or directories like [fediverse.party](https://fediverse.party/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de). 2. **Create an Account:** Sign up for an account on your preferred instance. 3. **Join Communities:** Look for communities that match your interests and subscribe to them. 4. **Engage:** Start posting, commenting, and voting on content. ***If you like this blog post you can support my work by either becoming a paid member or leaving a tip.** [Donate ](#/portal/support) ## **What is MBin?* MBin is another federated social platform, similar to Lemmy but designed with a focus on **microblogging and discussion boards**. While Lemmy is structured around link aggregation, MBin is more text-oriented, making it a great alternative to forums or classic message boards. ### **Key Features of MBin** - **Federation Support:** MBin is built on **ActivityPub**, allowing interaction with users from Mastodon, Lemmy, and other Fediverse platforms. - **Decentralized Discussion Boards:** Like Lemmy, MBin instances operate independently but can connect to other instances. - **Customizable Communities:** Each MBin instance can host a variety of boards with different topics. - **Privacy-Oriented:** No corporate tracking or centralized control. ### **Getting Started with MBin** 1. **Choose an Instance:** Find an MBin instance from [joinmbin.org](https://joinmbin.org/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de), directories or recommendations from the community. 2. **Create an Account:** Register with your chosen instance. 3. **Join or Create a Board:** Participate in existing discussions or start your own community. 4. **Post and Discuss:** Engage in meaningful conversations with like-minded users. ## **How Lemmy and MBin fit into the Fediverse* Both Lemmy and MBin are part of the **Fediverse**, a collection of interconnected platforms using **ActivityPub** to communicate. This means: - Users from other Fediverse platforms like **Mastodon** can follow discussions on Lemmy and MBin. - Lemmy users can interact with MBin discussions and vice versa. - Communities remain independent but still interconnected. This structure ensures **no single entity** controls the conversation, making decentralized social media more resilient and user-driven. ## **Why use Lemmy and MBin?* If you're looking for a **Reddit alternative** or a **privacy-focused forum**, Lemmy and MBin offer a refreshing experience. Here are some benefits: - **No corporate influence:** Your data is not monetized. - **Better moderation:** Communities can enforce their own rules. - **More control:** Choose the instance that aligns with your values. - **Interoperability:** Engage with users across multiple platforms. Lemmy and MBin are powerful alternatives for those seeking decentralized, community-driven social media experiences. Whether you're a former Redditor, a forum enthusiast, or simply exploring the Fediverse, these platforms offer robust discussion spaces without the drawbacks of corporate-owned networks. ***Are you ready to dive into decentralized social media? Join a Lemmy or MBin instance today and be part of the future of online discussions!*** 💬 If you want to hear more from me you can find me in the Fediverse at [@gelbphoenix@social.gelbphoenix.de](https://gelbphoenix.link/mastodon?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) (Mastodon) or [@gelbphoenix@gram.social](https://gelbphoenix.link/pixelfed?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) (Pixelfed). For more posts like this subscribe to my newsletter or support me by [**becoming a member**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/#/portal/signup) or [donating](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/#/portal/support). Liked this post? Please share it with others via: [**Mastodon**](https://share.joinmastodon.org/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de#text=Look%20at%20this%20blog%20post%2C%20that%20I%20found!%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.gelbphoenix.de%2Fbeginners-guide-lemmy-and-mbin), [**Bluesky**](https://bsky.app/intent/compose?text=Look%20at%20this%20blog%20post%20I%20found!%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.gelbphoenix.de%2Fbeginners-guide-lemmy-and-mbin&ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) or anywhere else by copying the link. ### Privacy in the Fediverse URL: https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/privacy-in-the-fediverse/ Last updated: 2026-06-14T16:00:53.000Z **Privacy** is a major concern in today’s digital world, with mainstream social media platforms collecting vast amounts of personal data for targeted advertising and algorithmic control. The **Fediverse**, a decentralized alternative to corporate social media, offers a different approach—one that can enhance user privacy but also presents unique challenges. This guide explores how privacy works in the Fediverse and what you need to know to protect your data. ## **How Privacy differs between the Fediverse and Traditional Social Media* Unlike platforms like Facebook, Twitter, or TikTok, which centralize user data under a single corporation, the Fediverse consists of independent instances operated by different administrators. This decentralization affects privacy in several ways: - **No centralized tracking** – There is no single entity collecting and analyzing user data across all instances. - **Instance-Specific policies** – Each server has its own privacy rules, data retention policies, and moderation practices. - **Reduced advertiser surveillance** – Most Fediverse platforms do not rely on advertising, reducing the incentive for tracking. - **Federated communication** – While instances communicate with each other, private messages and user data primarily remain on their respective servers. ## **Key Privacy features in the Fediverse* ### 1\. Account and Data Control In the Fediverse, you have more control over your data compared to corporate platforms. Many services allow users to: - Download their data (follower lists, posts, etc.). - Migrate accounts to another instance while notifying followers. - Delete their accounts permanently, though data deletion depends on the policies of other instances that received federated content. _This post is for subscribers only._ ### How to Migrate between Mastodon Instances URL: https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/migrate-between-mastodon-instances/ Last updated: 2026-06-14T16:01:03.000Z **Mastodon** offers a decentralized social media experience, but sometimes users may want to move to a different instance (server). Whether it’s due to moderation policies, server performance, or simply finding a community that better suits their interests, Mastodon makes it possible to migrate accounts while notifying people of the change. This guide (which does also in a way function for projects that implemented Mastodon's migration feature like **Pixelfed**) will walk you through the process of switching instances smoothly. ## **Reasons to migrate to a different Instance* There are many reasons why someone might want to switch Mastodon instances: - **Instance shutdown or inactivity** – The instance you joined may no longer be active, well-maintained or is about to shut down. - **Moderation policies** – You may prefer an instance with different moderation rules that better align with your values. _This post is for subscribers only._ ### Why Content Creators should consider the Fediverse URL: https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/why-content-creators-should-consider-the-fediverse-2/ Last updated: 2026-06-14T15:58:07.000Z In today's digital landscape, platforms like **YouTube**, **Instagram** and **TikTok** dominate content creation, offering vast audiences and powerful monetization tools. However, these platforms come with trade-offs – algorithmic control, data privacy concerns, and corporate-driven policies that often leave creators feeling powerless. Enter the **Fediverse**, a decentralized network of interconnected platforms that provide an alternative to Big Tech’s grip on content distribution. But is it right for you? ## What is the Fediverse? The Fediverse is a collection of decentralized, federated platforms that communicate through open protocols like **ActivityPub**. Unlike YouTube or TikTok, where a single corporation controls everything, Fediverse platforms run on independent servers (instances), allowing greater freedom for users and creators alike. You can read a more detailed explanation [here](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/fedi-what/). Notable Fediverse alternatives for content creators include: - [**PeerTube**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/beginners-guide-to-peertube/) – A decentralized YouTube alternative for long-form videos and live streaming. - [**Mastodon**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/beginners-guide-to-mastodon/) \- The most known platform in the Fediverse, giving a similar experience like Twitter, Bluesky and Threads. - [**Loops**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/beginners-guide-to-loops/) – A privacy-friendly and community-driven short-form video platform similar to TikTok. - [**Pixelfed**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/beginners-guide-to-pixelfed/) – A community-driven and privacy-friendly alternative to Instagram, focused on visual content. - [**Owncast**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/beginners-guide-to-owncast/) – A self-hosted alternative to Twitch, giving streamers full control over their content. ## Why should Creators consider the Fediverse? **1\. Greater control over your content** On traditional platforms, your content is subject to corporate policies, sudden demonetization, and opaque moderation decisions. In contrast, **Fediverse platforms allow you to choose or even host your own instance**, ensuring that your content remains under your control. **2\. Less algorithmic control** Mainstream platforms use engagement-driven algorithms that prioritize viral content, often leaving smaller creators struggling for visibility. On **PeerTube**, **Mastodon** and **Pixelfed**, feeds often prioritize **chronological order**, giving creators more control over how their content is discovered. While some algorithmic curation may exist on certain instances or through features like hashtag following, the emphasis is generally on **user choice**. **3\. Privacy & monetization through direct support** Big Tech platforms profit from **ads**, **surveillance**,and **data tracking**. Fediverse alternatives generally respect user privacy more, although this depends on the specific instance. [**Monetization options**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/monetization-options-on-the-fediverse/) often focus on **direct support** through **donations**, **crowdfunding**, or **self-hosted memberships**, offering a more ethical alternative to exploitative ad models, though success isn't guaranteed. **4\. Potential for community-driven growth** Instead of fighting corporate algorithms for attention, **Fediverse platforms foster niche communities** where engagement can feel more authentic. Creators can build a dedicated audience by actively participating and building relationships within these communities. **5\. Resilience against censorship & deplatforming** Big platforms can ban creators at any time, with little recourse. On the Fediverse, **you can migrate to a different instance or self-host**, making your content **more resistant to corporate censorship**, though migration isn't always seamless and entire instances can be blocked. ## The Challenges of using the Fediverse While the Fediverse offers many advantages, there are some trade-offs to consider: - **Smaller Audiences (Currently):** Since Fediverse platforms are still growing, reaching a large audience can require more effort than on established platforms. Discovery can be a challenge. - **Monetization requires more effort:** Unlike YouTube’s ad revenue system, creators typically rely on [**Patreon**](https://patreon.com/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de)**,** [**Ko-fi**](https://ko-fi.com/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de), or **direct donations**, requiring more proactive engagement with their audience. While some platforms are beginning to integrate features to facilitate direct payments, built-in monetization systems are generally less developed but planned to be implemented. ***If you like this blog post you can support my work by either becoming a paid member or leaving a tip.** [Donate ](#/portal/support) - **Technical knowledge can be helpful:** Hosting your own instance provides full control but requires **some technical expertise**. However, many instances offer easy sign-up and user-friendly interfaces, making it possible to use the Fediverse **without technical skills**. ## Should You Make the Switch? If you value **independence, privacy, and community-driven engagement**, the Fediverse is a great alternative to centralized platforms. While it may not replace YouTube or TikTok overnight, using **PeerTube, Pixelfed, or Owncast** alongside traditional platforms can help diversify your reach and future-proof your content. ### **Get Started Today!** - **Explore PeerTube** for long-form content: Find instances on [JoinPeertube.org](https://joinpeertube.org/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) - **Try Loops** for short-form videos: Explore the Loops website for more information - **Use Pixelfed** for visual content: Explore instances on the [Pixelfed website](https://pixelfed.org/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) - **Experiment with Owncast** for live streaming: Learn more at [Owncast.online](https://owncast.online/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) By joining the **Fediverse**, you’re not just choosing a platform—you’re **supporting a movement for a free, open, and decentralized internet**. ***Are you ready to take control of your content?*** If you want to hear more from me you can find me in the Fediverse at [@gelbphoenix@social.gelbphoenix.de](https://gelbphoenix.link/mastodon?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) (Mastodon) or [@gelbphoenix@gram.social](https://gelbphoenix.link/pixelfed?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) (Pixelfed). For more posts like this subscribe to my newsletter or support me by [**becoming a member**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/#/portal/signup) or [donating](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/#/portal/support). Liked this post? Please share it with others via: [**Mastodon**](https://share.joinmastodon.org/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de#text=Look%20at%20this%20blog%20post%2C%20that%20I%20found!%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.gelbphoenix.de%2Fwhy-content-creators-should-consider-the-fediverse-2), [**Bluesky**](https://bsky.app/intent/compose?text=Look%20at%20this%20blog%20post%20I%20found!%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.gelbphoenix.de%2Fwhy-content-creators-should-consider-the-fediverse-2&ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) or anywhere else by copying the link. ### A Beginner's Guide to Decentralized Social Media - Owncast URL: https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/beginners-guide-to-owncast/ Last updated: 2026-06-14T15:58:14.000Z In a world where major streaming platforms like Amazon's **Twitch** or **Youtube's** own livestreaming feature dominate live broadcasting, concerns over content moderation, monetization policies, and corporate control have led many creators to seek alternatives. [**Owncast**](https://owncast.online/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) is an open-source, self-hosted live streaming platform that gives streamers full control over their content, free from corporate influence while also allowing their streams to be shared natively via the [Fediverse](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/fedi-what/). ## **What is Owncast?