I build all of my apps with the simple philosophy that decentralization is good, individuality is important, and power is best left in the hands of individuals - not governments, banks, or corporations.

Users have full control. No data is sent out of the system by default. Offline use is expected and encouraged.

If you want to help me build this vision, check out my GitHub and try one of my apps!
https://github.com/pdschneider

#software #dev #decentralization #freedom

StartOS is an open-source operating system that lets you run your own personal server at home.

Self-host apps like Nextcloud, messaging platforms, or even Bitcoin nodes, all with simple one-click installs.

Handles updates, backups, and networking for you, no advanced Linux skills required.

👉 https://github.com/Start9Labs/start-os
👉 More privacy-friendly tools: https://digitalescapetools.com/

#OpenSource #SelfHosting #Privacy #Homelab #Decentralization #DigitalMinimalism

Alt...

A screenshot of the GitHub README for StartOS. It features the StartOS logo (a stylized 'A' in a circle) and title. Below the title are several status badges indicating a v0.4.0-beta.6 release, a passing Debian-based build, and links to support, docs, and their website. A header asks "What is StartOS?" followed by a description stating it is an open-source Linux distribution for running personal servers and managing self-hosted services.

«Librecast - Decentralisation and Privacy with Multicast»

Do any of you know this and use it? What is this good for and is it almost like the Gemini protocol?

🌐 https://librecast.net
@librecast

#librecast #gemini #internet #web #internet #privacy #muticast #askfedi #decentralization #geminiprotocol #privacy #security

"Discourse on how these new open social networks should function are often framed in terms of ‘decentralization’, but I think that term has become a container that people can just project any property they like upon."

https://connectedplaces.online/reports/fr160-everyone-wants-servers-and-nobody-wants-servers/

via @fediversereport

#fediverse #atmosphere #decentralization #SocialMedia #communities

Diaspora is a decentralized, open-source social network focused on privacy and user control.

No central authority, no data mining , you choose where your data lives and who sees it.

A solid alternative to mainstream social platforms if you want freedom and ownership.

👉 https://digitalescapetools.com/tools/tool.html?id=diaspora

#OpenSource #Decentralization #Privacy #SocialMedia #Fediverse #DigitalMinimalism

Alt...

Screenshot of a Diaspora* social media post. The interface shows a dark sidebar with navigation links, and a main feed. Featured post by “diaspora* HQ” from 12 days ago: “Ohai folks! … here is a quick #diaspora poll.” The poll asks: “Do you use the external service integration to publish your post to services like Wordpress or Tumblr?” Below, 13 Likes, 13 Reshares. Comments include: Esky (“I’ve never used any of those services”), Freezr (“It is a shame the best social media platform has been struggling so much… wonder if a third server able to translate calls from Diaspora Protocol to AP…”), and Wolfgang Strobl (“AFAIK that translation to the AP protocol is done on the other side.”).

Decentralized WhatsApp Clone - No Setup or Signup

https://positive-intentions.com

This is intended to introduce a new paradigm in client-side managed secure cryptography. We can avoid registration of any sort. A fairly unique offering for a messaging app.

No need for things like phone numbers or registering to any app stores. There are no databases to be hacked Allowing users to send E2EE messages; no cloud, no trace.

#Privacy #OpenSource #P2P #WebRTC #Decentralization #DigitalSovereignty #CyberSecurity #FOSS #SelfHosted #NoCloud #AntiCorp #Encryption #WebDev #TechLiberty #PrivateMessaging #Networking #DataPrivacy #InternetFreedom #LocalFirst #SoftwareEngineering #WebApps #ZeroKnowledge #PrivacyTech #IndieDev #NoSignup #NoInstall #DecentralizedWeb #SecureMessaging #BrowserApp #TechEthics

Mastodon gets €614k from the Sovereign Tech Fund to improve Fediverse infrastructure, including blocklists, media storage, and E2EE messaging. 🌐
€90k funds interoperable FOSS, with open protocols, admin control, and transparent data processing across decentralized platforms. 🔍

@Mastodon

🔗 https://blog.joinmastodon.org/2026/04/sovereign-tech-agency-funding/

#TechNews #Mastodon #Fediverse #SovereignTechFund #OpenSource #ActivityPub #E2EE #Decentralization #Privacy #Interoperability #FOSS #Transparency #Security #OpenWeb #DigitalRights

Syncthing-Fork is an open-source Android app for syncing files directly between your devices --no cloud needed.

