Instagram Alternative Pixelfed Launches Mobile App
Pixelfed, a decentralized and ad-free alternative to Instagram, has released its official mobile apps for iOS and Android. The Android version became available on January 10, while the iOS app launched shortly after, on January 14. The app rollout comes as the platform experiences significant growth in traffic, particularly on its main server, pixelfed.social.
The surge in activity follows Meta’s recent announcement of major changes to its content moderation policies, which has prompted some users to seek alternative social media platforms. Over the weekend, Pixelfed noted it was seeing “unprecedented levels of traffic” and stated it is working to bolster its resources to accommodate the influx of users.
Despite some brief concerns over links to Pixelfed being blocked on Meta-owned platforms – which has now been fixed due to being an accidental block, as stated by Meta in an Engadget article – the platform’s app appears to have been seeing relatively strong success. This comes not long after the previous app launch for Loops, a TikTok alternative developed by the same creator, Daniel Supernault.
While both platforms are naturally going to start off slower and smaller due to their independent nature, both launches have come at a very opportune time. With Meta’s content moderation changes being received poorly by a large portion of their userbase and TikTok’s potential impending ban as soon as this Sunday, both apps are now alternatives to platforms that may see user exoduses in the near future.