Mastodon MigrationDec 16, 2022

So, things are getting kind of interesting.

In the last few hours the new user rate has jumped from around 1000 per hour to more than 2500 per hour. While this is a big increase, it is nothing like back on Nov 18, when the average was over 10,000 new users per hour.

Still, this does feel like a new surge. Mastodon struggled back in November with the last wave. Let's hope we're ready for what comes next. Big shoutout to the amazing admins and moderators all over the world!

#twittermigration

Show threadMastodon MigrationDec 16, 2022

So, definitely a wave.

For the last eight hours Mastodon has been averaging over 3000 new users per hour, on track for 75K new users today. Overall, thanks to the amazing work of instance operators, the system seems to be running well, however there is definitely more lag than usual.

This new user rate, while high, is nowhere near what Mastodon experienced on Nov 18, when a quarter million users joined in one day. Still, this influx is very taxing on system administration.

#twittermigration

Aaron Crocco ✅Dec 17, 2022
Show threadMastodon Migration

The surge continues.

Averaging 3000 to 4000 new users per hour. Mastodon continues to run pretty smoothly. Over 70,000 new users in the last 24 hours puts us on track for over 80,000 today.

Great appreciation for Mastodon instance operators! Most instances are funded entirely through donations, so if you can swing it, think about supporting your instance. Check out the /about page (eg https://[instance name]/about) for a donation link.

#twittermigration

Dec 16, 2022 at 10:58pmWeb
Show threadMastodon MigrationDec 17, 2022

Looks like the new user rate is slowing down somewhat, but still elevated.

For the last couple hours Mastodon added around 2000 users per hour. The surge peaked at 78K users in one 24 hour period.

While there have been a few slowdowns, Mastodon has handled this surge well. The volume was not as high as before, there are many more servers now, and instance administration is more experience and are better prepared.

Great job everyone and welcome to all the #NewUsers.

#twittermigration

Show threadMastodon MigrationDec 17, 2022

The new normal.

As a direct result of #Musk 's #JournalistPurge new users per hour went from about 1000 per hour to 3500 and has now plateaued at around 2000. The network has responded beautifully. Four of the largest instances closed registrations, but things ran smoothly.

What can we conclude from the last 48 hours?

1. Mastodon can easily handle moderate surges.
2. Mastodon has huge untapped capacity for growth due to the large number of small and midsize instances.

#twittermigration

Show thread🇸🇬 KO PO HUI ⚾ / @bolasepako ⚽Dec 17, 2022
@mastodonmigration well done 👍
Show threadThe Owl of MinervaDec 17, 2022
@mastodonmigration Still don’t know what an instance is. I signed up with one that seems to work fine. So people on other instances can see my posts if they follow me? And likes from all instances are cumulative? Some good posts have so few likes.
Show threadJonathan WilliamsDec 17, 2022

@mysterydasein
@mastodonmigration

"So people on other instances can see my posts if they follow me?"

Yes. And if your posts are set so that everyone can see them (default), they'll also show up in the "federated" feeds of others on other instances/servers (unless they're on a server that blocks federated content from yours).

Show thread-rbDec 17, 2022

@mastodonmigration @mysterydasein it’s like email servers/providers: gmail is an instance. Hotmail is an instance. Yahoo mail is an instance. Outlook.com is an instance. Nearly every company has an email instance.

Anyone can send email to anyone else, regardless of which instance (domain) they are each on. Gmail peeps can email yahoo peeps. Etc.

It isn’t easy to “find people” this way (and impossible in the email world). But yes I can see you and your posts.

