Mastodon CEO Steps Down: Social Network Restructuring

Mastodon Leadership Transition and New Structure

Eugen Rochko, the originator of Mastodon, is relinquishing his position as CEO of the decentralized social network. This change is occurring as the organization shifts towards a nonprofit structure, a plan revealed earlier this year.

This leadership adjustment represents the most substantial change in Mastodon’s history. It’s specifically intended to secure the platform’s future sustainability.

New Governance Model

The restructured Mastodon will be overseen by a board of directors. Currently, this board comprises Biz Stone, a co-founder of Twitter, Karien Bezuidenhout, Esra’a Al Shafei, Hannah Aubry – the former Mastodon community director – and Felix Hlatky.

Felix Hlatky will assume the responsibilities of Executive Director as part of this new arrangement.

Benefits of the Restructuring

This revamp allows Mastodon to broaden its scope in terms of business development, product innovation, and overall mission. Crucially, it will lessen the reliance on the direction of a single individual.

The transition also provides Eugen Rochko with an opportunity to step back after dedicating a decade to the platform’s development.

Rochko’s Continued Involvement and Compensation

Rochko will remain involved with Mastodon, serving as an advisor. Recognizing his years of service and below-market compensation, he has received a one-time payment of €1 million.

Complete Leadership Team

The expanded leadership team includes several key roles:

• Renaud Chaput – Technical Director
• Hannah Aubry – Community Director
• Eugen Rochko – Strategy & Product Advisor
• Andy Piper – Head of Communications
• Philip Schröpel – Chief of Staff

Currently, Mastodon employs a total of 14 individuals on a full-time basis.

The changes are designed to ensure the long-term viability of the decentralized social network and its continued development as an alternative to platforms like X.

Mastodon CEO Attributes Departure to Burnout

The outgoing CEO of Mastodon has stated that experiencing burnout was a significant contributing factor to his decision to relinquish his position.

According to Rochko, the increasing scale of Mastodon had surpassed his individual capacity for management. He also acknowledged personal struggles with exhaustion.

In a recent interview with TechCrunch, Rochko articulated that Mastodon had become inextricably linked to his personal identity. This close association created constant work-related stress.

“The thought of social media invariably brings my work to mind,” Rochko explained. “My desire is for Mastodon’s continued success, but this has unfortunately resulted in considerable stress and, ultimately, burnout.”

Rochko believes that distancing himself from day-to-day operations will facilitate a restoration of work-life balance. He recognizes the project is now a collaborative effort.

He further encouraged others in similar situations to prioritize their well-being. Taking a step back can be beneficial.

“Committing all of one’s time to work is demonstrably unhealthy,” Rochko cautioned. “The consequence of such dedication is often a sense of emptiness once the work is completed.”

This perspective sharply contrasts with the emerging “work-till-you-drop” mentality prevalent in Silicon Valley, particularly within the context of the current AI boom.

Founders are increasingly adopting a demanding “hustle culture,” and some are even emulating the rigorous “996” work schedule common in China – a system involving 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. workdays, six days per week.

The Rise of Hustle Culture

• The AI era is seeing a surge in demanding work expectations.
• Founders are increasingly embracing intense work schedules.
• The “996” system, originating in China, is gaining traction as a model.

Rochko’s experience offers a counterpoint to this trend, emphasizing the importance of sustainable work practices and personal well-being. Burnout prevention is crucial.

The Future of Mastodon: A Nonprofit Transition

Mastodon’s shift to a nonprofit structure is anticipated to broaden its access to funding sources, particularly within Europe, as highlighted by the newly appointed executive director, Hlatky.

The organization has already completed the transition to nonprofit status within the United States. However, efforts are still underway to establish a nonprofit entity in Belgium, specifically an AISBL, to supersede the German organization, which previously forfeited its nonprofit designation last year.

Upon successful establishment, the Belgian nonprofit will serve as the organization’s primary base of operations. Currently, the U.S.-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit retains ownership of the trademark and other essential assets.

Funding the Transition

To facilitate this transition, Mastodon secured financial contributions from several sources. These include funds from Jeff Atwood, founder of Stack Exchange, and the Atwood family (€2.2 million); Biz Stone; AltStore, an alternative app marketplace (€260,000); the Global Chinese Community of Universal Digital Commons (€65,000); and Craig Newmark, founder of Craigslist.

Prior to assuming his current role, Hlatky provided consulting services to Mastodon, leveraging his expertise in business and finance within the technology sector.

He was instrumental in assisting the organization with the establishment of its initial German nonprofit structure.

Through his prior work, Hlatky expressed a growing dissatisfaction with the conventional startup model reliant on venture capital.

“While effective for a select few, this system often falls short for the majority,” Hlatky stated. “I found myself increasingly disillusioned with the system and questioning the value of my continued contribution.”

New Responsibilities and Focus Areas

In his new capacity, Hlatky will prioritize engagement with key industry stakeholders and the media. He envisions increased participation from politicians, political organizations, and journalists on the platform.

He will also play a crucial role in overseeing initiatives designed to enhance Mastodon’s financial sustainability, including its emerging hosting and moderation services.

Other members of the leadership team will concentrate on areas such as trust and safety, technical infrastructure, and product development.

Interoperability Strategy

Mastodon will not be directly pursuing native interoperability with other decentralized social networks like Bluesky (utilizing the AT Protocol) or those based on Nostr, a protocol favored by Jack Dorsey.

Instead, the organization will rely on third-party projects, such as Bridgy Fed and Bounce, to manage interoperability. These projects represent competing technical standards governing communication between decentralized social networks.

A Social Media Landscape Designed to Resist Billionaire Influence

Rochko’s restructuring of Mastodon is intended to ensure the platform remains what he terms “billionaire-proof” social media. This core principle has also been embraced by Bluesky, a competing network experiencing substantial growth.

Bluesky currently boasts 40 million registered users, exceeding Mastodon’s 10 million. However, it’s important to note that a smaller proportion of registered users are actively engaged on a monthly basis across both platforms.

Fluctuations in User Activity

Mastodon’s monthly active user base has decreased to below 1 million following a surge in 2022. This spike coincided with Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter.

Prior to the acquisition, Mastodon maintained approximately 200,000 monthly active users. Following the deal’s completion, this number rapidly increased to 2 million.

Rochko interprets this shift as evidence of a clear desire for a social platform independent of billionaire ownership.

“Platforms like Threads, Instagram, and Facebook are owned by billionaires. Similarly, X is under billionaire control,” he explained. “These platforms are increasingly utilized to influence public opinion, discourse, and political landscapes.”

He continued, “Mastodon stands as one of the few – potentially the only – social media organizations, and the fediverse generally, that isn’t vulnerable to such influence.”

Note: A correction has been made to this article. An initial editing error incorrectly identified Schröpel’s role.

Schröpel holds the position of Chief of Staff, while Rochko is the Strategy & Product Advisor. This correction has been implemented since the original publication.