What is Mastodon, the social network users are leaving Twitter for? Everything you need to know

Verification is free, toots are twice as long as tweets - but you might find it hard to replace your Twitter follower list. Here's how to use it, find a server to join and navigate the fediverse

Interest in the open source social media platform known as Mastodon has spiked again as users look for an alternative to Twitter, should Elon Musk's takeover spell the end of that website as we know it.

If you're fleeing the sinking ship of Twitter for the potential life raft of Mastodon - or wondering whether to - here's what you need to know.