University IT (UIT) is excited to announce the launch of a pilot instance of Mastodon for faculty at Stanford. The goal of this open-source, decentralized social media platform is to encourage more authoritative, transparent, and academically focused discourse at the university and beyond. Unlike other social media services, Mastodon is run by Stanford for Stanford faculty.
- How is Mastodon different from other social media platforms?
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Mastodon is a microblogging platform, however, unlike other social media sites, Mastodon doesn’t have a single owner.
Mastodon prioritizes the social media user. The platform actively supports collaboration, nurtures innovation, and encourages intellectual exchange while minimizing corporate interests, such as ad placement and corporate tracking. The Stanford Mastodon platform is run by Stanford for Stanford faculty.
- How do Mastodon servers work?
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When someone creates their own Mastodon server, it’s called an instance. Instances are moderated and run by their community with their own set of rules and policies. Users within an instance can follow one another and choose to follow other users within a different instance.
- How do I sign up for an account?
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This pilot is for Stanford Faculty only. To create an account:
- Go to faculty.mastodon.stanford.edu.
- Select Login.
- Click the “Mastodon at Stanford” button.
- Enter your SUNet ID and password.
- Your account will be created.
- Who can I contact if there are issues with my account?
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Submit a Help request to the Mastodon Pilot team.
- When will Mastodon no longer be in the pilot phase?
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Pending the results of the pilot launch, Mastodon could be a live service in mid-2024.
Creating a Profile
Get started with your new account.
Posting to Your Profile
Post updates and share photos, videos, and audio files.
Controlling Unwanted Content
Moderate content you see on your thread for a more comfortable social media experience.
Setting Preferences
Customize your settings to what works best for you.
Copyright Stanford University. Stanford, California 94305.