SNS, social media terminologies explained avatar
Yohan Yukiya Sese-Cuneta
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Have you come across terms like “Social Web”, “Mycelial Web”, “Fediverse”, “Threadiverse”, “Mycelium network”, “Nostr”, “ATproto”, “ActivityPub”, and “DDFON”? They can sound quite techie and confusing. Today, let’s demystify them!

(in alphabetical order)

ActivityPub (AP)

The protocol behind the fediverse mycelium network, recommended by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) since 2018–01–13

ATmosphere

A friendly name for the whole mycelium network built on top of ATproto. 1 2

ATproto

The protocol that powers the ATmosphere mycelium network, often incorrectly referred to as Bluesky.

Blockchain

A cryptographic ledger, popularized by cryptocurrencies, and also used in DDFON SNS like Audius (music), Hive (content), and Verasity (video).

Bluesky

The first public server powered by the ATproto protocol, commonly but inaccurately used to refer to the entire ATproto mycelium network. Bluesky is only one of many ATproto servers. (also see ATmosphere)

DDFON

Stands for “Decentralized, Distributed, Federated, Open Network” ﹘ a term I coined in 2011, 34 also known as mycelial web.

diaspora*

The name of the protocol that powers The Federation mycelium network.

Fediverse

The friendly name for the mycelium network using the ActivityPub protocol and its predecessors (OStatus (2010–2020), OpenMicroBlogging (2008–2010)). Coined by Mark Eckenwiler in 2012-05-25 and by Marjolein Katsma in 2013-01-24. 567

Identiverse

The original name for the fediverse mycelium network, coined by Luke Slater in 2010-03-14. 89

Jabber

A federated instant messaging mycelium network, the first DDFON. The name was dropped in favour of the term XMPP.

Mastodon®

A fediverse software using the ActivityPub protocol, incorrectly used to refer to the entire fediverse mycelium network. It is a registered trademark that should only be used within the context of the Mastodon® software.

Matrix

An IRC-like federated messaging platform similar to XMPP, serving as both the protocol and the mycelium network name.

Mycelium [Network]

A network of fungal threads in nature, applied to tech networks like the fediverse, ATmosphere, and Nostr mycelium networks. Originally suggested to replace the term fediverse but redefined in 2022.

Mycelial Web

Multiple networks of fungal threads (mycelium) is called mycelia or mycelial. In tech, mycelial is the umbrella term for mycelium networks like XMPP, fediverse, Matrix, Nostr, and ATmosphere; a friendly name for DDFON.

Nostr

It is a protocol that powers the NOSTRich mycelium network.

The name stands for Notes and Other Stuff Transmitted by Relays.

NOSTRich

The friendly name of the mycelium network powered by the Nostr protocol.

OpenMicroBlogging

The first protocol of the fediverse from 2008–2010.

OStatus

The fediverse protocol, active from 2010–2020. 10

Secure Scuttlebutt (SSB)

A cryptographic mycelium network where content is shared only with followers.

Semantic Web

One of the original meanings of Web3.0, where the web becomes capable of analyzing all the data on the Web—the content, links, and transactions between people and computers through W3C standards.

SNS (Social Networking Service)

The original term for social media, still commonly used in Korea and the Asia-Pacific region.

Social Media

The term for SNS in English-speaking countries.

Social Web

Also known as Web3 or Web3.0, it promotes an open, interoperable web instead of closed silos. It is about building platforms that interoperate through federation and bridges, while ensuring resiliency through distribution and decentralization. 11121314 It is the same as “Open Social Web” and “Open Social”, and is a very broad term that goes beyond DDFON / Mycelial Web. 15 16 17 18

The Federation

The name of the network running on the diaspora* protocol.

Threadiverse

Refers to threaded fediverse platforms like Lemmy, Kbin, and Mbin.

In Korea, it refers specifically to Meta’s Threads platform with fediverse integration. 19

Web3.0

Refers to Semantic Web as coined by Sir Timothy John Berners-Lee in 2006. 20

Also refers to the social web “Le Web3” conference in France in 2007 and earlier. 121314

Unfortunately also used to refer to blockchain technology 21 as defined by Gavin Wood in 2014. 22

Web3

Initially coined for the social web conference in 2007 by Loic Le Meur. 121314

It is also unfortunately being used for blockchain technology 21 as defined by Gavin Wood in 2014. 22

XMPP (eXtensible Messaging and Presence Protocol)

The first federated instant messaging platform, originally named Jabber.