* Owncast is a decentralized, self-hosted live streaming platform designed to be a privacy-friendly alternative to mainstream services. Unlike Twitch or YouTube Live, which rely on centralized servers and corporate policies, Owncast allows users to set up their own streaming servers, ensuring full control over their content, audience, and moderation policies. ## **Key Features of Owncast* - **Self-Hosting & Control** – You decide how your stream is managed, without corporate interference. - **No Ads or Data Tracking** – Unlike mainstream platforms, Owncast doesn’t rely on intrusive advertisements or personal data collection. - **Customizable** – Modify your streaming experience with themes, integrations, and community features. ***If you like this blog post you can support my work by either becoming a paid member or leaving a tip.** [Donate ](#/portal/support) - **Federation Potential** – You can activate the functionality to share your steam on the Fediverse. Also letting others follow your stream and get notified when you start your stream. - **Simple Setup** – Owncast provides an easy way to deploy a streaming server on your own hardware or cloud services. ## **How Owncast differs from Twitch* | Feature | Twitch | Owncast | | ----------------- | ----------------------------- | -------------------------------- | | **Control** | Corporate policies & TOS | Fully controlled by the streamer | | **Monetization** | Ad revenue & subscriptions | Donations & direct support | | **Data Privacy** | Extensive tracking & ads | No tracking, privacy-focused | | **Customization** | Limited UI & branding options | Fully customizable interface | | **Censorship** | Subject to platform rules | You set the moderation rules | ## **How to Get Started with Owncast* 1. **Set Up an Owncast Server** – Install Owncast on a Virtual Private Server (like for example from [Hetzner](https://www.hetzner.com/de/cloud/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de)), a server at home, or an rented dedicated server. 2. **Configure Your Stream** – Customize settings, branding, and chat functionality. 3. **Connect Your Streaming Software** – Use OBS Studio or other streaming software to start streaming. 4. **Share Your Stream** – Promote your stream and engage with your audience without relying on a centralized platform. ## **Who should use Owncast?* Owncast is ideal for: - **Independent Creators** who want full control over their live broadcasts. - **Privacy-Conscious Users** who prefer platforms without data tracking. - **Communities & Niche Streamers** looking for a dedicated, customizable space to engage with their audience. - **Established Streamers** who want to future proof their career and who want to have a protection against centralised platforms shutting down. ## **The Future of Owncast & Decentralized Streaming* As decentralized platforms grow, Owncast represents a major step towards independent, user-controlled live streaming. Future developments may include better monetization options and increased adoption by creators frustrated with mainstream platforms. If you’re looking for an alternative to Twitch that puts you in control, **Owncast is worth exploring**. ***Ready to break free from centralized streaming services? Set up your Owncast server today and take charge of your live content!*** 📺 If you want to hear more from me you can find me in the Fediverse at [@gelbphoenix@social.gelbphoenix.de](https://gelbphoenix.link/mastodon?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) (Mastodon) or [@gelbphoenix@gram.social](https://gelbphoenix.link/pixelfed?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) (Pixelfed). For more posts like this subscribe to my newsletter or support me by [**becoming a member**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/#/portal/signup) or [donating](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/#/portal/support). Liked this post? Please share it with others via: [**Mastodon**](https://share.joinmastodon.org/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de#text=Look%20at%20this%20blog%20post%2C%20that%20I%20found!%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.gelbphoenix.de%2Fbeginners-guide-to-owncast), [**Bluesky**](https://bsky.app/intent/compose?text=Look%20at%20this%20blog%20post%20I%20found!%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.gelbphoenix.de%2Fbeginners-guide-to-owncast&ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) or anywhere else by copying the link. ### The Rise of Decentralized Video Platforms URL: https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/the-rise-of-decentralized-video-platforms-comparing-loops-peertube-and-other-alternatives-to-youtube-and-tiktok/ Last updated: 2026-06-14T16:01:11.000Z Platforms like **Loops** and **PeerTube** offer new ways to share videos, in a world where the monopolies of **YouTube** and **TikTok** dominate video-sharing, while prioritizing user control, privacy, and federation. But how do they compare, and which one is best for your needs? ## **The Problems with Centralized Video Platforms* YouTube and TikTok have revolutionized video content, but they come with major drawbacks: - **Data Privacy Issues:** These platforms extensively track user data and use it for targeted advertising. - **Algorithmic Manipulation:** AI-driven recommendations often prioritize engagement over quality, sometimes promoting sensational or misleading content. - **Content Moderation & Censorship:** Users are at the mercy of corporate policies that can result in demonetization or sudden content takedowns. - **Monetization Challenges:** Creators depend on platform-controlled ad revenue and are vulnerable to sudden policy changes. Decentralized platforms aim to solve these issues by giving users more control over content distribution, moderation, and engagement. _This post is for subscribers only._ ### A Beginner’s Guide to Decentralized Social Media - PeerTube URL: https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/beginners-guide-to-peertube/ Last updated: 2026-06-21T09:53:31.000Z In the world where video-sharing platforms are dominated by the centralized monopolies of **YouTube** and **Tiktok**, concerns over data privacy, content moderation, and algorithmic control have led many users to seek alternatives. **PeerTube** emerges as a powerful decentralized solution, offering a federated and community-driven approach to video hosting and sharing. ## **What is PeerTube?* PeerTube is a decentralized video-sharing platform that operates on the **ActivityPub** protocol. Unlike YouTube, which is controlled by a single corporation, PeerTube consists of multiple independent servers (also called instances) that can communicate with each other. This means users are not tied to a single company’s policies and have greater control over their content. Another key feature of PeerTube is its **peer-to-peer (P2P) technology**, which helps distribute bandwidth usage among viewers, reducing server costs for instance administrators. ## **Why choose PeerTube over traditional Video Platforms?* ### Decentralization & Federation PeerTube is not controlled by a single entity. Instead, it is part of the **Fediverse**, a network of interconnected but independent servers that communicate with each other. ### Privacy & Data Ownership Unlike mainstream platforms that extensively track user data, PeerTube allows users and instance administrators to retain more control over their data and privacy settings. ***If you like this blog post you can support my work by either becoming a paid member or leaving a tip.