Decentralized Social Network Mastodon Introduces Quote Posts in Latest Release
Mastodon, the decentralized open-source social network, has rolled out its latest release, version 4.5. The update includes the introduction of Quote Posts, along with various features for admins, conversation enhancements, and more.
Quote posts are a significant addition to Mastodon’s social network, aiming to compete with larger rivals like X and Threads. Unlike traditional retweets, quote posts on Mastodon come with added safety controls to prevent negative interactions and maintain a positive user experience.
Mastodon’s approach to quote posts is a response to the “dunking” culture found on other platforms, where users often engage in disrespectful behavior. By offering users the ability to control who can quote their posts and adjust visibility settings, Mastodon aims to foster a more respectful and engaging environment.
To ensure a smooth transition, the quote post feature was initially introduced to larger Mastodon servers before the official 4.5 update. Users have the option to customize their quote post settings, including who can quote them and the visibility of their quotes.
Additionally, Mastodon notifies users when they are quoted, giving them the ability to manage their original posts and block users if necessary. The platform also allows users to override default settings on a post-by-post basis for added control.
In addition to quote posts, the 4.5 release addresses issues that older server versions experienced with missing replies. Server operators also gain new tools for content management, moderation, and customization.
The 4.5 release also introduces native emoji support to Mastodon’s web interface, enhancing user engagement and communication. Mastodon remains a prominent platform in the fediverse, contributing to the growth of the open social web powered by the ActivityPub protocol.
While Mastodon boasts over 8 million users in the fediverse, its monthly active user count stands at around 670,000. In comparison, Threads, another ActivityPub-integrated platform, has over 400 million monthly users and 150 million daily active users.
