Decentralized social network Mastodon has released an updated version of their official Android app with a new feature that allows for easy profile sharing using QR Codes. According to the company, this update serves as a convenient tool for exchanging information in noisy environments such as event and hotel lobbies.
In order to share their QR code, users can simply navigate to their profile tab and tap on the QR icon located next to their name. This will display a code specific to the user’s profile that can be scanned by others.
The team at Mastodon has also been working towards making the Fediverse more user-friendly and understandable. As a part of this effort, they have now included explanations on domain names in Mastodon handles. Upon tapping on a handle, users will see a dialog explaining the difference between a username and server name in the handle. Additionally, the app will now highlight either the username or server name when a user taps on an explanation.
Mastodon has also made updates to their prompts for blocking and muting, providing clearer explanations on the consequences of taking these actions on a profile.
Other updates in the new Android app include a revamped link card preview that displays the author and date of a post, as well as easy-to-understand drop-down menus on profiles.
While Mastodon has been a leading player in the decentralized social network space, they are now facing stiff competition from Bluesky. The platform, which opened up to the public earlier this month, has also started working on federation. However, some users have expressed frustration with the complicated nature of having different servers on the ActivityPub network. It will be crucial for Mastodon to work towards simplifying this aspect in order to improve users’ understanding and experience in the decentralized social world.
