Record growth for Mastodon, the social alternative to Twitter

Twitter official verified account, mobile app on screen smartphone, iPhone macro. Twitter is a social media online service for microblogging and networking communication. Moscow, Russia – January 23, 2021

Lacquisition of Twitter by Elon Musk has pushed several users to alternative platforms such as Mastodon. This social network, created in 2016 by the German Eugen Rochko, is experiencing rapid user growth in these hours. This is what is driving these users to create an account on Mastodon and leave, at least temporarily, Twitter.

Musk buys Twitter, some users switch to Mastodon

Mastodonuntil a few days ago, could count on approx 4.4 million subscribers. Today, however, the social network is recording a rapid growth so as to be trending even on Twitter where many users are wondering what Mastodon is. The phenomenon, conceivable on the eve, was triggered by the announcement of the acquisition by Elon Musk of Twitter with the billionaire who aims to support “freedom of speech” on what is now “his” social network of him.

How Musk’s alternative to social works

Mastodon is, like Twitter, one platform from microblogging characterized by posts with a limit of 500 characters. The social network does not feature advertising and does not include user profiling. The content is managed by the same community users who can report posts that violate the rules of use. We’ll see if the new social network really becomes more popular over the next few days or if its current growth is just a temporary response to Musk’s acquisition of Twitter.