FAQ

What is Harbor?

Harbor is an open-source, distributed social network. Content is published to multiple servers at once, so no single server owns the network or your data. See the Introduction for the full model.

Do I need an account on a server?

No. Your identity is a set of cryptographic keys held on your devices, not a server account. Every post is signed by a key you control, so servers cannot forge or alter your content, and your identity works across any servers you choose.

What happens if a server shuts down or bans me?

You post to the world, not to a server. Every post goes to all the servers you use, and clients read from whichever server has the data. If one server disappears or refuses to serve your content, your audience can still reach you through the rest.

How is Harbor different from Mastodon?

Both are open networks where anyone can run a server. The main difference is where identity and content live: a Mastodon account belongs to its home server, while a Harbor identity is a set of keys you hold, and your content lives on several servers at once. See Compared to federated networks.

Is Harbor a blockchain?

No. Harbor provides distributed synchronization and censorship resistance without consensus, so it avoids the latency and throughput costs of blockchain consensus. See Why not a blockchain.

Who moderates content?

Moderation is per-server: each server decides what it serves and curates its own discovery feeds, and you pick the servers whose moderation you trust. See Content moderation & removal.

Can I get a readable username?

Yes. An alias like [email protected] points a domain you control at your Harbor identity, so people can find you by a memorable handle instead of a long key. See Setting Up an Alias.

Can I run my own server?

Yes. Anyone can run a server and interoperate with the rest of the network. See Running a Server.

Where do I get help?

See the Support page for how to reach FUTO by chat or email.