Mastodon, a decentralized social network organization, has announced plans to create a new non-profit organization in Europe, marking a significant shift in its governance structure. The move aims to ensure that no single individual, including its current CEO and creator Eugen Rochko, has control over the entire project.

This development is a deliberate attempt to differentiate Mastodon from traditional social networks controlled by powerful CEOs like Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg. By handing over ownership of key Mastodon ecosystem and platform components to the new non-profit entity, the organization is cementing its commitment to decentralization and community-driven decision-making.

While exact details of the new structure are still being finalized, it is clear that Rochko will relinquish management control to the new entity, focusing instead on product strategy. Mastodon's current servers, including mastodon.social and mastodon.online, will continue to operate, allowing users to sign up and join the ActivityPub-based network. The platform has grown significantly, with 835,000 monthly active users spread across thousands of servers.

In a blog post, Mastodon explained that its founder, Eugen Rochko, initially focused on creating the code and conditions for a decentralized social media platform. The legal setup was a means to an end, allowing him to continue operations. From the start, Rochko declared that Mastodon would not be for sale and would be free from the control of a single wealthy individual.

Last year, Mastodon formed a U.S.-based non-profit to access more funding and grants, with Twitter co-founder Biz Stone on the board. However, the organization lost its non-profit status in Germany. Despite relying on donations and sponsorships to operate, Mastodon is taking a distinct approach compared to its main competitor, Bluesky, which is reportedly raising a new funding round from investors at a $700 million valuation.

The new Europe-based non-profit entity will wholly own the Mastodon GmbH for-profit entity. The organization is currently finalizing the location and structure of the new entity, which will determine the necessary subsidiary legal structures to support operations and sustainability. The goal is to establish governance and leadership frameworks that reflect the nature and purpose of Mastodon, responsibly serving the community.

This move is particularly significant in the context of recent debates around the ownership of open-source projects. For instance, there have been concerns about the control of certain WordPress community projects being in the hands of WordPress's co-creator Matt Mullenweg. By decentralizing its ownership structure, Mastodon is proactively avoiding situations where a single individual has decision-making powers, ensuring a more democratic and community-driven approach to its development.

As Mastodon continues to evolve and grow, this shift to a non-profit model is a crucial step in realizing its vision of a decentralized social network. By relinquishing control and empowering the community, Mastodon is setting a new standard for social media platforms and paving the way for a more equitable and transparent online ecosystem.