Note: This guide couldn’t possibly go over every single social media platform that exists, so we’ve decided to focus on four text-based Twitter/X alternatives where many progressives have established strong networks while finding utility and community.
Bluesky
What is it?
Bluesky started as a project of Twitter in 2019 but became its own independent company in 2021. Bluesky removed its invite-only waitlist early in 2024, and the platform experienced massive growth following the 2024 election.
How to get started
Anyone can sign up for an account, but you must provide an email address to get started.
How to use it
Bluesky has a 300 character limit, and you can share up to 10 images, or video content up to 10 minutes in a post.
Pros
- Bluesky has some of the most extensive customizable content, levels and feeds. This is great for online safety.
- You can customize your feed by following different lists in the My Feeds section, which is located on the left side of the screen.
- Bluesky offers content warning filters that you can attach to graphics when making posts. For more content filters, you can go into your settings and find different levels of filters around nudity, violence, etc.
- Many popular Twitter accounts have moved here in recent years.
Cons
All of these customizable features can lead to unintentionally creating an echo chamber, so be mindful of that while putting together your feed.
Mastodon
What is it?
Mastodon was launched in 2016 by a nonprofit as a decentralized social network free from single-company control. It operates through thousands of independent, interconnected servers that communicate seamlessly as one global platform.
How to get started
Anyone can sign up for an account, but because your account lives on an individual server, choosing where to register matters: Each community sets its own moderation rules and support standards. For the simplest start, consider the flagship server managed directly by the non-profit creators of the platform. It offers high reliability, broad network connectivity, and active moderation.
How to use it
Mastodon has a 500 character limit, and you can share up to four images or video content up to 99 megabytes in size in a post.
Pros
Since Mastodon is a decentralized social media platform, a billionaire cannot take it over or alter any algorithm.
Cons
- The user experience on Mastodon varies from the other platforms mentioned here, so it can take some getting used to.
- It hasn’t (yet) seen the same level of adoption as some of the other platforms mentioned here.
Substack
What is it?
Substack was started in 2017 as an email newsletter platform to support subscription-based long-form content. It now has a shorter form social media feature called “Substack Notes.”
How to get started
Anyone can sign up for an account. Though many Substack accounts offer paid subscriptions, most provide content at no cost.
How to use it
Substack content usually appears in the form of a Note (shorter content similar to what you see on the other social media platforms) or an Article, which resembles a longer-form blog post. You can post photos, video content, podcasts, and livestreams.
Pros
- Substack is easy to use.
- Many movement leaders, activists, and organizations are posting regularly.
Cons
The site’s lack of moderation has allowed racist content to be platformed on Substack.
Threads
What is it?
Threads is owned by Meta and was launched in 2023 as an alternative to Twitter.
How to get started
Anyone can sign up for an account, but it’s easiest to get started right away if you already have an Instagram account.
How to use it
Threads has a 500 character limit, and you can share up to 20 images or videos (up to five minutes in length) in a post.
Pros
- Threads allows you to carry over your followers from Instagram automatically, so you don’t have to worry about rebuilding your online community from scratch.
- User friendliness and Instagram-esque aesthetics.
- Because Threads is owned by Meta, it’s easy to share content between platforms, like Instagram Stories.
Cons
- Threads is owned by Meta, creating the risk of political censorship
- Threads has limited the reach of “political content.”
What about other platforms?
TikTok
Unlike the other platforms discussed in this guide, TikTok is based around short video content. Unfortunately, this popular platform was taken over by pro-MAGA ownership (Larry Ellison) in early 2026, and recently suspended the account for a documentary critical of Elon Musk.
Discord/Whatsapp/Messaging Apps
Organizing is absolutely taking place on messaging apps like WhatsApp, Discord and Messenger, so your group should consider being in those spaces, too.
New Platforms
We’re always researching and looking into where people are congregating and talking online. It’s worth checking out new social media platforms to assess their potential for advocacy and organizing.
Additional information and reading
You might hear the word “fediverse” used when talking about social networks like Threads and Mastodon. The fediverse is a decentralized social network of independent servers that can connect and communicate with each other. Think of it like email: You pick an email server (like Gmail or Yahoo) for your account but can still send and read messages from other email servers. We’ve provided some additional reading if you’d like to learn more: