What is Mastodon for?
Summary
The article analyzes Mastodon’s design and community dynamics, arguing that Mastodon provides open, instance-level tools while the lived experience is federation-level. It discusses debates sparked by players in the ecosystem about AI content, governance, and what Mastodon is as a platform—open infrastructure versus community spaces. The piece also situates views from leaders and researchers on how governance and culture play out across the federated network, and notes sponsorship by NLnet.