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# Spotlight on Three Next-Gen Open‑Social Apps from FediForum 2025
- URL: https://blog.gelbphoenix.de/spotlight-on-open-social-apps-from-fediforum-2025/
- Published: 2025-06-26T10:00:23.000Z
- Updated: 2026-06-14T15:55:27.000Z
- Author: Phoenix Paulina Schmid
- Tags: WtF?! - What the Fediverse?

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.

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## **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).

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