Show threadTinkDec 17, 2022
@mastodonmigration I am enjoying it here, but I think we need to continue efforts to make the fediverse a place where BIPOC folks feel welcome and be vigilant about calling out casual or polite racism.
Show threadMicha SchoberDec 17, 2022
@tschert
Wie du siehst, alles kein Problem. Soll Musk nur weiter tun, hilft Mastodon am Besten :))
Show threadMaria AlvesDec 17, 2022
@mastodonmigration
🫣🫣
Show threadAlanHaleDec 17, 2022
@mastodonmigration wonderful
Show threadJiří Fiala Total LandscapingDec 17, 2022
@mastodonmigration I don't really understand the downward slopes, that's canceled accounts?
Show threadArendVeelHooiDec 18, 2022
@mastodonmigration @stooovie the downward slopes mean that there are less new accounts per hour. The total of accounts still accumulates, as the upper line shows.
Show threadJiří Fiala Total LandscapingDec 18, 2022
@ArendAdam @mastodonmigration ah, right! I didn't notice the upper graph. Thanks :)
Show threadJohn MannDec 18, 2022
@stooovie @mastodonmigration The pale graph is Hourly Increase in users (right hand scale).
Some hours the increase is smaller than for other hours.
Show threadfoohonpieDec 17, 2022
@mastodonmigration here’s to continued growth!
Show threadhellcat Dec 17, 2022
@mastodonmigration i really hope this site destroys twitter, please let it happen oml
Show threadgodot.community 🚀Dec 19, 2022
@hellcat @mastodonmigration yes but nothing prevents Twitter from setting up their own Mastodon server 🤣 If you can't beat them, join them.
Show threadLittle SuziDec 17, 2022
@mastodonmigration with many more servers though it’s going to be significantly more difficult to find people. And it’s already very difficult. This is really irritating. When will you allow us to see the full follow and follower lists for accounts rather than just those in the same server as us
Show threadMatthew WilsonDec 17, 2022
@mastodonmigration Watch what happens when media companies realise they can set up their own instances.
Show threadMcdirkDec 19, 2022
@thisMattWilson @mastodonmigration hope they figure it out soon!
Show threadAdam CrainDec 19, 2022

@thisMattWilson @mastodonmigration

Didn't even think about that until now, but I did think of starting an instance.

Could be Microsofts and Apple in to Social Media.

Show threadPeteDec 19, 2022
@Adam_Crain @thisMattWilson @mastodonmigration But the reason they want to be in is to be able to control, restrict, lock-in and monetise. I don't think Mastodon will give them that.
Show threadDavid GerhartDec 19, 2022
@thisMattWilson @mastodonmigration as opposed to being held as hostage serfs in the feudalism that is the #birdsite ?
Free the #4thEstate
Show threadBraggDec 19, 2022

@thisMattWilson @mastodonmigration Thinking about this earlier for big org like BBC has many accounts makes sense but what about small orgs with only 1 account.

Having employees of org on org instance would make sense for org but doubt people would want their accounts to be controlled by employers.

Would comprise be peeps have 2nd account on the org instance that auto posts any articles written by said person & they use to boost posts from their personal accounts.

Show threadMark Bignell Dec 19, 2022
@thisMattWilson @mastodonmigration that's why Twitter can't be saved. 😁
Show threadDonie O'SullivanDec 19, 2022
@thisMattWilson @mastodonmigration what would be advantage of doing this? Asking as a Mastodon novice. Cc. @gavinsblog @schlink
Show threadGavin SheridanDec 19, 2022
@donieosullivan Yea it would lots of sense from a security and maintenance pov. Also own servers = own rules.
Show threadDonie O'SullivanDec 19, 2022
@gavinsblog so have it that only the reporters from those outlets could sign up? If they opened it to others it would become a content moderation issue?
Show threadGavin SheridanDec 19, 2022
@donieosullivan yes you would fully control who can create accounts on the instance (id imagine best to just have CNN staff), but still be able to interact with users on other instances (though people could block, say, all CNN staff on the instance in one go).
Show threadDonie O'SullivanDec 19, 2022
@gavinsblog could be an interesting one for @oliverdarcy’s newsletter. Speaking of which, Oliver, when is Reliable Sources getting its own Mastodon account?
Show threadGavin SheridanDec 19, 2022
@donieosullivan @oliverdarcy Mastodon is big enough now that it would actually make lots of sense for newsrooms to establish and maintain their own instances - it's needed for work anyway now and you're not subject to the various whims/policies of specific admins on whatever various instances reporters are signed up to.
Show threadDec [{()}]Dec 19, 2022
@gavinsblog @donieosullivan Users can mute an entire server, not block it. Server admins can block (defederate from) other servers.
Minor difference, I know.
Show threadKensanDec 19, 2022
@gavinsblog @donieosullivan It also means verification is implicit by having an account on that instance, see e.g. how the German government runs their own I stance (https://social.bund.de) and only has official accounts on it. (e.g. @bsi )
social.bund.de

Dies ist der Mastodon-Server der Bundesbeauftragten für den Datenschutz und die Informationsfreiheit (BfDI).

