Fed up with big tech? A developer is turning to Kickstarter to fuel the growth of open source alternatives to Instagram, TikTok, and WhatsApp. These apps—Pixelfed, Loops, and Sup—are part of the "fediverse," a decentralized social web powered by the same tech behind Mastodon, the popular Twitter alternative.

The campaign, launched by Canadian developer Daniel Supernault, has already surpassed its initial goal, raising over $58,000. But Supernault is aiming higher—hoping to hit $1 million to build a dedicated team and scale the apps to reach a billion users.

Pixelfed, an Instagram alternative, recently launched its 1.0 mobile app and boasts over 200,000 users on its main server. Loops, a TikTok competitor, is still in alpha testing, while Sup, a WhatsApp replacement, is yet to be released. All three apps aim to give users more control over their data, free from the grip of tech giants like Meta and Elon Musk’s X.

The Kickstarter funds will also support PubKit, a developer toolkit for building apps in the fediverse, and help establish the Pixelfed Foundation as a nonprofit. Additionally, the campaign could pave the way for a Tumblr-like blogging app in the future.

With the fediverse gaining traction, Supernault’s efforts could mark a turning point in how we connect online. If successful, these apps might just give the big players a run for their money—and put the power back in users’ hands.