Brony Fediverse

Mastodon is an open source, decentralized social network that runs on the ActivityPub protocol. It is similar to Twitter in many ways, with users being able to post "toots" and follow other users. Unlike Twitter, Mastodon is not owned by any one company and is run by a distributed network of servers, which are run by independent people and organizations. This means no central authority can control the content that is shared or who can join. Users have complete control over what they see in their timeline. Mastodon also has a greater emphasis on user privacy and content moderation. Each Mastodon instance has its own leaders, its own moderation/rules, and its own way of doing things, but all servers interconnect meaning you can follow people on any server from any server. Neat stuff, right?

Getting started is easy. First, you’ll need to choose a home instance. I linked some brony ones I've come across below, or you can browse the official server list on the Mastodon website. Your home instance is the server you’ll use to access the Fediverse and make your posts on. Most instances are run by small teams and new members may need to be approved manually. You can always follow people from other instances, and it's possible to migrate your account to another instance in the future, but the instance you join will be the one you trust with your data and moderation. Once you’ve chosen a home instance, registered an account, and have been approved by a moderator, you can start using Mastodon!

The Fediverse is a large network of independent, federated servers that are connected to each other through open standards such as the ActivityPub protocol. The Fediverse is made up of many different servers, including Mastodon, PixelFed, Peertube, and more. Each network is run independently and can have different rules and moderation policies, but all of them are connected, meaning that users on one network can follow users on another. 

A good analogy to use is email. Just like email, the Fediverse is made up of many different servers that can send messages to each other. There's no need for everyone to use the same email provider to send emails to different addresses, for example. Imagine if Gmail users could only email other Gmail users. Imagine if AOL users could only email other AOL users. That system wouldn't be tolerated for email, yet, we tend to just accept that's the way social media has to work.

The Fediverse is essentially an alternative to the traditional centralized social media networks like Twitter and Facebook, as it is not owned or controlled by any one entity, but instead is owned and run by a distributed network of servers which are owned and operated by a wide range of individuals and organizations. This means that users have more control over their data as well as control over the content they see in their feeds.

Similar to Twitter, try Mastodon. Similar to YouTube, try PeerTube. Similar to Instagram, try PixelFed. Similar to Twitch, try OwnCast. Similar to Discord, try a Matrix client. Since they all use open standards and are usually community-operated, the list of Fediverse websites is always growing yet remains interconnected.