Mastodon, a decentralized social network, has introduced a simplified registration process for users to create an account on mastodon.social instead of choosing a server.

Compared to centralized social networks like Twitter or Instagram, Mastodon has a more intricate sign-up process for various servers. However, users are still able to select their preferred server after signing up by using the "Pick my own server" feature.

Founded in 2016, Mastodon is a decentralized social network comprising independent servers that are organized around specific themes, topics, or interests. Users can join servers, follow others, engage in conversations, and perform similar activities that are typical of a social network, like Twitter. 

Analyst QuickTake: Mastodon experienced a surge in popularity following the acquisition of Twitter by Elon Musk in October 2022. Between October and November of the same year, the monthly active users of Mastodon skyrocketed from 300,000 to two million .