(10 Nov 2022) Beset by bugs, shorn of around half of its staff and with an idiosyncratic new owner who is changing the rules on a whim, Twitter is turning from a must-use social-media platform into one that many people, including scientists, are becoming wary of.
A raft of other social-networking platforms are cropping up in its place, offering similar functionalities. Chief among them is Mastodon, an open-source alternative created by German software developer Eugen Rochko in 2016. Bolstered by positive news coverage, it’s becoming the most popular alternative to Twitter. Since 27 October, almost half a million new users have flocked to the service, roughly doubling its user base.
As Twitter users wonder whether, and when, they should make the leap, Nature looks at the benefits and drawbacks for researchers.
The story in full can be found here.
