This isn't Facebook. This isn't Instagram. This is ours.
I set up this server so we can share with each other without big tech watching, storing, or selling our lives. No ads. No algorithms. Just us.
Here we get to keep our memories, messages, and conversations in our own hands. It's simple: this is a private space, built for our family and friends.
Think of this as our own private chat app — like Messenger or WhatsApp, but totally in-house. No ads, no bots, no random friend requests. Just family.
What you can do right now:
Send one-on-one messages
Create group chats
Make voice or video calls
Later on, we'll add bigger video rooms (via Jitsi) for family game nights, celebrations, or just hanging out.
To join in, you can use Element Web in your browser (no install needed!) or grab the Element app on your phone or computer. Super easy.
Here's where we share our snapshots and little video clips — kind of like Instagram, but just for us. You'll always see posts in the order they were shared, so no missing out on the everyday moments that matter.
And since this lives on our home server, every photo stays in the family. (Not federated yet, so we don't have to worry about outsiders popping in.)
Old-school cool, but without the junk. Everyone gets their own family email address on our server — no ads, no trackers, no creepy scanning of messages. Just simple, private email the way it used to be.
You can use it to send longer notes, attach photos, or even try out fancy HTML greetings if you're feeling creative. It's like bringing back letters for the digital age.
This is our family's very own version of Twitter — but calmer, friendlier, and way more "us." You can post quick thoughts, jokes, little life updates, or random musings, and everyone will see them in order (no algorithms messing with things).
Right now it's just private to our family (no federation yet), so it's basically a cozy group timeline with no noise, no ads, and no strangers.
Think of each app (Mastodon, PixelFed, Matrix) as a neighborhood.
When federation is off, the neighborhood gates are closed — only residents can visit. When federation is on, the gates open and people from other neighborhoods can visit and talk to us, while each neighborhood still enforces its own rules.
Status: Federation is off: only people on this server can see or interact with us.