Built on Syncthing, it uses peer-to-peer connections so your data stays private and fully under your control.

A solid alternative to Google Drive or Dropbox if you care about decentralization and privacy.

👉 https://github.com/researchxxl/syncthing-android
👉 More privacy-friendly tools: https://digital-escape-tools-phi.vercel.app/

#OpenSource #Privacy #SelfHosting #Decentralization #Android #DigitalMinimalism

Alt...

Screenshot of Synching-Fork Android wrapper project page showing license MPLv2, release v2.0.16.0, downloads 220k, F-Droid v2.0.16.0, last month 55716, “GET IT ON Obtainium”, translated 72%, Build App passing, and description: “A wrapper of Synching for Android. Head to the releases section or F-Droid for builds. Please seek help on the forum and/or social media apps first before creating issues on the tracker.”

I2P is an open-source, decentralized anonymous network built for private communication and internal services (eepsites).

It routes traffic through encrypted tunnels with no central servers, making it resistant to surveillance and tracking.

Designed mainly for internal network usage -- not typical web browsing.

👉 https://github.com/i2p/i2p.i2p

More privacy-friendly tools: https://digital-escape-tools-phi.vercel.app/

#Privacy #OpenSource #Anonymity #Decentralization #FOSS #DigitalFreedom

Alt...

A screenshot for I2P, with the logo and tagline “I2P — Privacy. Security. Freedom.” The body text reads: “I2P is a fully encrypted private network layer that protects your activity from surveillance and censorship.” The background is dark with a stylized network or tunnel motif.

New Video!

Retro Gaiden: The Best Looking Mastodon Server is 2 years old this month!

https://odysee.com/@OregonPacifist:0/Retro-Gaiden--The-Best-Looking-Mastodon-Server,-is-now-2-Years-Old!:5

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90sa53dzvJ8

#Mastodon #RetroGaming #SocialMedia #Fediverse #Decentralization #Retro

Google continues to operate the most comprehensive surveillance system in human history.

Through search, Gmail, Maps, YouTube, and Android, the company collects vast amounts of data on every aspect of users' lives. Each query, each movement, each interaction is added to a digital profile. Algorithms analyze this data to predict behavior and manipulate choices. Then advertisers buy access to target users based on demographics, interests, location, and even psychological traits.

This is the business model. Users are not customers. Users are the product.

Regulatory efforts have consistently failed to keep pace with technological advancement. While privacy advocates raise alarms, Google maintains its dominant position through a system designed to extract as much personal data as possible.

But alternatives are growing. Privacy-focused search engines like DuckDuckGo, Startpage, Qwant, and Brave Search offer genuine protection without tracking. Decentralized meta-search engines like SearXNG aggregate results from multiple sources while preserving anonymity.

Platforms such as search.vir.group represent the next step: search systems with no data storage, no user identification, open-source transparency, and no central point of control.

This is not just a technical choice. It is a fundamental decision about whether privacy remains a human right or becomes a commodity to be traded.

#privacy #google #surveillance #search #decentralization

https://newsgroup.site/google-surveillance-data-tracking-2026/

If you prefer real-time chat, Retro Gaiden has a Matrix space for you to join

The Sable Matrix client is recommended so all the custom emojis and features are visible & usable: https://app.sable.moe

Retro Gaiden Matrix space: https://matrix.to/#/#retro-gaiden-space:unredacted.org

It contains the following rooms:

Retro Gaiden main room

The RG Report (for viewing and discussing RG moderation reports)

RG - Voice Chat

#Discord #Chat #Matrix #Decentralization

@stefan @mastodonmigration @baralheia

yeah

and that's the central problem with #decentralization, pun intended

something that you and i would consider the tiniest of complications others consider horrible impositions or utterly mystifying, and this is true for many millions of people

they just want to login. that's it

centralization provides what they want easily. but the cost is #enshittification

#bluesky aficionados will learn this as they try to turn to *real* decentralization

