PeerTube is a free, decentralized and federated video platform

PeerTube is an open-source, decentralized alternative to YouTube. Unlike YouTube, where Google controls all the servers, content, and moderation, PeerTube is federated: anyone can run their own server (called an "instance") and connect it to others. A user on one instance can watch, comment on, and subscribe to videos hosted on other instances, much like email — you can have a Gmail account and still write to someone on Outlook. This structure avoids a single company deciding what videos stay up or how creators get paid. PeerTube uses a peer-to-peer protocol called ActivityPub, which also powers Mastodon (Twitter alternative) and Lemmy (Reddit alternative). The project is maintained by a French nonprofit, Framasoft, and is funded through donations. It matters because it addresses growing dissatisfaction with centralized platforms' censorship, algorithm-driven engagement, and lack of creator control — but its adoption remains small compared to mainstream giants.