Freedom, openness, interoperability, and the ability to connect without a single gatekeeper defined the internet’s core promise 25 years ago.

Today, most of our online life happens on centralized platforms that control our data, shape our experiences, and set the rules for communication. This monopolization brings real risks: digital surveillance, censorship, and a loss of user agency. The Fediverse offers a different model. Instead of a single platform, it’s a network of independent, interoperable services that connect using open protocols like ActivityPub. Like email, people can choose different providers yet still communicate across the network. Users can build online spaces that reflect their communities’ needs and values. Organizations can host their own services or partner with trusted providers, gaining control over their data, reducing reliance on corporate platforms, and fostering more localized approaches to online community. Join Babette Ngene of EFF, in conversation with renowned PIT technologist Bruce Schneier, and Social Web Foundation Executive Director Mallory Knodel about what the Fediverse can and cannot offer users. Rather than asking if decentralized platforms can replace today’s dominant social networks, we’ll focus on a deeper question: What would it take to build an internet where people and communities have real choices about participation, data control, and governance of their digital spaces?

Links:
How to Build a Decentralized Web That Truly Works for All