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Privacy Guide

Mastodon Privacy Guide: Complete Guide 2026

Secure your Mastodon presence across the Fediverse. This guide covers instance selection, profile privacy, post visibility levels, and protecting your data on decentralized social media.

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Choosing a Privacy-Respecting Mastodon Instance

Your choice of Mastodon instance significantly impacts your privacy. Each instance has its own privacy policy, data retention rules, and admin access levels. Research the instance operator before joining. Check if the instance has a clear privacy policy, uses HTTPS, and has a good moderation track record. Smaller instances often provide better privacy but may be less stable. Consider the instance's jurisdiction as local laws affect data handling. Avoid instances that aggressively federate with data-harvesting services.

Configuring Post Visibility and Profile Privacy

Mastodon offers four visibility levels for posts: public, unlisted, followers-only, and direct mentions. Set your default posting visibility in Settings > Preferences > Other. Note that 'direct' messages on Mastodon are not end-to-end encrypted and instance admins can read them. Lock your account to require follow approval. Disable search engine indexing in Settings > Preferences > Other. Review your bio and profile metadata for personally identifying information.

Managing Federation and Third-Party Access

The Fediverse means your posts can spread to thousands of servers you have never heard of. Once a post federates, you cannot guarantee its deletion everywhere. Use the delete-and-redraft feature carefully. Review authorized applications in Settings > Authorized Apps and revoke unused ones. Be cautious with third-party Mastodon clients as they may have different data practices than the web interface. Consider using a separate email address for your Mastodon registration.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Are Mastodon DMs actually private?

No. Mastodon direct messages are not end-to-end encrypted. They are stored in plaintext on both your instance and the recipient's instance. Instance administrators can read them. For private conversations, use a dedicated encrypted messaging app like WeTalkin instead of Mastodon DMs.

Can my Mastodon instance admin see my data?

Yes. Instance administrators have access to your posts (including DMs), IP addresses, email, and account metadata. They can also read reports you make. This is why choosing a trustworthy instance operator is critical for your Mastodon privacy.

How do I delete my Mastodon data completely?

You can delete your account in Settings > Account > Delete Account. This sends deletion requests across the Fediverse, but federated servers may not honor them. Some posts may persist on remote instances indefinitely. Download your archive first from Settings > Import and Export.

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