Soapbox – Software for a Free Internet

Soapbox is an open-source social media platform built on the ActivityPub protocol, which powers the decentralized "Fediverse" (network of interconnected servers). It is a fork of Mastodon, the best-known ActivityPub platform, but aims to be more modern, feature-rich, and user-friendly. The project is led by a small independent team and emphasizes user ownership, privacy, and resistance to corporate control of online speech. For context: Mastodon emerged in 2016 as a decentralized alternative to Twitter (now X), allowing anyone to run their own server and still communicate across servers. Soapbox differentiates itself with a more polished interface, support for multiple post formats and richer media, and faster development pace — positioning itself as a next-generation Fediverse client and server software for those who want a free internet free of ad-driven, centralized platforms.