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The official Mastodon app (and most other Fediverse apps) do not collect any data about you.
(fedia.io)
The official Mastodon app (and most other Fediverse apps) do not collect any data about you.
When you sign up on a Fediverse server, it asks for the minimum amount of information (an email address and a password) and none of this info goes to the app or app makers.
This is in stark contrast to other social networks which seem to collect lots of personal info. See the attached image for a comparison of the privacy policies of various official social network apps.
#Privacy #FediTips #Fediverse
@antdesros @AndikaCJ @james
The official Mastodon app is open source, outsiders with the necessary programming knowledge can see all of its workings at any time:
https://github.com/mastodon/mastodon-ios
https://github.com/mastodon/mastodon-android
If it was spying on people, it would be very easy for outsiders to spot it.
The same goes for most third party Mastodon apps as they are mostly open source too.
@[email protected] @[email protected] @[email protected] As @[email protected] pointed out though, the app is different to the server (for the fediverse), which is very different to X, BlueSky, Threads etc, where the app is also run by the same company as the server.
Tracking is undoubtedly possible by instance operators, who can see my 15 most recent connected IP addresses, for example, and find out who else uses the same IP addresses. That’s built-in to the moderation system of anyone using Mastodon. That’s - undoubtedly - tracking a user; especially since my mobile app is pinging the instance every so often for new messages.
I am all for the fediverse, but I’m all for being honest and pragmatic about any issues it has. A privacy comparison between the Apple App Store self-reported claims really isn’t an honest comparison of “the fediverse” vs other social media.
@james @antdesros @AndikaCJ @Cal
That's the whole point though: separating the app and the server is a really good thing.
When the app and the servers are run by different people using open standards, it gives end users the ability to combine a non-surveillance app with a server run by people they trust, or even set up their own server.
Services which spy on you through the app anyway and/or force the user to use a particular server, are taking away this power from the user.
@[email protected] @[email protected] @[email protected] @[email protected]
p.s. As for IP addresses, it's impossible to use anything online without giving some form of IP address. That's how the internet knows where to send stuff. It would be like trying to order something to be delivered without giving any kind of delivery address.
That doesn't mean you have to give your own IP address, the Tor network and VPNs let people hide it.