** [Donate ](#/portal/support) ### No Ads or Algorithmic Manipulation PeerTube is free from corporate-driven advertising and engagement-driven algorithms. Users see content in a chronological or manually curated manner rather than being pushed content for maximum retention. ### Community-Driven PeerTube is open-source and developed by the non-profit organization **Framasoft**, along with contributions from a global community. Its development is transparent, and anyone can contribute. ## **How to Get Started with PeerTube* ### 1\. Find a PeerTube Instance Since PeerTube is decentralized, you need to join an instance. You can explore available instances on platforms like [instances.joinpeertube.org](https://instances.joinpeertube.org/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de). ### 2\. Create an Account After selecting an instance, sign up and set up your profile. Some instances require approval, while others allow instant registration. ### 3\. Start Uploading & Watching Videos Upload your videos and explore content uploaded by others. Thanks to federation, you can follow creators from different instances and interact with their content. ### 4\. Engage with the Community Like, comment, and share videos within the PeerTube network and beyond. Many PeerTube instances integrate with Mastodon and other Fediverse platforms for broader interaction. ## **The Future of PeerTube* PeerTube is continuously evolving, with new features such as improved live streaming, better federation, and enhanced P2P distribution on the horizon. As more users embrace decentralized platforms, PeerTube has the potential to become a viable alternative to YouTube for creators who value independence and community-driven content. ***Are you ready to explore the world of decentralized video-sharing? Give PeerTube a try and take control of your video experience!*** 📽️ If you want to hear more from me, you can find me in the Fediverse at [@gelbphoenix@social.gelbphoenix.de](https://gelbphoenix.link/mastodon?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) (Mastodon) or [@gelbphoenix@gram.social](https://gelbphoenix.link/pixelfed?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) (Pixelfed). For more posts like this subscribe to my newsletter or support me by [**becoming a member**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/#/portal/signup) or [donating](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/#/portal/support). Liked this post? Please share it with others via: [**Mastodon**](https://share.joinmastodon.org/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de#text=Look%20at%20this%20blog%20post%2C%20that%20I%20found!%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.gelbphoenix.de%2Fbeginners-guide-to-peertube), [**Bluesky**](https://bsky.app/intent/compose?text=Look%20at%20this%20blog%20post%20I%20found!%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.gelbphoenix.de%2Fbeginners-guide-to-peertube&ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) or anywhere else by copying the link. ### A Beginner’s Guide to Decentralized Social Media - Loops URL: https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/beginners-guide-to-loops/ Last updated: 2026-06-14T15:58:30.000Z In the aftermath of the disaster that was the **TikTok** ban in the US are users looking for an alternative to the platform that has revolutionized how we consume content. However, growing concerns about data privacy, centralized control, and algorithmic manipulation as well as the trend of major US-based social media companies like Meta to shift towards the new US administration under President Trump have spurred a search for alternatives. Enter **Loops**, a decentralized, privacy-respecting video-sharing platform developed by the creators of [**Pixelfed**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/beginners-guide-to-pixelfed/), bringing the excitement of short-form video to the [**Fediverse**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/fedi-what/). ## **What is Loops?* Loops is a standalone project developed by the same team behind Pixelfed, a decentralized photo and video-sharing network built on the **ActivityPub** protocol. While related to Pixelfed in its philosophy and underlying technology, Loops is a separate application. Unlike TikTok, which is governed by a single corporation, Loops exists within the Fediverse—a network of interconnected, independent servers (called instances). This decentralized structure empowers users, allowing them to choose an instance that aligns with their values or even host their own. While numerous Pixelfed instances exist, it's worth noting that at this time, there are likely more Pixelfed instances overall than instances specifically dedicated to Loops. Loops functionality is available on compatible instances. ## Why choose Loops over traditional Social Media? - **Decentralization & Federation** Loops isn’t controlled by a single entity. Instead, different servers communicate with each other, fostering a diverse and open social network. - **Privacy-Focused** In contrast to mainstream platforms that extensively track user data, Loops prioritizes user privacy and avoids invasive advertising. - **Community-Driven** Instead of being driven by corporate interests, the platform is built by and for its community, with open-source contributions and transparent development. ***If you like this blog post you can support my work by either becoming a paid member or leaving a tip.** [Donate ](#/portal/support) ## **How to Get Started with Loops* 1. **Find a Loops Instance** Because Loops is decentralized, you'll need to select an instance to join. Examples include: [vido.social](https://vido.social/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) – An instance hosted in Europe by [Stux](https://mstdn.social/@stux?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) [loops.video](https://loops.video/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) – The official instance hosted by the developer Resources like [FediDB](https://fedidb.org/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) can help you find more available instances. 2. **Create an Account** Once you've chosen an instance, sign up and create your profile. 3. **Start Posting** Upload short-form videos and interact with content from other users. Because Loops is federated, you can connect with users on other instances as well. 4. **Follow & Discover Content** Unlike traditional platforms, Loops encourages a more organic approach to finding and engaging with content, emphasizing following accounts rather than AI-driven recommendations. ## **The Future of Loops* While still under development, Loops represents a significant step towards a more open and user-friendly alternative to TikTok and Instagram Reels. As more users embrace decentralized platforms, and as more Fediverse instances adopt Loops, it has the potential to become a major player in the short-form video space. ***Ready to explore the world of decentralized social media? Give Loops a try and take control of your social experience!*** 📹 If you want to hear more from me you can find me in the Fediverse at [@gelbphoenix@social.gelbphoenix.de](https://gelbphoenix.link/mastodon?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) (Mastodon) or [@gelbphoenix@gram.social](https://gelbphoenix.link/pixelfed?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) (Pixelfed). For more posts like this subscribe to my newsletter or support me by [**becoming a member**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/#/portal/signup) or [donating](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/#/portal/support). Liked this post? Please share it with others via: [**Mastodon**](https://share.joinmastodon.org/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de#text=Look%20at%20this%20blog%20post%2C%20that%20I%20found!