Mastodon hosted on social.bund.de
Show threadoaksterDec 19, 2022
@thisMattWilson @mastodonmigration one example is @BylinesNetwork
Show threadWrathofJan 🌞🌻🌎🖖Dec 19, 2022
@thisMattWilson @mastodonmigration @mehdihasan
@tedlieu
Show threadCatt0sDec 19, 2022
@thisMattWilson @mastodonmigration tried to get my university to set their own up
Show threadJeremy CarrollDec 17, 2022
@mastodonmigration Do you have a public dashboard where folks can see this information?
Show threadGriffdenDec 16, 2022
@mastodonmigration toot toot
Show threadNia MolinariDec 16, 2022
@mastodonmigration wow
Show threadParents For Future Dec 16, 2022
@mastodonmigration 🌱✌️
Show threadA Guy Named Brian (he/him)Dec 16, 2022
@mastodonmigration I’ll admit it: I’m part of this latest surge. But I’m finding the non-corporate, ad- and algorithm-free paradigm of #Mastodon to be very compelling. Hopefully everything keeps running smoothly! #twittermigration
Show threadGreenboneDec 16, 2022
@GuyNamedBrian @mastodonmigration #ads had to block my first manual ads on day 1 🤨 but it’s the price of living without an algorithm. We all have to do our own filtering
Show threadA Guy Named Brian (he/him)Dec 16, 2022
@mastodonmigration @greenbone I haven’t seen anything like that yet, but now I’ll know to keep an eye out for such things. Thanks for mentioning it!
Show threadRobin from Colorado 🇺🇸🇺🇦Dec 16, 2022
@mastodonmigration @GuyNamedBrian I’ve been here a few weeks and the more people I follow the better it gets
Show threadDavid FarnellDec 17, 2022
@robinbrenizer @mastodonmigration @GuyNamedBrian Same here! Six weeks in and Mastodon feels like home. Just put up a final post at the birdsite to let people know I’m done there.
Show threadA Guy Named Brian (he/him)Dec 17, 2022
@azzageddi @robinbrenizer @mastodonmigration I’ve only been here a bit over 24 hours, but am already finding much to like. I’ll see what happens over time!
Show threadRobin from Colorado 🇺🇸🇺🇦Dec 17, 2022
@azzageddi @mastodonmigration @GuyNamedBrian well I’ll follow you both and see what happens!
Show threadMichael ReuterDec 16, 2022
@mastodonmigration not too shabby ;)
Show threadmiaomeowcatDec 16, 2022
@mastodonmigration this is nice
Show threadP Gurgel-SegrilloDec 17, 2022
@mastodonmigration excellent!! 🎉
Show threadSean McCabeDec 17, 2022
@mastodonmigration Yeah, but you're not getting all the twitter bots...so Elmo still has that going for him.
Show threadPhoenixSerenityDec 17, 2022
@mastodonmigration Woohoo!!!
Show threadnelsDec 17, 2022
@mastodonmigration
One question: why would anyone continue to belong to Twitter? Why would any reputable corporation not leave? Why would I support any corporation who hasn't? Could we collectively have a major influence by refusing to support such corporations?
Show threadMatt ⎊ Dec 17, 2022
@mastodonmigration 🚀🚀🚀
Show threadMark  Dec 17, 2022
@mastodonmigration I started an instance early in November to try and attract #WeirdCarTwitter people who didn’t want to support Elon. Our instance is fully funded by a patreon. I had no idea if the server would take off, but the users have really helped cultivate this great space. We got four months worth of funding in our first week from users. We have enough resources to support hosting all #WeirdCarTwitter people coming here overnight. #BringItOn
Show threadAirframesDec 17, 2022
@mastodonmigration Yes, great stats. As a new #instance admin, I found that a lot of the default configurations are absolutely not adequate even for small to medium sized servers. Certainly fine for nano/micro instances.
The scaling guide is definitely decent, though I imagine it would benefit others if there were more details and scenarios covered.
All that said, any adequate technical person should be able to digest and come up with a scaled solution in a few hours.
Show threadLorenna ClearyDec 17, 2022
@mastodonmigration I wonder if we’ll break 10M by New Years?
Show threadLorenna ClearyDec 17, 2022
@mastodonmigration well maybe Valentine’s Day Lol New Years is only a couple weeks away