Cosmetics.
Let’s offer paid cosmetics for users of your instance. Animated or custom banners, posts, new themes, etc.
It’s a model that works really well for Discord and League of Legends. Instances offering to sell aesthetic luxury to their user base could work for Mastodon too.
It’s non-invasive, it’s optional, it’s a great addition for some people, and it allows to raise funds to keep the hosted instances up and running.
Do you think it’s viable?
Low effort comment. Would have loved to see your more elaborated answer. How does this look like a joke to you? Monetisation is important to maintain the basic functions of Mastodon instances. They don’t run on good intentions and the biggest ones most certainly wouldn’t run on donations alone to handle hundred of millions of users. Plus a proper monetisation model would be necessary for world wide adoption, especially by non-lucrative organisms. I don’t get the “joke” you see.
I honestly was not sure if it was a serious post or not. Opening with “cosmetics” is odd to me.
And the drive to “monetize” everything – stop it. Ask for money or sell things or do what you want on your instance – no one will care. (well not true, most of the fediverse will likely block you, but I could be wrong).
Your righteous indignation is tiresome.
The elaberate answer is: Microtransactions for an open source Free As In Freedom project is absolutely frakking insane. I must assume the OP is a troll from Twitter delibertely out to destroy the foundation of the Fediverse.