  1. Kuba Suder: There’s also the unofficial name “Atmosphere” or “ATmosphere” that some people use for the whole network built on top of ATProto (published: 2024-06-10) (archived 2024-06-10: 1 2) ↩︎

  2. Paul “Frazee”: from:pfrazee.com atmosphere (archived 2024-06-10: 1 2) ↩︎

  3. Yahuhanan Yukiya Sese Cuneta: Maybe this map can be useful to the #DDFON community? Initial target market perhaps? (published: 2011–10–15) (archived 2024–06–09: 1 2) ↩︎

  4. Yahuhanan Yukiya Sese Cuneta: And good night Decentralized, Distributed, Federated, Open, Network! (published: 2011–11–10) (archived 2024–06–09: 1 2) ↩︎

  5. Mark Eckenwiler: Fully accessible from my part of the fediverse (published: 2012–05–25) (archived: 1 2) ↩︎

  6. Marjolein Katsma: good morning / #tzag #identiverse / fediverse :) (published: 2013–01–24) (archived: 1) ↩︎

  7. Twitter search: (fediverse) until:2013–01–31 since:2006–01–01 (archived: 1 2) ↩︎

  8. Luke Slater: Time for bed. Goodnight Identiverse. Thank you for existing! (published: 2010–03–14) (archived: 1) ↩︎

  9. identi.ca: Notices tagged with identiverse (archived: 1) ↩︎

  10. Pleroma: Releasing Pleroma 2.0.0 (published: 2020-03-08) (archived: 1 2) ↩︎

  11. Jesse Stay: Just finished blogging about “the Social Web” (aka Web 3.0): http://tinyurl.com/yv7qs5 (published: 2007–05–31) (archived 2024–06–07: 1 2) ↩︎

  12. Loic Le Meur: merci pour le post sur les tarifs du Web3… faudra que je fasse un podcast la dessus un de ces 4 (published: 2007–09–20) (archived 2024–06–07: 1 2) ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎

  13. Loic Le Meur: going to bed with my 400 000 euros budget proposal for Le Web3 wifi proposal from one of a top wifi netwoks… can’t believe it (published: 2007–10–26) (archived 2024–06–07: 1 2) ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎

  14. Loic Le Meur: made Le Web3 wiki up at http://leweb3events.pbwiki.com/ (published: 2007–12–10) (archived 2024–06–07: 1 2) ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎

  15. Wikipedia: OpenSocial ↩︎

  16. W3C: OpenSocial Foundation Moves Standards Work to W3C Social Web Activity ↩︎

  17. W3C: W3C Launches Push for Social Web Application Interoperability ↩︎

  18. W3C: Social Web Working Group ↩︎

  19. 앱타쿠: The word ‘Threadiverse’ I think korean users in fediverse use this word very popular. What you talked to me like Kbin, lemmy, mbin etc are very unpopular in korea( cause we already have too many major bulletin board websites) and that’s why ‘Threads + Fediverse = Threadiverse’ is popular in korea (published: 2024–06–05) (archived 2024–06–07: 1 2) ↩︎

  20. New York Times: A ‘more revolutionary’ Web (published: 2006–05–23) (archived 2024–06–07: 1 2) ↩︎

  21. W3C: Design Issues (published: 2017-10-31) (archived 2024-09-27: 1) ↩︎ ↩︎

  22. Wikipedia: Web3 (published: 2024–05–25) (archived 2024–06–07: 1 2) ↩︎ ↩︎

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Yohan Yukiya Sese-Cunetaㆍ사요한・謝雪矢·ᜌᜓᜃᜒIf this is not the end of oblivion, then I shall live everyday as if my life were to end this very day.

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The YOOki Chronicles

The YOOki Chronicles is Yohan Yukiya Sese-Cuneta’s return into casual and personal blogging. The name “YOOki” is a mash-up of the acronym of YourOnly.One and my nickname ᜌᜓᜃᜒ (Yuki・雪矢).

Interestingly, according to Chinese legend, 柳 (YOO) is an ancient Chinese surname. The ancestors of the surname were closely linked with the ancient sage-king named Yu Shun. In Korea, the 유 (YU) lineage traces to the Xia, Han, and Joseon dynasties. Holders of the surname Yu or Yoo had a reputation for charity and diligence.1

It is also the word for “willow” or the “willow tree” which means graceful or slender; and a tree growing near a body of water which provide continuous nourishment and resources for everyone. It can also mean to exist, an oil (anointment(?)), and simply as “U” (you).

The Hanzi 紀 (ki) character means to record, be disciplined, provide order. While the Hangeul equivalent, 키 (ki), means energy, spirit, a banner, and a period of time; and is also a suffix used to make a gerund or an infinitive.

  1. 「유」 Yoo (Korean surname); CC-BY-SA 3.0 Unported License ↩︎

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