Mastodon, a decentralized social network that competes with Twitter, has seen a surge in its active user base in the past week. According to its official website, Mastodon now has over 5.3 million users, up from 5.2 million a week ago.

The spike in users coincides with the recent controversy surrounding Twitter’s suspension of some prominent accounts, including former U.S. President Donald Trump and Project Veritas founder James O’Keefe. Many Twitter users have expressed dissatisfaction with the platform’s moderation policies and censorship practices, and some have migrated to alternative platforms like Mastodon.

Mastodon is different from Twitter in several ways. It is based on a federated model, which means that users can join different servers or “instances” that have their own rules and communities. Users can also communicate across instances, creating a network of interconnected microblogs. Mastodon also allows users to post longer messages, up to 500 characters, and supports various media formats.

Mastodon is not the only decentralized social network that has gained popularity in recent times. Other platforms like Gab, Parler, and BitClout have also attracted users who are looking for more freedom and privacy online. However, these platforms also face challenges such as scalability, security, and moderation issues.