Recommended Social Media Platforms

Mainstream social media is one big trade. You hand a few companies your audience and your data. In return they decide what you can say, who sees it, and when to pull the plug. The platforms here loosen that grip. Some are open protocols where no company owns the network. Others are independent sites that draw a wider line on what you can post.

How to choose a social platform

There are two kinds here. Open protocols like Nostr and the fediverse spread the network across many servers. No single company can shut you out or own your following. Independent platforms are still run by one company, just with looser moderation than Big Tech. Even the most open free-speech sites draw a line somewhere. What separates them is the rules and who enforces them.

Here are some things to look for.

You own your identity. On a protocol your account and following move with you, not tied to one company.
Open source. A public codebase the community can inspect, run, or fork.
Clear moderation rules. Published rules applied evenly, not changed on a whim.
Not an engagement machine. A feed you control rather than an algorithm tuned to keep you hooked.
Funded by more than your data. Subscriptions, tips, or its own token rather than ad surveillance.
Easy to leave. You can export your posts and contacts and take them elsewhere.