%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.gelbphoenix.de%2Fbeginners-guide-to-loops), [**Bluesky**](https://bsky.app/intent/compose?text=Look%20at%20this%20blog%20post%20I%20found!%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.gelbphoenix.de%2Fbeginners-guide-to-loops&ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) or anywhere else by copying the link. ### Embracing Decentralization URL: https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/pixelfeds-instagram-import/ Last updated: 2026-06-14T16:01:20.000Z In today’s social media landscape, control over our digital lives is more important than ever. Many users are questioning centralized platforms and seeking privacy-respecting, open-source alternatives. Pixelfed — a federated image-sharing platform that champions these values — has an exciting new feature: Instagram import. In this post, we’ll dive into what this feature mean for users and why it matters. ## **What is Pixelfed?* For those unfamiliar with Pixelfed, it’s an open-source, decentralized alternative to Instagram. Operating within the Fediverse, Pixelfed allows users to host their own servers, maintain control over their data, and interact seamlessly with other federated platforms. I wrote a more exact explanation [here](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/beginners-guide-to-pixelfed/). ## **Introducing the Instagram import feature* One of the main challenges for users switching from Instagram has always been content migration. Many people worry about losing valuable memories and curated photo collections. Pixelfed’s Instagram import tool addresses this concern head-on, offering an easy way to transfer your Instagram posts to your new decentralized home. ### Key features of the import tool - **Seamless Migration:** The tool simplifies moving your Instagram photos, captions, and metadata to Pixelfed without manual downloads and uploads (beyond the initial Instagram data download). - **Data Preservation:** Your cherished memories, complete with likes, comments, and geolocational tags, are preserved during the import, ensuring your digital story remains intact. - **Privacy-Centric:** Unlike Instagram’s centralized data model, Pixelfed gives you control over your content. After the import, you manage your posts on your own terms—choosing who sees your images and how they’re shared across the network. ## **Why the Instagram import is a game-changer* ## **Empowering Users** Switching platforms can feel daunting, especially when you’ve built a digital life on another service. Pixelfed’s Instagram import lowers the barrier to entry, making it easier for users to take back control of their online presence without sacrificing their history or memories. _This post is for subscribers only._ ### Understanding Verification on Mastodon URL: https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/verification-on-mastodon/ Last updated: 2026-06-14T15:58:39.000Z **Mastodon** offers a **different approach to verification** compared to mainstream social media platforms like Twitter or Facebook. Instead of relying on a centralized authority to issue verification badges, Mastodon allows users to verify themselves through a open, decentralized and transparent process. Here’s how it works and what you need to know. ## ***How Verification works on Mastodon** The way on letting others know that your the real one Unlike corporate social media, which can verify an Account with a centralized team, Mastodon doesn’t offer blue check marks or official verification programs. Instead, verification on Mastodon is based on proving ownership of a website or another social media profile. ### **Link verification through the rel attribute** Mastodon uses a simple and open standard to confirm your identity. This process involves linking to your Mastodon profile from a personal website or page that you control. ***If you like this blog post you can support my work by either becoming a paid member or leaving a tip.** [Donate ](#/portal/support) ### **Steps to Get Verified on Mastodon:** 1. **Edit Your Profile** – Go to your Mastodon profile settings and add your website URL in the designated fields. 2. **Add a Verified Link** – On your website, create a link back to your Mastodon profile. This link must include the `rel="me"` attribute. If you want to verify with your GitHub account this is easy as GitHub profile pages have the `rel="me"` attribute automatically included with all links. 3. **Automatic Verification** – Once Mastodon detects the link with the `rel="me"` attribute, your website link will appear with a green checkmark in your profile. This depends on the performance of your instance and there maybe the case that the link isn't verified at an instant. You could even add a link tag in the head of your web page if you can have access to it or can inject code into it. The important part is that it has the `rel="me"` attribute and is accessible without Javascript. ## ***Why This Approach?** This decentralized verification method ensures that verification is based on actual ownership rather than corporate approval. It’s a transparent, self-authenticated process that gives users control over their identity. ## ***Common Issues & Troubleshooting** If your verification isn’t working, check the following: - Ensure the link to your Mastodon profile includes `rel="me"`. - Make sure the URL exactly matches the one in your Mastodon profile. - If using a CMS like WordPress, verify that it doesn’t strip out the `rel="me"` attribute. ## ***Final Thoughts** Mastodon’s verification system is a great example of how decentralized platforms empower users. While it may not provide a traditional blue checkmark, it offers a reliable way to prove identity without reliance on a central authority. By following these steps, you can easily verify your presence on Mastodon and establish trust with your followers and other users. ***Take control of your online identity and let the Fediverse know you’re the real deal!*** ✅ If you want to hear more from me you can find me in the Fediverse at [@gelbphoenix@social.gelbphoenix.de](https://gelbphoenix.link/mastodon?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) (Mastodon) or [@gelbphoenix@gram.social](https://gelbphoenix.link/pixelfed?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) (Pixelfed). For more posts like this subscribe to my newsletter or support me by [**becoming a member**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/#/portal/signup) or [donating](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/#/portal/support). Liked this post? Please share it with others via: [**Mastodon**](https://share.joinmastodon.org/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de#text=Look%20at%20this%20blog%20post%2C%20that%20I%20found!%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.gelbphoenix.de%2Fverification-on-mastodon), [**Bluesky**](https://bsky.app/intent/compose?text=Look%20at%20this%20blog%20post%20I%20found!