A dictionary of 60 key terms used across the open social web.
An open, decentralized social networking protocol defined by the W3C. It provides a client-to-server API for creating, updating...
The practice of tech platforms using user-generated content—often without explicit consent—to train their large language and im...
A colloquial term for low-quality, mass-produced digital content—such as synthetic articles, deepfake videos, and automated ima...
A timeline dictated by a proprietary, opaque algorithm designed to maximize engagement for the platform, often at the expense o...
A feature heavily used on federated platforms like Sharkey and Misskey that allows users to set up automated, persistent search...
Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response. A sensory experience characterized by a relaxing, static-like or tingling sensation on th...
The Authenticated Transfer Protocol. A decentralized social networking standard created by Bluesky PBC for large-scale, high-pe...
The AT Protocol equivalent of the Fediverse. It refers to the interconnected network of servers, services, and users communicat...
An abbreviation and common shorthand for the AT Protocol (Authenticated Transfer Protocol). Powered by W3C Decentralized Identi...
A Layer-2 payment protocol built on top of the Bitcoin blockchain that enables fast, scalable, and near-zero-fee microtransacti...
A popular decentralized social networking platform built on the open-source AT Protocol. Bluesky features self-sovereign user i...
An open-source bridge service that enables cross-protocol communication between different decentralized networks. It allows acc...
A content feed display model that orders posts strictly by publication time, showing the newest updates first. Unlike algorithm...
Content Management System. Software used to create, manage, and publish digital content on the web (such as Ghost or WordPress)...
A term describing social sharing that occurs outside of public channels, such as within private group chats, emails, direct mes...
The ability of users to copy, transfer, or move their personal data (such as subscriber lists, content archives, or social grap...
A W3C standard for globally unique, persistent, and verifiable digital identifiers that do not require a centralized registrati...
The act of an instance administrator severing connections with another specific instance. This is typically done to protect use...
The sudden removal or suspension of a user or business from a centralized network, severing them from their audience. In a fede...
Intangible goods published and distributed electronically, including eBooks, software licenses, design assets, online courses, ...
A digital clone of a person's voice, likeness, or face generated by AI. It represents a major privacy concern when corporate pl...
A term coined by Nicholas Carr describing the practice of building a business, brand, or audience on a centralized platform tha...
The simultaneous distribution of content across both federated social protocols (like ActivityPub) and direct email protocols (...
A cryptographic communication standard where only the communicating users can decrypt and read messages. Neither server adminis...
A term coined by Cory Doctorow describing the pattern of Platform Decay. It refers to the process where platforms start by bein...
The process by which multiple independent servers communicate and share data with one another. Unlike centralized platforms, fe...
A portmanteau of 'federation' and 'universe'. It refers to the ensemble of federated servers that are used for web publishing a...
A tool developed by researchers that adds an invisible protective 'cloak' to artwork, disrupting the ability of AI models to tr...
Internet Engineering Task Force. The open, international standards organization that defines and maintains core internet protoc...
A people-focused alternative to the corporate web. The IndieWeb is a community of individual creators and developers building t...
An independent server running open social software (like Mastodon or Lemmy). Each instance is managed by its own administrators...
A software application or digital wallet designed to store, send, and receive fractional Bitcoin instantly via the Bitcoin Ligh...
Live Online Portability. An emerging data portability specification incubated within the W3C Social Web Working Group designed ...
A gateway service built on the Matrix protocol that bi-directionally syncs chat channels between Matrix rooms and external mess...
An open standard and communication protocol for real-time, decentralized, and end-to-end encrypted chat, VoIP, and community me...
A legal entity authorized and responsible for processing customer payments, handling sales tax calculation, remitting internati...
The process of generating revenue from digital content, software, subscriptions, or audience engagement. On the open web, monet...
A specialized application (such as OpenVibe or Nootti) capable of connecting to multiple distinct open social protocols simulta...
A tool developed by researchers that acts as a 'poison' to generative AI models. It alters the pixels in an image so that if an...
Notes and Other Stuff Transmitted by Relays. An open protocol that uses cryptographic keys and a decentralized network of relay...
The double-ratchet cryptographic protocols created by the Matrix.org Foundation to provide End-to-End Encryption (E2EE) for 1-t...
A third-party application or user interface designed to interact with open, federated social protocols (like ActivityPub or AT ...
An open-source moderation service framework developed for the AT Protocol ecosystem. Ozone allows independent communities, orga...
Personal Data Server. In the AT Protocol ecosystem, your PDS holds all your account data, posts, and likes. You can move your P...
Also known as enshittification (a term coined by Cory Doctorow). The observable pattern where centralized platforms initially s...
Publish on Own Site, Syndicate Elsewhere. An IndieWeb design pattern where content is published on a creator's own domain first...
A feature introduced in Mastodon 4.6 that enables creators to organize and pin curated lists of profiles, top posts, and evergr...
A server in the Nostr network that simply accepts, stores, and sends messages. Unlike an ActivityPub instance, relays do not ha...
Really Simple Syndication. A standardized web feed format that allows users and content aggregators to automatically receive up...
A systems programming language focused on memory safety, concurrency, and high performance without a garbage collector. Widely ...
Simple Mail Transfer Protocol. The foundational, open internet protocol defined by the IETF for broadcasting and delivering ele...
The mapping of relations between individuals, accounts, and groups on a social network. In centralized networks, the platform o...
A formal W3C Working Group chartered to update and maintain ActivityPub, Activity Streams, WebSub, and related specifications, ...
Automated, protocol-level email delivery infrastructure (using SMTP, DKIM, and SPF) that powers server-to-inbox messaging, user...
A strongly typed programming language developed by Microsoft that builds on JavaScript by adding static type definitions. Widel...
A consumption tax levied on goods and services at each stage of the supply chain, widely implemented internationally (such as E...
World Wide Web Consortium. The primary international standards organization for the World Wide Web, founded by Tim Berners-Lee....
A closed, centralized platform where the provider has total control over the ecosystem. It restricts users from easily exportin...
A protocol used by the Fediverse to discover information about people or entities on the web. It's the technology that allows a...
Micro-payments sent instantly between users on open social protocols (most prominently Nostr) using the Bitcoin Lightning Netwo...
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