FAQ

The Fediverse (shortened from Federation and Universe), is a collection of social networking services that can communicate with each other (formally known as federation) using a common protocol. Users of different websites can send and receive status updates, multimedia files and other data across the network. The majority of Fediverse platforms are based on free and open-source software, and create connections between servers using the ActivityPub protocol.

The Fediverse uses protocol standards which allows users on one service (e.g., Mastodon) to follow and interact with users on another (e.g., Pixelfed), creating a unified experience across different types of platforms, much like sending an email from Gmail to Outlook. 

• Mastodon - replaces X (Twitter), BlueSky, or Threads
• PeerTube - replaces YouTube
• PixelFed - replaces Instagram 
• Friendica - replaces Meta (Facebook)
• Nolto - replaces LinkedIn 
• Lemme- Reddit 
• Loops - replaces TikTok
• BookWyrm - replaces Goodreads

BlueSky does not allow true digital sovereignty. Even if you self-host a server, you are still dependent on their centralized services. As a corporation they exist to generate a profit which means selling your data, generating advertising or tweaking an algorithm that may push negative messages into your timeline. The quality of BlueSky’s community, of which only 3% is Canadian, is dependent on their investor’s exit strategy. 

Mastodon runs on ActivityPub, a W3C standard since 2018, and operates as a non-profit. . If a Mastodon server vanishes tomorrow, every other instance keeps running and federating. Mastodon is fully open-source and you can run your own instance - not reliant on anybody except for your own community members.

A Mastodon Instance is like an Email provider - Gmail, Outlook, or your company’s mail server - you can still email anyone. Each instance is a community with its own rules, moderation, and hosting. Your data lives on that server, and your account isn’t controlled by a U.S. technology company subject to the whims of the increasingly chaotic & hostile American government.

If you want your data on Canadian servers under Canadian jurisdiction, consider Canadian Instances - popular options are mstdn.ca & thecanadian.social, but many regional instances exist such as socialbc.ca, socialontario.ca, nwt.social, and more!

If you’re an organization, consider running your own instance, outsourcing the management and moderation to a Canadian hosting service. Your domain becomes your identity (@yourorg@yourorg.ca) and individuals from your organization will all be associated with your instance.. You control your own moderation, and you’re not dependent on anyone else’s infrastructure decisions.

Search works across the entire Fediverse. When you search for a username like @journalist@mastodon.social, your instance reaches out and finds them. Likewise, when someone from another instance follows you, they automatically see your posts. 

Hashtags are federated. When you search #CdnPoli or #Canada, you see posts from across all instances, not just your own.  When you use hashtags, anyone following that specific tag will see your post.

Many communities share “starter packs” or follow lists. When you join an instance, you’ll find suggested accounts for their specific niche. Fedi.directory shares lists of accounts to follow based on regions and interests, great for new users who want to grow their following list.

Digital sovereignty is the ability of a nation, organization, or individual to control their digital destiny, including: infrastructure, software, standards and data.  It also includes how you are governed and under which jurisdiction you operate.

Digital sovereignty is crucial because it gives nations, organizations, and individuals control over their digital infrastructure, data, and rules. This provides security and limits foreign dependence or interference.  Control over your digital infrastructure, protects your privacy and allows self-determination in the digital realm against big tech dominance.

For Canada this is a critical issue as our government at the Federal,  Provincial,  and Municipal level are almost wholly reliant on U.S. based digital services, including cloud storage,  software, email systems, and social media platforms. Currently our sovereignty is being directly threatened by U.S policy and through statements by American politicians. It is not hyperbole to suggest that the U.S. government could direct all U.S. technology companies to deny access for Canadian customers. Imagine if Service Canada was unable to issue social support payments, or emergency services couldn't coordinate disaster relief, or our banking system ceased to function. Less likely, but not impossible,  is the threat that foreign owned companies and governments could take control of our digital infrastructure for their own purposes.

We try to keep a current list of Canadian politicians that have accounts on Mastodon and you can view it here - Politicians on the Fediverse.