%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.gelbphoenix.de%2Fverification-on-mastodon&ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) or anywhere else by copying the link. ### Content Moderation on Mastodon URL: https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/mastodon-moderation/ Last updated: 2026-06-14T15:58:47.000Z Mastodon offers a refreshing alternative to mainstream social media platforms, but its decentralized nature also means that **content moderation works differently** compared to centralized sites like Twitter, Facebook and co. Instead of one company enforcing global rules, Mastodon relies on **individual instances** to set and enforce their own guidelines. ## ***How Moderation Works on Mastodon** Each Mastodon instance (or server) is independently operated and has its own **moderation policies**, which are typically outlined in the instance’s terms of service and/or community guidelines. ### **1\. Instance-Level Moderation** Mastodon’s approach to moderation is based on **local control**. Instance administrators and moderators can: - **Set community guidelines and rules** that reflect their values and goals. - **Suspend** or **ban accounts** that violate their rules. - **Filter** or **block content** based on specific topics or keywords. - **Limit** or **remove the visibility** of certain posts within their instance. Because of this, some instances may allow content that others prohibit, leading to differences in user experience across the Fediverse. ### **2\. Federation and Moderation Between Instances** Since Mastodon instances communicate with each other, moderation doesn’t stop at the local level. Instances can: - **Block (defederate) other instances** if they host content that violates their policies (e.g. hate speech, harassment, spam). - **Restrict interactions with certain servers** by limiting content visibility or user engagement. - **Warn users** when an instance has a bad reputation or lacks moderation. This means that some content or users from one instance may not be visible to those on another, depending on the moderation decisions of instance administrators. ***If you like this blog post you can support my work by either becoming a paid member or leaving a tip.** [Donate ](#/portal/support) ### **3\. User-Level Controls** Mastodon also empowers users with several moderation tools to **customize their experience**: - **Mute** or **block users** – Hide posts from specific accounts. - **Block an entire domain** – Users can block an entire domain for themselves, this will removes follows and followers from the blocked domain. Old posts can be seen and interacted with by users of the blocked domain. - **Filter out specific topics and words** – Use content filters to avoid certain discussions. - **Report content** – Flag problematic posts to instance moderators. - **Adjust visibility settings** – Choose who can see your posts (public, followers-only, or unlisted). ## ***Challenges of Mastodon’s Moderation Model** While Mastodon’s decentralized approach provides **more control and flexibility**, it also comes with challenges: - **Inconsistent moderation** – Since each instance sets its own rules, enforcement can vary widely. - **Defederation can fragment the network** – If instances block each other too aggressively, it can limit connectivity between communities. - **Moderation depends on volunteers** – Many instance admins are unpaid and may struggle with handling large-scale moderation. ## ***Final Thoughts** Mastodon’s moderation system reflects its core values of **community-driven governance** and **user autonomy**. While it may not be as centralized or uniform as mainstream social media, it offers a more tailored and transparent approach to content moderation. For users, choosing the right instance with policies that align with their expectations is key. And for administrators, balancing freedom with responsible moderation remains an ongoing challenge in the evolving world of decentralized social media. And the Fediverse is open. With that can everybody create their own instance and setup their own moderation guidelines and rules. The basic standard is that a user has the right to free speech but not the right to free audience. ***Curious about how it works? Join an instance and experience Mastodon's unique moderation in action!*** 🚀 If you want to hear more from me you can find me in the Fediverse at [@gelbphoenix@social.gelbphoenix.de](https://gelbphoenix.link/mastodon?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) (Mastodon) or [@gelbphoenix@gram.social](https://gelbphoenix.link/pixelfed?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) (Pixelfed). For more posts like this subscribe to my newsletter or support me by [**becoming a member**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/#/portal/signup) or [donating](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/#/portal/support). Liked this post? Please share it with others via: [**Mastodon**](https://share.joinmastodon.org/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de#text=Look%20at%20this%20blog%20post%2C%20that%20I%20found!%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.gelbphoenix.de%2Fmastodon-moderation), [**Bluesky**](https://bsky.app/intent/compose?text=Look%20at%20this%20blog%20post%20I%20found!%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.gelbphoenix.de%2Fmastodon-moderation&ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) or anywhere else by copying the link. ### A Beginner’s Guide to Decentralized Social Media - Pixelfed URL: https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/beginners-guide-to-pixelfed/ Last updated: 2026-06-14T15:58:54.000Z If you've been online a lot lately, you might have heard of **Pixelfed**. It **became popular** in reaction to moderation changes at Meta (the company that owns Instagram), the inauguration of US President Trump and the disaster that was the TikTok ban in the US on **January 19, 2025**. At this moment the developer of Pixelfed, [Daniel Supernault](https://mastodon.social/@dansup?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de), has a Kickstarter for Pixelfed, Loops and other projects active, which reached it's goal in less than 24 hours. You can help with the Kickstarter [here](https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/pixelfed/pixelfed-foundation-2024-real-ethical-social-networks?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de). > (Update: 15\. March 2025) The Kickstarter has finished and collected 133.979 CA$. This is a overachievement of 255%. Pixelfed is a **decentralized social media** platform that lets people share photos and build a strong community without relying on big companies. In this article, we’ll explore what Pixelfed is, how it works, and how you can join the network and the Fediverse as a whole. If you don't know what the Fediverse is: I've explained it [**here**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/fedi-what/). ## **What is Pixelfed?* Pixelfed is a place to share photos that is part of the larger decentralized social media ecosystem. Unlike traditional platforms like Instagram (it's main competitor) or Facebook, Pixelfed doesn’t depend on a single company or server. Instead, it operates on a federated model, meaning that anyone can host their own Pixelfed instance, or join an existing one, and interact with users across the entire network. This decentralization gives users more power over their data and how they use the internet. [**ActivityPub**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/deep-dive-into-activitypub/) is the protocol that Pixelfed uses, which is also the basis for other decentralized platforms like [**Mastodon**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/beginners-guide-to-mastodon/) and [**PeerTube**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/beginners-guide-to-peertube/). This protocol lets different servers talk to each other, which lets users interact on different platforms while still being in charge of their own accounts. ## **Features of Pixelfed* - **Privacy & Control**: Since Pixelfed is decentralized, it gives users more control over their content and data. There is no single organization holding all your personal information, no algorithmic feeds deciding what you see. You can curate your experience, follow the accounts you enjoy, and share your photos without worrying about privacy breaches. - **Fediverse Integration**: Pixelfed is not just a standalone platform but a part of the **Fediverse**, a collective of decentralized platforms that communicate with each other. This means you can follow users on platforms such as Mastodon and others directly from Pixelfed, and users on other platforms can follow you as well. - **Open Source**: Pixelfed is completely open-source, which means that anyone can inspect, modify, and contribute to its code. This transparency ensures that the platform evolves in accordance with its users' values and interests. ***If you like this blog post you can support my work by either becoming a paid member or leaving a tip.