Twitter Alternative Mastodon Trumpets Huge Numbers Amid Musk ‘Chaos,’ But Confusing App Is Melting People’s Minds

Social media network Mastodon — yes, inspired by the heavy metal band — is seeing massive new numbers of users flow in amid Elon Musk’s purchase of Twitter, but the app appears to be causing more confusion than anything.

CNN reported on Saturday that the app is “on fire” amid the “chaos” of Musk’s takeover of Twitter, which has included mass layoffs and a monthly charge to keep a verification badge on the platform.

Mastodon has been around since 2016 and has recently been celebrating thousands of new users, with CEO Eugen Rochko revealing to CNN that the app gained more than 230,000 new users since October 27, when Musk officially took the lead at Twitter.

“It is not as large as Twitter, obviously, but it is the biggest that this network has ever been,” Rochko said. The app has more than 650,000 users every month. Twitter has more than 200 million.

Mastodon has been pitching itself as a Twitter alternative through their Twitter account, promising verification badges are free and touting features like an edit button.

CNN noted that numerous public figures have joined the platform, including Kathy Griffin, who joined all the way back in November.

According to CNN:

The service has a similar look to Twitter, with a timeline of short updates sorted chronologically rather than algorithmically. It lets users join a slew of different servers run by various groups and individuals, rather than one central platform controlled by a single company like Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook.

When users sign up for Mastodon, it’s not as simple as creating a username and a password as they are asked to pick a “server” based on their “interests, region, or a general purpose one.” Servers include topics like “art” and “journalism.”

There may be a seeming want for a Twitter alternative at the moment, but users are primarily complaining about how confusing Mastodon is compared to the rather straight-forward Twitter.

“I appreciate that alternatives like Mastodon exist but holy shit I should not need to take a masterclass on servers to join a social media network,” screenwriter Jessica Ellis tweeted, though she did reveal later she created an account.

Others took to posting memes and breaking down the tech stress people will need to face if they really are motivated to ditch Musk’s Twitter.

“Mastodon is the latest in a long line of doomed software projects led by idealists who don’t understand that normal people place a very high value on things being simple and easy to use — Twitter is already too close to the Mastodon model to gain true mass acceptance,” podcaster Matthew Yglesias tweeted.

“Here’s my biggest hangup with Mastodon: I don’t want to be siloed into a server. I’m not just gay. I’m not just a journalist. I’m not just someone who enjoy music,” reporter Ashton Pittman wrote.

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