We are a group of people unwilling to accept today's media monopolies. The idea for FediPass came from Heino Falcke, an internationally recognised professor of astrophysics at Radboud University and bestselling author. He became known for presenting the first image of a black hole to the world, and has spent many years working in small and large scientific collaborations. He has been online since the early 1990s and has made supporting an open internet a personal aim. He also has decades of experience programming and leading scientific software projects.
Two moments of realisation
"Two moments motivated me to develop FediPass.
I was invited to a major German newspaper's editorial meeting to critique its website. At the end, I was asked: 'Would you buy a subscription from that page?' My answer was: 'Are you mad? Twenty euros for one website, when Spotify gives me all music for ten? I want to read articles from others too. Give me a nationwide travel pass for all quality media, and I will buy it.'"
When a white X on a black background appeared in my Twitter app a few years ago, I knew I no longer wanted to be there. The Fediverse appealed to me because it is decentralised, diverse and fundamentally free. But the same problem remains: who pays for it? Everyone separately asks for donations or subscriptions. Servers close because nobody pays. In principle, I would need dozens of subscriptions or Patreon accounts. Much as I love the Fediverse, surely there is a simpler way?
That is exactly why we founded FediPass. It should make supporting the Fediverse and funding a diversity of opinion easier for all of us. And who knows, perhaps the Fediverse will then become more attractive to content providers, from individual creatives and journalists' initiatives to major media organisations."