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Consumer requirement for choice to Big Tech ’s societal apps is heat up . Alternative social networks like Bluesky and Mastodon are gaining traction with people look to leave X , while others arebuilding ban - proof TikTok alternativeson assailable protocols . likewise , many independent developers are also working on open , decentralized alternatives to Instagram , Meta ’s flagship photo - sharing app with over 2 billion monthly active users .
While none of the newcomers is anywhere near quick to match Meta ’s size and scope , their ability to even chip at out a little ecological niche within Meta ’s shadow is compelling . They ’re also arriving at a time wheninvestorshave embark on totake noticeof the growing open social WWW . Gen izzard family line , meanwhile , of late signalize they ’re more potential toleave TikTok for another Formosan social apprather than return key to Instagram .
Below are some of the apps working to work up Instagram option on open protocols likeBluesky’sAT Protocol and ActivityPub , used byMastodonand others .
Pixelfed
Though not a new service , the photo - sharing situation Pixelfed in January launched prescribed nomadic apps for Io and Android . The app is built on ActivityPub , used by Mastodon , a YouTube rival called PeerTube , and many others , include now Meta’sThreadsandFlipboard(plus its newer app , Surf ) . Together , these apps forge what ’s called the “ fediverse , ” a reference to the federated servers that incorporate it .
Similar to Instagram , Pixelfed lets substance abuser deal and search photos and videos and send verbatim messages . However , unlike Instagram , Pixelfed is ad - gratuitous , open source , decentralized , and defaults to chronological feeds — which are its selling points to users .
Within its first two days on the market , Pixelfed ’s mobile apps topped 10,000 downloads , developer Daniel Supernaultsaid(since deleted ) on Mastodon .
Flashes
flashbulb , an Instagram alternativebuilt on top of the Blueskysocial meshwork , open up its doors to beta testersjust last week . Like Bluesky , the app runs on AT Protocol and is set to Bluesky ’s same image and video recording requisite , meaning up to four photos per post and videos up to a minute in duration .
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Pinksky
Another Bluesky client , Pinksky , is also undertake the idea of offering a photo - first purview of the societal internet . plan to pull former Instagram users who want to link over photograph instead of viral content or Reels , the app have a familiar interface — including a tappable Stories section at the top . But unlike new apps build from scratch , Pinksky users can tap into their subsist internet of Friend and following from Bluesky , even if those people are n’t also Pinksky users yet .
For now , the app is just a Bluesky guest , but if there ’s enough demand , Pinksky may expand to include other engineering , like integration with ActivityPub or Nostr . So far , the app is free to employ , though it may later tot insurance premium feature of speech if it grows enough to support monetization .
Skygram
Currently a work in progression , Skygramis a entanglement - based app design to extend a more photograph - centrical Bluesky experience . Within Skygram , user can change over between pastime - based provender at the top of the screen door , like Gardening , Dogs , and others , for example . Still fairly rudimentary , Skygram ’s code is available onGitHubas the study continue .
