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GNU social
open-in-new
<p>GNU social (and its predecessor StatusNet) is a largely defunct <a href="/facts/Free_and_open-source_software/1cHtjLCB">free and open-source</a> <a href="/facts/Microblogging/f0QJUHt9">microblogging</a> <a href="/facts/Social_networking_service/qFIh6VT1">social networking service</a> that implements the <a href="/facts/OStatus/NrXeWTIK">OStatus</a> and <a href="/facts/ActivityPub/EAPMvEAF">ActivityPub</a> standards for <a href="/facts/Interoperability/7WgqUbXU">interoperability</a> between installations. While offering similar functionality to social networks such as <a href="/facts/Twitter/VWwDNGUm">Twitter</a>, GNU social seeks to provide the ability for open and <a href="/facts/Federation_(information_technology)/3SUojUub">federated</a> communication between different microblogging communities, known as 'instances'. Both enterprises and individuals can install and control their own instances and user data. </p><p>At its peak in popularity, GNU social had been deployed on hundreds of interconnected instances, however has since fallen into disuse as competing software like <a href="/facts/Mastodon_(social_network)/paYlaPlI">Mastodon</a> and <a href="/facts/Pleroma_(software)/0vlsqorD">Pleroma</a> have taken its position as the dominant federated microblogging services. Later on in its lifespan, the project split into two separate <a href="/facts/Branching_(version_control)/1m0qK9tv">branches</a>, with "v2" being a continuation of the original codebase for maintenance of existing instances, with "v3" being a complete redesign of the project meant to integrate further ActivityPub support and modernization of the user experience and its technological back-end. As of August 15, 2022, there had been no new commits to the v2 branch, with the v3 branch also no longer being actively developed not long after by November 25, 2022, with the project essentially abandoned. </p><p>Despite its modern obsolescence and dated design compared to modern platforms, GNU social and StatusNet is regarded to be the origin of the <a href="/facts/Fediverse/fIBCh4ya">Fediverse</a> network and has had a major influence on the design of more modern <a href="/facts/Distributed_social_network/pR1JEXp9">decentralized social networks</a> that succeeded it. </p>