New Apps Expand the Open Social Web Ecosystem

The open social web is gaining momentum with innovative apps like Bonfire Social, Channel.org, and Bounce, each pushing the boundaries of decentralized networking. These tools empower users and communities to interact across platforms with greater control and customization.

Bonfire Social: Building Customizable Digital Communities

Bonfire Social serves as a versatile framework for creating digital communities with unique governance and styles. It mimics traditional social media features such as profiles, followers, and threaded discussions, but within a federated environment. The platform’s first release, Bonfire Social 1.0, offers a pre-configured bundle of extensions including custom feeds and sharing capabilities.

Looking ahead, Bonfire is developing specialized versions like Bonfire Community for private groups and Open Science for academic collaboration. Its compatibility with platforms like Mastodon, Peertube, and Mobilizon highlights its commitment to federation and interoperability.

Channel.org: Curating Content Across the Open Social Web

Channel.org offers a powerful way to curate and personalize social feeds by tracking hashtags, users, and bridging content from Bluesky, Mastodon, and RSS feeds. Users can create channels that others can follow, enabling ultra-curated content streams tailored to specific interests.

The platform includes filters to block NSFW content and hate speech, enhancing user experience and safety. Built on a customized Mastodon server by the Newsmast Foundation, Channel.org is currently in invite-only beta, signaling a promising future for curated decentralized social networking.

Bounce: Seamless Migration Between Social Platforms

Bounce addresses a common challenge in decentralized social networking: moving accounts without losing followers. It enables users to transfer their Bluesky accounts to Mastodon while retaining followers and followings, leveraging the ActivityPub and AT Protocols for data portability.

Developed by A New Social, Bounce uses the Bridgy Fed tool to bridge accounts and facilitate smooth migration, empowering users with greater control over their social identity across platforms.

Together, these apps illustrate the vibrant innovation within the open social web, offering new ways to build communities, curate content, and maintain social connections across decentralized networks. As the ecosystem evolves, tools like Bonfire Social, Channel.org, and Bounce will be essential for users and developers aiming to harness the full potential of federated social media.