Trade Mark Policy

The Mastodon name and logos are trade marks of Mastodon GmbH. As such, their use is restricted and protected by intellectual property law. While the software we create is available under a free and open source software license, the copyright license does not include an implied right or license to use our trade marks.

Note that this policy grants additional rights (in certain circumstances), and does not remove any rights that you have in law. This policy applies only to uses of the Mastodon trade marks which are restricted or reserved to Mastodon GmbH (the trade marks owner), by law.

The role of trade marks is to prevent the exploitation of the good name and reputation of Mastodon by other people and organizations, and to provide assurance about the quality of the products and services associated with it.

To use our trade marks beyond what is considered "fair" or "nominative" use, you must follow these guidelines. By making use of our trade marks, you agree to abide by the following terms and conditions. You further agree that any dispute arising in connection with your use of our trade marks or under these terms and conditions shall be under the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts of New York in the United States of America and that the state and federal courts of New York shall have personal jurisdiction over you for the purposes of adjudicating any dispute concerning the use of our trade marks or these terms and conditions.

You agree to defend and indemnify Mastodon GmbH from and against any and all claims and losses brought by a third party in connection with your use of the Mastodon trade marks.

To request the use of the Mastodon name and logos in a way not covered in these guidelines, or to report violations, please contact us at trademark@joinmastodon.org. In the event that we do not approve such use of the Mastodon name and logos within ten (10) business days, your request shall be deemed denied.

General guidelines

In general:

• Only use the Mastodon marks to accurately identify those goods or services that are built using the Mastodon software.
• Do not use the Mastodon marks in any way that could mistakenly imply that Mastodon GmbH has reviewed, approved, or guaranteed your goods or services.
• Do not use or register, in whole or in part, the Mastodon marks as part of your own or any other trade mark, service mark, company name, trade name, product name, or service name.
• Do not use the Mastodon marks in a manner that disparages or defames the marks, Mastodon GmbH, or Mastodon’s products.
• Do not use the Mastodon marks in connection with any illegal activity.
• You may use the Mastodon word mark in referential phrases such as "for", "for use with", or "compatible with".
• You may use the Mastodon marks when embedding or otherwise displaying user generated content published using the Mastodon software.
• Do not change or modify the Mastodon marks.
• Any all use of the Mastodon marks, and any goodwill accrued as a result of that use, belongs entirely to, and shall inure for the benefit of, Mastodon GmbH.

Server guidelines

If you run your own Mastodon server using the Mastodon software, including modified Mastodon software on the condition that the modifications are limited to switching on or off features already included in the software, minor tweaks in visual appearance, translations into other languages, and bug fixes:

• You may not use the Mastodon word mark, or any similar mark, in the top or second-level domain name. The top and second-level domain names form the end of the full domain name, e.g. "example.com". Use of the Mastodon word mark, or any similar mark, as a third (or deeper) level in the domain name, or as an identifier elsewhere in the URL for the server is permitted, as long as the use is not part of the top or second-level domain name.
• If your domain name uses the Mastodon word mark, or any similar mark, in a permissible way, as described by this policy, you are required to include a disclaimer (in a footer or otherwise user-visible location) which states that "This [server/site] is not affiliated with or endorsed by Mastodon GmbH or Mastodon Inc."
• A special exception to the rule regarding the use of the Mastodon word mark, or any similar mark, in the domain name applies to servers which existed and were using the Mastodon word mark, or a similar mark, before May 13, 2026. Those servers are permitted to continue using their existing domain name, as long as they also properly include the disclaimer specified in the previous point of this policy.
• Any other use of the Mastodon word mark, or any similar mark, in your domain name that is not covered by this policy is not permitted unless you have express written permission from Mastodon GmbH. If you are not sure if your usage is appropriate, please reach out to us directly at legal@joinmastodon.org.
• Apart from the previously specified policy relating to domain names and URLs, you may not use the Mastodon marks, or any similar marks, in a server, service, or product name or branding without our express written permission. To request permission from Mastodon GmbH, email us atlegal@joinmastodon.org. We will consider requests on a case-by-case basis.
• Mastodon reserves the right to revoke permission to use the Mastodon marks at any time and for any reason.

Open source project guidelines

If you choose to build on or modify Mastodon's open-source code, beyond modifications limited to switching on or off features already included in the software, minor tweaks in visual appearance, translations into other languages, and bug fixes:

• You must choose your own branding, logos, and trade marks that denote your unique identity so as to clearly signal to users that there is no affiliation with or endorsement by Mastodon GmbH.
• You may use word marks, but not our logos, in truthful statements that describe the relationship between your software and ours, for example "this software is derived from the source code of the Mastodon software".

Social media guidelines

The name and handle of your social media account and any and all pages cannot begin with a Mastodon word mark, or a similar mark (e.g. "mastodoon", "mast0don", "mstdn"). In addition, Mastodon logos cannot be used in a way that might suggest affiliation with or endorsement by Mastodon.