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Pixelfed is a federated, open-source social media platform designed for sharing photos and videos. It was created as an alternative to centralized platforms like Instagram, with a focus on privacy, data ownership, and user control.

Developed by Daniel Supernault, Pixelfed allows users to upload, organize, and share their visual content with others. The platform offers features similar to popular image-sharing platforms, including the ability to add captions, tags, and location information to posts. Users can follow other accounts, like and comment on posts, and engage with the community.

One of the key principles of Pixelfed is federation. It follows the ActivityPub protocol, which enables decentralized social networking and allows users to connect with each other across different instances or servers. This means that users on one Pixelfed instance can interact with users on other instances, similar to how email works. This federated approach gives users more control over their data and the freedom to choose their preferred instance while still being able to connect with a wider network of users.

In terms of privacy, Pixelfed offers features like end-to-end encryption for direct messages and the ability to make posts private or visible to specific groups of followers. The platform also allows users to export their data or migrate their account to a different instance if desired.

As an open-source project, Pixelfed encourages community involvement and contributions. The source code is available for anyone to review, modify, and contribute to, fostering transparency and innovation.

It's important to note that Pixelfed is a relatively new platform and may not have the same level of mainstream adoption or user base as more established social media platforms. However, it has gained popularity among those who value privacy, data ownership, and decentralized alternatives to centralized social networks.