Mastodon scores 3/5 for encryption, 4/5 for privacy, and 3/5 for track record. Overall safety score: 4/5.

What are the privacy concerns with Mastodon?

Mastodon security review covering federated architecture, server trust, and privacy on this open-source platform.

Has Mastodon been hacked before?

See our detailed analysis of Mastodon's past security incidents and track record at The Opt-Out Project.

Is Mastodon Safe? Security Review

Name: Is Mastodon Safe? Security Review
Item: Mastodon
Rating: 4
Author: The Opt-Out Project

Category: Social Media Company: Mastodon gGmbH (non-profit) Reviewed February 10, 2026

4/5

Overall Safety Score

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Verdict: Mastodon is one of the most privacy-respecting social platforms available. The main security risk depends on which server you choose, since server administrators can access your data on their instance.

Mastodon is a free, open-source, decentralized social network where users join independently operated servers (instances). It has no advertising, no algorithmic feed, and no corporate data collection.

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Security Ratings Breakdown

Category	Score	Rating
Encryption	3/5
Privacy	4/5
Track Record	3/5

Security Features

Open-source and publicly auditable code
No advertising or tracking
Two-factor authentication
Post visibility controls (public, unlisted, followers-only, direct)
Content warnings and filtering

Privacy Concerns

Server administrators can access unencrypted data on their instance
DMs are not end-to-end encrypted (visible to server admins)
Federated posts are distributed across servers you don't control
Small server operators may not have robust security practices

Past Security Incidents

Individual Mastodon servers have experienced breaches and downtime
2023 security vulnerability allowed account takeover via carefully crafted links (patched promptly)

How to Stay Safe Using Mastodon

Choose a well-established server with clear moderation policies
Enable two-factor authentication
Don't use DMs for sensitive information (not encrypted)
Keep your Mastodon app updated

Safer Alternatives

Bluesky (different decentralized approach)
Misskey (alternative fediverse platform)

🔒

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Last updated: February 10, 2026