In an ambitious move to bolster the open social web, Bridgy Fed, a project aimed at connecting the social network Bluesky with the broader fediverse—which includes platforms like Mastodon and Meta’s Threads—has become the first initiative to be incubated within a newly launched nonprofit, A New Social. This marks a pivotal step in the effort to create interconnected, decentralized social networks that operate outside the confines of tech giants’ walled gardens.
Here’s what this development means for the future of social networking.
A New Social: Uniting Decentralized Platforms
A New Social, announced on December 17, 2024, was co-founded by CTO Ryan Barrett, also the creator of Bridgy Fed, and Anuj Ahooja, an engineering leader who now serves as the nonprofit’s CEO and executive director. The organization seeks to bring together a coalition of developers, researchers, startups, and industry leaders dedicated to advancing the infrastructure for the open social web.
The nonprofit will initially focus on incubating Bridgy Fed but aims to expand its efforts to other projects that align with its mission. It plans to support protocols like:
- Bluesky’s AT Protocol
- ActivityPub, which powers Mastodon, Meta’s Threads, and other fediverse platforms.
By fostering collaboration among stakeholders and securing funding from crowdfunding, grants, and industry partnerships, A New Social aims to ensure that decentralized social networks remain viable alternatives to centralized platforms.
Bridgy Fed’s Evolution
Bridgy Fed began as a personal side project for Barrett, growing steadily to attract wider attention—and occasional controversy—within the fediverse community. The project seeks to bridge Bluesky with the fediverse, allowing users to interact seamlessly across platforms using different protocols.
As the project gained traction, Barrett recognized the need for a more formal organizational structure to sustain its growth. While raising venture capital was an option, he acknowledged the lack of a clear business model for Bridgy Fed as a standalone product or service.
“In terms of what it is as a product or a service, it’s in a funny position,” Barrett admits. “The business model was not clear to me.”
This uncertainty led Barrett to team up with Ahooja, who had been planning to create a nonprofit to support decentralized utilities like Bridgy Fed. The collaboration was a natural fit, as both shared a vision for a more interconnected and equitable social web.
The Vision Behind A New Social
At its core, A New Social is designed to provide organizational support to projects like Bridgy Fed and identify other initiatives that align with its mission. By working with major platforms such as Bluesky, Meta, Flipboard, and Mastodon, A New Social aims to bridge the gap between currently siloed ecosystems.
Key areas of focus include:
- Infrastructure Development: Building tools and protocols to connect decentralized platforms.
- Collaboration: Engaging developers and platforms in meaningful discussions about standards and interoperability.
- Funding and Sustainability: Securing resources through grants, crowdfunding, and industry partnerships to sustain open web projects.
- Protocol Expansion: Supporting emerging protocols like Farcaster and nostr, alongside established ones like ActivityPub and AT Protocol.
“Before we even started this, we [made] sure that the platforms are on board, because if they’re not on board, then our existence doesn’t even matter,” Ahooja explained.
Challenges and Opportunities
The open social web, while promising, faces numerous challenges:
- Funding Gaps: Projects like Mammoth, a Mastodon app, and subscription service sub.club have already shuttered due to financial difficulties.
- User Experience: The decentralized nature of the fediverse can be intimidating for mainstream users.
However, these challenges also open the door for experimentation and innovation. Ahooja believes this is a time to try new ideas, fail fast, and refine approaches that resonate with users.
A Collaborative Ecosystem
A New Social isn’t the only organization focused on decentralization. Others, such as the newly launched Social Web Foundation (SWF), co-founded by Evan Prodromou (co-author of the ActivityPub protocol), are also working to expand the fediverse.
SWF is focusing on improving the user experience across platforms, while organizations like the Independent Federated Trust & Safety Alliance (IFTAS) address issues like content moderation in decentralized networks. A New Social plans to collaborate with these organizations to advance shared goals.
A New Era for Social Networking
The formation of A New Social reflects a growing momentum behind the open social web movement. By supporting projects like Bridgy Fed and fostering collaboration among decentralized platforms, the nonprofit aims to create a more connected, user-driven internet that prioritizes interoperability and inclusivity over monopolistic control.
As the organization builds its board of directors and begins its fundraising efforts, the coming years will determine how effectively it can navigate the challenges of decentralization and help shape the next chapter of social networking.
The open social web is no longer just a vision—it’s becoming a reality, one nonprofit and one protocol at a time.