** [Donate ](#/portal/support) - **Focus on Photos**: While many decentralized platforms support a wide variety of content types, Pixelfed is specifically designed for photo sharing. Whether you're a hobbyist or a professional photographer, you'll find a community that appreciates visual content. ## **How to Join* Joining Pixelfed is simple and you can start in just a few steps. #### 1\. **Choose an Instance** Pixelfed operates on a federated model, so there are multiple instances (servers) you can join. Some instances are focused on specific interests, like photography, art, or activism, while others are more general. Some popular instances are: - [**pixelfed.social**](https://pixelfed.social/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) – Pixelfed's largest general-purpose instance, hosted by the developer. - [**pixelfed.art**](https://pixelfed.art/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) is an instance dedicated to sharing art and showcasing artists. - [**gram.social**](https://gram.social/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) is a european general-purpose instance hosted by Stux. The server list at [pixelfed.org](https://pixelfed.org/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) contains a list of other Pixelfed instances, making it simple to browse and select the one that best suits your needs. When selecting an instance, consider the following: - **Instance Rules**: Each instance has its own set of rules for content and community behavior. Before you join, make sure to review these rules. - **Instance Features**: Some instances may include additional features such as improved moderation, custom themes, or integration with other services. #### 2\. **Create an Account** Once you've chosen an instance, you'll need to create an account. This is usually as simple as providing a username, password, and email address. After registration, you can start customizing your profile, uploading your photos, and interacting with others. You can (if your instance allows it) import your posts from Instagram. #### 3\. **Start Sharing and Connecting** Pixelfed is all about sharing your photos and engaging with other users. You can upload images, like and comment on posts, and follow other accounts. Since it’s federated, you can even follow users from other platforms in the Fediverse, allowing for a more diverse and interconnected social experience. #### 4\. **Engage with the Community** Pixelfed is built on community, so don’t hesitate to engage with other users. You can comment on photos, participate in discussions, and share your own work. The more you engage, the more you’ll get out of the platform. ***Ready to dive into the world of decentralized photo sharing? Join a Pixelfed instance and start your journey today!*** 📸 Edit (06.02.2025, 14:00): Added a sentence about the Kickstarter campaign of Pixelfed and a link to said campaign. If you want to hear more from me you can find me in the Fediverse at [@gelbphoenix@social.gelbphoenix.de](https://gelbphoenix.link/mastodon?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) (Mastodon) or [@gelbphoenix@gram.social](https://gelbphoenix.link/pixelfed?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) (Pixelfed). For more posts like this subscribe to my newsletter or support me by [**becoming a member**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/#/portal/signup) or [donating](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/#/portal/support). Liked this post? Please share it with others via: [**Mastodon**](https://share.joinmastodon.org/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de#text=Look%20at%20this%20blog%20post%2C%20that%20I%20found!%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.gelbphoenix.de%2Fbeginners-guide-to-pixelfed), [**Bluesky**](https://bsky.app/intent/compose?text=Look%20at%20this%20blog%20post%20I%20found!%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.gelbphoenix.de%2Fbeginners-guide-to-pixelfed&ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) or anywhere else by copying the link. ### A Beginner’s Guide to Decentralized Social Media - Mastodon URL: https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/beginners-guide-to-mastodon/ Last updated: 2026-06-14T15:59:03.000Z If you're looking for a social media platform that prioritizes **privacy, community, and control over your data**, you may have heard of **Mastodon**. Unlike Twitter (now X), YouTube or Facebook, Mastodon is **decentralized**, meaning it's no single company owns Mastodon. Instead, it's made up of **servers** that **connect with each other** and are **operated by various people and organizations**. ## ***What is Mastodon?** [**Mastodon**](https://joinmastodon.org/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) is a social networking platform designed to offer an alternative to mainstream services like X, Bluesky or Threads. It allows users to post short messages, follow others, and engage in discussions without being subjected to trackers, intrusive ads or algorithm-driven feeds. Instead of relying on a single company to dictate the rules, Mastodon is operated by independent communities, each with its own guidelines and moderation policies. From selecting a server that shares your values to creating your own timeline free from corporate influence, this implies that you can have greater control over your own experience. The platform prioritizes user autonomy in social networking by promoting candid and meaningful interactions. ## ***How to Get Started** ### **1\. Choose an Instance** Mastodon has many different servers (also called **instances**) that are suited to different interests, regions, or moderation styles. Popular options include: - [**mastodon.social**](https://mastodon.social/about?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) – The largest general-purpose instance, run by the Mastodon team. - [**infosec.exchange**](https://infosec.exchange/about?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) – A instance for info/cyber security-minded people. - [**mstdn.social**](https://mstdn.social/about?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) – A general-purpose instance hosted in Europe by [Stux](https://mstdn.social/@stux?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de). Don't worry too much about choosing the "perfect" instance; you can f**ollow users from any instance** and even **migrate** later. In addition to the well-known instances, you can check to see if your area or community has its own instance. ### **2\. Create your Account** Once you’ve chosen an instance, register with your **email, username** and **password**. After verifying your email, you can customize your profile with a **bio, name, profile picture, and header image**. ***If you like this blog post you can support my work by either becoming a paid member or leaving a tip.