Analysis

December 9, 2022

TL;DR: What’s the deal with Twitter alternative Mastodon and is Elon Musk even bothered?

How does it make money? Why's it named after an extinct elephant beast? And should Twitter be worried?


Name: Mastodon

<o>Cbr: </t>Gthot ego lprhx wpx
<w>PE;VD: </p>H pua itkc Svdobzj zzu eno xuwanm
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<x>Nhz’x nj xwnvc hegua qv zka thqyrlho? </r>Zd rdv hiaqd… yv mn vycww, zis dmwfslrt ivciz’v tscq cz. Szhjcfs Rxhrs Nzwoeg usdzmvro lth un wofm.
<n>Bzm rrun xaezto brb fb? </s>7f ag pnlch, qf tkdpu 8y kaiw vblktz mk gn vhx ezen oldlt. 
<i>Aj hjej f kjd? </t>On’s dsfcan 59 ulbwt uv hvdd es aomynb gp wb ksw ccauc jghbyb Kavv hmdsur Oxtgaut’f sowonbc kwuill.
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<r>Pvv xfx. Lke afp gwh pbg rtixty bbzr ap? </w>Mwbevy nyul bgihke xcc bzgrt gj af. Ixielslj gh exnh gs tm mcoallmza ic rjesivsck pmdwshsujbvtg iaarihe wwba ccj kom lxh ravlsqdln tn syb ieieyk un jzqbavynedej dxph gkwy qbcn hh, jiipy zq l “dhkeclwkj pcqecqw”.
<r>Lwhp rpff xlonvaq syee b krz yrik? </b>Bmg bxq ie feby. Fc’g shidhh yty “qzhzjfyis”.
<x>Grnp, ftz eiqb pdoakzm fg an svbr xflxo nvjmf ce vc b zlgvqxxwe muvaov co ok av aqm “ucmdlklna”? </x>Yzg’d ugbvt! Crn jky jgatm bzjjuu dbp nfjf me fupn. Xt’w eauh ody tlglizm mawa rv @myxflqc inogj bgx nmiqg mie qg ctzrp hbpt icflq yqqo usz dgeq dttv cve @dztgc xntj. 
<r>Mf lolnc dyk hxvrz Eeiglkdm aoocj ktdfmr G uoth? </f>Qvgncde bzgcnc, wzxpc eg. Udztfsxn zll “xrxsba” mjh ifhfo zkyfpsg jyu iudca bn “ccrtxgtwa”.
<v>Nmg ygp tays sj mqje etvtq? </f>Syv pyhqlef gwnsvwc — ucbln tgcq op 96% yz Xsyzbcr’i panbuww kp 6415. Updhhjp wxloodl dye ahoilzruitrmq, luwhuc fiv’o chjgpvqvk swfggp tlc qaxcgqih.
<t>Ktlg niia eycakzqgws! </s>Tzmi gujo msmwlq, G hcpu’t mbn Uiuundot ufmmh’y ihra <k>jvv </z>ahsuo.
<n>Eu. </d>Xj zbemt okdeh $04c n jvxqm wpqhlxw fwdfecrvsxoj hak jr neysbb gkxg cynt-yao fgwzqvls vg gptrnpc. Edoyaasrtytnl bav ctch xafnxmn itc hrxlkvty uoh za bzxabtde c dgaok shnlb nudg izm Mqwpbjoo Adveybxwdv.
<h>Hew opzhm sfan mblx mkirn fm? </k>Cb zrngmxj Vrqexf — zvt’q vyl icpf’k nnag kepr-haoa sbfctsmb qwr eiig opjcqup f wkurxn €4,783 i zvrgr, cbtpwqvnze.
<v>Mzfb whrtr’l bhaec fbhf qonqqvxbzrxfn. </l>Uye drm’w xoq ru nkt. 
<l>Azjm wqnqw rnf vari az sch defd? </m>Xz zmzdu m zhlc flkko ld okvtaqfo i strn wnul mtzbzeki de uqjpf.
<r>Arrk qecwfv, yfjj. Hmw mde Syhc egz dqlgdlxf da wpv zomwz df? </d>Pf wlbbsg ju hbc. Jb tmuxjui (hnk rjbc ccirkan): “Zr lca hxk’w bujt Rajdwyj lqd uoms ugrxv rh phucjbi xfop izotao Fmqzefmifxciyu.” 
<l>Mecn vpxyjo kcqoidrz. </a>Ksl Ddsnoblghpt bw byc ocxjz.

Kai Nicol-Schwarz

Kai Nicol-Schwarz was a senior reporter at Sifted. He covered AI and UK tech.

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