Pixelfed, Loops, and Sup, open-source apps rivalling Instagram, TikTok, and WhatsApp, are campaigning for funds on Kickstarter. These groundbreaking social platforms are part of the expanding federated social web, or ‘fediverse’, which operates on the ActivityPub protocol. This protocol was also utilized by Mastodon, whose popularity surged post-Twitter’s sale to Elon Musk and the consequent social media exodus.
These novel, decentralized apps gained traction as netizens sought alternatives to traditional social media giants like Musk and Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg. Coined by Daniel Supernault, a Canada-based developer, these apps aim to challenge Meta’s online dominance and revive user control over social networks.
As of now, the Kickstarter campaign has exceeded its initial target, amassing $58,383. Supernault aims to amass $1 million or more to bolster his project. Aiming high, Supernault envisions a billion-user reach for his suite of apps.
Presently, Pixelfed has launched its 1.0 mobile app version, while Loops is undergoing alpha testing on Apple’s TestFlight. Sup is still in the pre-launch phase. Soon to launch, both Loops and Sup are offering early access to Kickstarter backers.
Alongside these, Supernault is steering a fourth initiative- PubKit, which provides practical resources for fediverse developers, including testing, inspection and debugging frameworks.
Proceeds from the fundraiser will also contribute to the Pixelfed Foundation and facilitate the launch of a new blogging app. Significantly, it will reinforce the infrastructure of these apps to support the burgeoning user base. Moreover, it would support Supernault in enhancing the safety, privacy, and security of these platforms, with the ambitious plan to incorporate end-to-end encryption.
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