** [Donate ](#/portal/support) You can even **verify your account** for free as it uses **open standards**. More about that [here](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/verification-on-mastodon/). ### **3\. Explore the Interface** Mastodon’s layout includes: - **Home Timeline** – Shows the posts from people you follow. - **Local Timeline** – Shows the posts from everyone on your instance. - **Federated Timeline** – Shows the posts from the part of the Fediverse your instance knows about. - **Notifications** – Mentions, follows, boosts (which are retweets), and favorites (which are likes). - **Private mentions** – Shows posts which are only visible to you and whose who are mentioned (also the author if the post is from someone else). ## ***Key Features of Mastodon** - **Toots** – Instead of tweets, you post "toots" (up to 500 characters by default, but some instances allow more). Toots can also have different visibility, like public, followers and only mentions. - **Boosts & Favorites** – Boosting shares a toot with your followers, while favoriting simply shows appreciation. - **Content Warnings (shortened to CW)** – Allows users to hide sensitive or long content behind a "read more" button. - **Hashtags** – Help you discover new content and engage in trending discussions. - **Lists & Filters** – Customize your feed by organizing users into lists or filtering out unwanted topics. ## **Why use Mastodon?* Because Mastodon typically doesn't track you or sell your data, it gives you more privacy and control than traditional social media. You can customize your experience by selecting an instance with rules and moderation that align with your values. It is **open-source**, community-driven, and funded by donations rather than ads. Mastodon's chronological feed also guarantees that you see content in real time, **unaltered by algorithmic manipulation**. ## ***Final Thoughts** Mastodon offers a **welcome alternative** to popular social networks by prioritizing **user autonomy, privacy, and community-driven moderation**. Many users find decentralized social media to be **more enjoyable and meaningful**, though it may take some time to get used to it. ***Ready to try it? Find an instance and start exploring today! 🚀*** If you want to hear more from me you can find me in the Fediverse at [@gelbphoenix@social.gelbphoenix.de](https://gelbphoenix.link/mastodon?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) (Mastodon) or [@gelbphoenix@gram.social](https://gelbphoenix.link/pixelfed?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) (Pixelfed). For more posts like this subscribe to my newsletter or support me by [**becoming a member**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/#/portal/signup) or [donating](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/#/portal/support). Liked this post? Please share it with others via: [**Mastodon**](https://share.joinmastodon.org/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de#text=Look%20at%20this%20blog%20post%2C%20that%20I%20found!%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.gelbphoenix.de%2Fbeginners-guide-to-mastodon), [**Bluesky**](https://bsky.app/intent/compose?text=Look%20at%20this%20blog%20post%20I%20found!%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.gelbphoenix.de%2Fbeginners-guide-to-mastodon&ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) or anywhere else by copying the link. ### "Fedi... what?" URL: https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/fedi-what/ Last updated: 2026-06-14T15:59:12.000Z If you've spent time online recently, you may have encountered the term **Fediverse**. Perhaps someone invited you to join **Mastodon** or **Pixelfed** or you read a blog post about **federated social networks**. ## **What exactly Is the Fediverse?* And why does it matter? The **Fediverse** is a network of **interconnected social media platforms** that communicate with one another via **open protocols** like **ActivityPub**. Unlike traditional social media platforms like Facebook, YouTube or Twitter (now X), which are controlled by a single company or a single person, the Fediverse made up of **servers** (also known as **instances**) that are **operated by various individuals or organizations**. Consider **email**: you can use Gmail while your friend uses Outlook, and you can still exchange emails. The Fediverse operates similarly, but for social networking. ## **What can You do on the Fediverse?* The Fediverse isn't just one platform—it includes various services, each of which offers unique features, such as: - [**Mastodon**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/beginners-guide-to-mastodon/) is a microblogging platform similar to Twitter, Threads, and Bluesky. - [**Pixelfed**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/beginners-guide-to-pixelfed/) – A decentralized alternative to Instagram. - [**Loops**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/beginners-guide-to-loops/)is a platform for short-form content like Tiktok. - [**PeerTube**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/beginners-guide-to-peertube/) is a federated video-sharing service (similar to YouTube). - [**Lemmy**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/beginners-guide-lemmy-and-mbin/) – A community-driven discussion platform similar to Reddit. - [**Ghost**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/connecting-your-blog-to-the-fediverse-a-guide-for-independent-publishers/) is a simple blogging platform for writers. ***If you like this blog post you can support my work by either becoming a paid member or leaving a tip.** [Donate ](#/portal/support) These platforms can **interact** with each other. For instance, without requiring a separate account, a Mastodon user can follow a Pixelfed user and view their photos. ## **Why should You use the Fediverse?* ### **1\.** There's no central authority. Unlike corporate social media, the **Fediverse is not owned by a single company**. This means: ✔ **Less advertising** and **more control** over algorithms ✔ More **ownership of your data** ✔ Each instance can have its own rules and **moderation policies** ### **2\. More Freedom & Privacy** ✔ Choose an instance that aligns with your **values and policies** ✔ Many instances offer strong **privacy protections** (though these vary, so always check the policies) ### **3\. Resilient & Open** ✔ Not a single company has the ability to **shut it down** ✔ If a server disappears, users can **move to another instance** without losing their network (though migration may involve some data loss, like previous posts) ## **Is it the Future of Social Media?* With increasing concerns about **privacy, moderation, and corporate control** does the Fediverse provide a refreshing alternative. While it's not perfect, it paints a picture of a more **open, user-driven internet**. **So, next time you hear someone mention the Fediverse, you won’t have to ask: *"Fedi... What?"* – you’ll already know!** 🚀 If you want to hear more from me you can find me in the Fediverse at [@gelbphoenix@social.gelbphoenix.de](https://gelbphoenix.link/mastodon?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) (Mastodon) or [@gelbphoenix@gram.social](https://gelbphoenix.link/pixelfed?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) (Pixelfed). For more posts like this subscribe to my newsletter or support me by [**becoming a member**](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/#/portal/signup) or [donating](https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/#/portal/support). Liked this post? Please share it with others via: [**Mastodon**](https://share.joinmastodon.org/?ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de#text=Look%20at%20this%20blog%20post%2C%20that%20I%20found!%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.gelbphoenix.de%2Ffedi-what), [**Bluesky**](https://bsky.app/intent/compose?text=Look%20at%20this%20blog%20post%20I%20found!%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.gelbphoenix.de%2Ffedi-what&ref=blog.gelbphoenix.de) or anywhere else by copying the link.