The decentralized social network introduces quote posts platform-wide with user protections, admin tools, and conversation fixes in its latest version.
Quote Posts Arrive — With a Mastodon Twist
Mastodon, the open-source decentralized social network, is rolling out version 4.5, a major update that introduces quote posts to all server operators. While common on platforms like X (formerly Twitter), quote posts have long been absent from Mastodon by design, out of concern for community safety and tone.
- Now, the feature is broadly available across all servers, following an earlier rollout on mastodon.online and mastodon.social in September.
- Quote posts are considered essential to text-first social networks as a way to drive richer conversations.
But unlike X, where quote posts are often used for public shaming or “dunking,” Mastodon has built in layered user controls to mitigate abuse.
User Controls Prioritized
Mastodon’s quote post feature comes with granular settings to protect users and foster respectful interactions. Users can now control who can quote their posts, choosing from:
- Anyone
- Followers only
- Just me
Visibility settings are equally flexible, including:
- Public
- Followers only
- Quiet public (public but hidden from search, trends, and timelines)
Users can also override these defaults on individual posts—ideal for managing visibility in real-time situations.
- You’ll receive a notification if someone quotes you, and you can choose to remove your original post from their quote if necessary.
- Blocking a user will also prevent them from quoting you in the future.
More Than Just Quote Posts: What’s New in 4.5
While quote posts headline the release, version 4.5 delivers a suite of new features and bug fixes:
- Fixes a reply visibility bug for users on older versions (pre-4.5)
- Server operators can now:
- Disable content feeds
- Set local feeds as homepage
- Block individual users
- Customize moderation tools, with context enhancements like quote previews
- Adds native emoji support to Mastodon’s web interface
These changes are aimed at improving admin experience and user trust, as Mastodon continues to grow amid rising interest in decentralized social platforms.
Mastodon in the Fediverse Ecosystem
Mastodon remains the largest player in the fediverse, the decentralized social network ecosystem built on the ActivityPub protocol.
- The fediverse has nearly 12 million total users, per FediDB.
- Mastodon accounts for over 8 million registered users, with approximately 670,000 monthly active users.
While those numbers pale in comparison to Meta’s Threads, which claims over 400 million monthly and 150 million daily users, Mastodon’s growth reflects a more community-led, open alternative to centralized platforms.
Cultural Caution, Technical Ambition
Quote posts may seem like a minor feature, but their arrival reflects Mastodon’s deliberate approach to platform evolution—balancing functionality with community values.
- Developers prioritized safety tools to prevent quote posts from becoming weapons of harassment.
- The ability to control visibility and quote access aligns with Mastodon’s user-first ethos.
In contrast to competitors racing to scale, Mastodon continues to evolve at a steady pace—with careful attention to moderation, decentralization, and user agency.
Mastodon’s latest 4.5 update introduces quote posts with robust safety settings, letting users control who can quote them and how quotes appear. The release also includes admin tools, reply bug fixes, and native emoji support, further strengthening Mastodon’s decentralized social experience.
