BT Free – A Brief History

Founded in March 2025 by longtime open‑source advocate Anthony Zone, BT Free emerged from a deep conviction that the future of the internet belongs to open, decentralized platforms rather than the walled gardens of big tech. After discovering the Fediverse—a network of interoperable, self‑hosted services—Anthony fielded countless questions from friends, colleagues, and community members about how to get started. Recognizing the need for a formal vehicle to rally support, secure funding, and provide hands‑on consulting, he launched BT Free as a nonprofit dedicated to digital‑privacy rights, advocacy, and technical assistance.

In its early months, BT Free has already begun turning vision into practice. The organization currently runs TubeFree.org, its first PeerTube‑powered instance, and plans to offer additional Fediverse services in the future. As a nonprofit, all funds raised are reinvested into the Fediverse; once we have secured enough revenue to cover the operating costs of our own platforms, any surplus will be donated back to the open‑source projects that power BT Free.

These platforms embody BT Free’s core belief: even when we disagree on content, every individual deserves the right to host and share it on a platform they control—free from the whims of big‑tech monopolies and shifting political climates.

Looking ahead, BT Free aims to expand its consulting services, help more communities launch self‑hosted Fediverse servers, and continue building a robust ecosystem of open, privacy‑first alternatives to mainstream social media. The journey is just beginning, but the goal is clear—empower everyone to choose, create, and communicate on their own terms.

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