# Use social media on open protocols

Practice ID: 43
Topic: `ownership` (ownership: Ways to keep data, tools, media, and future choices under personal control.)
Added: 2026-09-01
Journey entry point: `optimize` (Make the tools you kept more durable, private, and possible to leave.)
Start with: `setup` (setup)
Supports: `ownership-and-open-exits` (ownership and open exits; group: `digital-control` / My data and digital setup)

## Pattern

A social presence is easier to keep or leave when identity and connections live on an open protocol that more than one app or host can use.

## Practice

When a social-media presence has a named purpose, keep it on a network built on an open protocol such as AT Protocol or ActivityPub.

## Start small

For one remaining social purpose, find a network that uses an open protocol and check whether the people or work that purpose needs are already there.

## Watch out

An open protocol does not remove addictive design, and a single large host can still become a practical bottleneck. Keep the named purpose and check that leaving remains possible.

## Builds on

- [Use personal social media only with a clear purpose](https://live.freewithtech.com/practices/use-personal-social-media-only-with-purpose.md)

## Related practices

- [Choose tools with open exports](https://live.freewithtech.com/practices/choose-tools-with-open-exports.md)
- [Keep public profiles thin](https://live.freewithtech.com/practices/keep-public-profiles-thin.md)

## Concepts

- [ownership and open exits](https://live.freewithtech.com/concepts/ownership-and-open-exits.md): A tool remains acceptable while data, access, and future choices can be retained or moved.

## Positions

See how these practices fit together: [Keep social on purpose](https://live.freewithtech.com/by/keeping-social-on-purpose.md).

## Continue

- [Browse ownership as practices.](https://live.freewithtech.com/?topic=ownership)
- [Journey](https://live.freewithtech.com/journey.md)
- [Concepts](https://live.freewithtech.com/concepts.md)
- [Complete agent-readable database](https://live.freewithtech.com/llms.txt)