@wendinoakland @drahardja @slyborg

Yes it is not #decentralized but it is decentralizing. To a tiny fraction of the #fediverse's #decentralization so far

However the #financial imperative that its investors expect #bluesky to turn a profit may kill the whole ecosystem if they put in monetary checkpoints

«Decentralized P2P Chat & File Transfer - Secure Messaging Without Central Servers:
Creating decentralized P2P technology. Aiming to provide industry-grade cryptographic capabilities encapsulated into a webapp.»

Do any of you regularly use @xoron with several people at the same time or even professionally and what is your impression about it?

🐟 https://positive-intentions.com

#chat #p2p #e2ee #filetransfer #security #decentralization #webtools #webapp #pqc #pqcrypto #cryptography #noserver

Jitsi Meet is an open-source video conferencing tool you can self-host as a Zoom / Google Meet alternative.

For best privacy, run your own instance or use a trusted community server instead of the public meet.jit.si.

👉 https://github.com/jitsi/jitsi-meet

👉 Explore tools that help you escape Big Tech: https://digital-escape-tools-phi.vercel.app/

#OpenSource #SelfHosting #VideoConferencing #Privacy #Decentralization #DigitalMinimalism

Alt...

Jitsi Meet project page showing the title ‘Jitsi Meet’ and a description explaining it’s an open-source video conferencing platform with modern video quality and features.

If you prefer real-time chat, Retro Gaiden has a Matrix room for you to join

The Sable Matrix client is recommended so all the custom emojis are visible & usable: https://app.sable.moe

Retro Gaiden Matrix space (contains both rooms): https://matrix.to/#/#retro-gaiden-space:unredacted.org

Retro Gaiden Matrix chat room: https://matrix.to/#/#retro-gaiden:unredacted.org

The RG Report (for viewing and discussing RG moderation reports): https://matrix.to/#/#thergreport:unredacted.org

#Discord #Chat #Matrix #Decentralization

@LukefromDC @samvarma

#bluesky feels very #cryptocurrency

which makes sense since it's run by #crypto bros and funded by #cryptobros

the way they work is they make exciting starry eyed promises

people buy into the promises

and forget the reality

this is by design:

a true believer is immune to reality

the reality is, it's #centralized shit endlessly promising what #mastodon already offers

#decentralization is always just around the corner, just you wait!

and wait, and wait, and wait...

WhatsApp Clone... But Decentralized and P2P Encrypted Without Install or Signup.

Features include:
* P2P
* End to end encryption
* forward secrecy
* Multimedia
* Open source
* No registration
* No installation
* Encrypted storage
* TURN server

The project is far from finished and presented for testing, feedback and demo purposes (USE RESPONSIBLY!).

https://positive-intentions.com

#Privacy #OpenSource #P2P #WebRTC #Decentralization #DigitalSovereignty #CyberSecurity #FOSS #SelfHosted #NoCloud #AntiCorp #Encryption #WebDev #TechLiberty #PrivateMessaging #Networking #DataPrivacy #InternetFreedom #LocalFirst #SoftwareEngineering #WebApps #ZeroKnowledge #PrivacyTech #IndieDev #NoSignup #NoInstall #DecentralizedWeb #SecureMessaging #BrowserApp #TechEthics

Alt...

positive intentions

When a service is free, the incentives aren’t neutral.

Email data is increasingly used to train AI systems — often without meaningful user control or transparency.

Self-hosted alternatives exist for a reason:
ownership, privacy, and long-term control over your data.

#SelfHosting #Privacy #FOSS #DataSovereignty #Decentralization

Alt...

Your “free” email isn’t free. Many providers use message data to train AI — often with limited user control. Self-hosting changes the model: You own the data. You set the rules.

Session’s co‑founder Kee Jefferys says users don’t need to quit WhatsApp entirely — privacy tools should offer choice, not replacement. 🧭
He stresses that private messaging must be accessible, optional, and free from data harvesting. 🔐

@session

🔗 https://itsfoss.com/news/session-co-founder-interview/

#TechNews #Privacy #Messaging #Security #Encryption #OpenSource #FOSS #Decentralization #Data #Freedom #Innovation #Apps #Session #WhatsApp #Messaging

#Matrix: Welcoming #Discord users amidst the challenge of #AgeVerification

https://matrix.org/blog/2026/02/welcome-discord/

#FOSS #privacy #decentralization #IdentityVerification

I don’t know who needs to hear this, but the instance mastodon.social is 30% of the entire #Fediverse. If it ever goes down for any reason, a huge chunk of the Fediverse will go down.

It defeats the purpose of having a fully decentralized network if most people pile into a single instance.

#Activitypub #SocialMedia #Decentralization

Spotify won court order against Anna’s Archive, taking down .org domain - Ars Technica

https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/01/annas-archive-said-spotify-scrape-didnt-cause-domain-suspension-it-was-wrong/

#spotify #censorship #decentralization

About Bluesky and federation:
Edit: There might be some mistakes, and my information could be outdated, but the point still stands - Bluesky wasn't built on 100% federation from the start.

I've been wondering about Bluesky's decentralization again. I can't think of any reason why I'd want to self-host Bluesky in its current form. I cannot 100% self host "my own Bluesky".

Their main selling points for building their own protocol were easier migration and better discoverability, but right now there's no simple way to migrate my Bluesky account to my own instance. And hosting the centralized parts yourself isn't really possible, or if it were, not affordable, they haven't made that feasible, by design, it seems.

Even if you self-host a PDS, Bluesky's Relay only indexes up to 10 accounts from it. You can run more, but they won't federate, the central infrastructure decides what gets seen. They control this (source: https://docs.bsky.app/blog/self-host-federation#:~:text=For%20a%20smooth%20transition%20into,for%20everyone%20in%20the%20ecosystem.). You can self-host a PDS (Personal Data Server), but you still depend on Bluesky's centralized Relay and AppView. There's no production-ready alternative infrastructure from what I gather.

It feels like I'd be renting a room in a hotel that someone else is running anyway, when I want my own hotel.

If Mastodon gGmbH vanishes tomorrow, my instance keeps running and federating with everyone else. If Bluesky PBC vanishes, the ecosystem would need to scramble to stand up replacement infrastructure that doesn't really exist yet.

ATProto keeps getting evaluated on its promises while other systems get evaluated on their merits. The "portability" selling point depends on infrastructure that isn't mature enough to actually catch you if Bluesky falls.

I trust W3C, the builders and fathers of the World Wide Web, ActivityPub and the Fediverse.

#Decentralization #SelfHosting #SelfHosted #Mastodon #Fediverse #Bluesky #Servers

#UnifiedPush is on everybody's lips when it comes to #decentralization or #deGoogle or wanting to cut off #BigTech from your live.

But did you know how it was started? How many times its destiny intersected with #FDroid ?

Read here, straight from the creator: https://f-droid.org/2026/01/08/unifiedpush-5-years.html

Reminder: You better hurry!

@monocles and #Conversations_im are available for free on your Android device since Dec 24th and until the 31st on Google Play!

Get your friends and family and don’t miss out on the opportunity to install and onboard them in one (or both) of the most featureful #XMPP clients on Android!

Set them free from invasive, data harvesting, centralized IM communications networks!

#RunJBR #Privacy #Security #Decentralization #PrivacyIsAHumanRight #DigitalSovereignty #Jabber

#MonoclesChat estrá disponible de forma gratuita en Google Playstore desde el 24 y hasta el 31de Diciembre! Así que juntá a tu familia, tus amigos y no desperdicies la oportunidad de instalar y configurarles una cuenta en uno de los clientes más bonitos y con más funciones que existen para #XMPP en Android! Hacé el mejor regalo: privacidad, independencia y soberanía digital en redes descentralizadas!

https://play.google.com/store/search?q=monocles+chat&c=apps

#RunJBR #PrivacyIsAHumanRight #DigitalSovereignty #Decentralization