diff --git a/docs/architecture/agents-and-seo.md b/docs/architecture/agents-and-seo.md
index 03ce636dd..46dea3dd6 100644
--- a/docs/architecture/agents-and-seo.md
+++ b/docs/architecture/agents-and-seo.md
@@ -151,8 +151,9 @@ member's name (and name + role queries):
   `:header_job` the profile header shows; `og:title` shares it. A member with
   neither keeps the bare name.
 - **ProfilePage JSON-LD** (`VutuvWeb.JsonLd.person/5`) carries the fields
-  search engines document for profile pages: `dateCreated`/`dateModified`
-  (account timestamps), `alternateName`/`identifier` (the handle),
+  search engines document for profile pages: `dateModified` (never
+  `dateCreated`, which would say how long the member has been here, and vutuv
+  shows that nowhere), `alternateName`/`identifier` (the handle),
   `interactionStatistic` (followers as a FollowAction counter),
   `agentInteractionStatistic` (posts as a WriteAction counter) — plus the
   Person entity enriched from what the page already loaded (accuracy rule,
@@ -384,7 +385,7 @@ are masks computed from pixel coordinates. It replaced the square avatar as
 thumbnail on Slack and Signal), and the wide 1.91:1 shape is the one they all
 draw large. On X the picture is the whole card — since 2024 it shows nothing
 but the image, a tiny title overlay and the domain — so the card carries the
-words. The card's few words (followers, member since, the date) are in the
+words. The card's few words (a profile's follower count, a post's date) are in the
 member's own locale, one file for everybody who shares the link. The typeface
 is the first of a family list fontconfig finds (Inter when installed, else the
 platform sans), and the line metrics are measured at render time, never
diff --git a/docs/architecture/mastodon-api.md b/docs/architecture/mastodon-api.md
index 1ebdf33da..70fc55109 100644
--- a/docs/architecture/mastodon-api.md
+++ b/docs/architecture/mastodon-api.md
@@ -776,6 +776,8 @@ readable. `Presenter.timestamp/1` is the one owner of that shape — the
 notification list used to hold a second copy, which kept second precision after
 the other was fixed.
 
+**Every member's `created_at` is 1 April 1970.** The field is required and every app shows it as the day the account joined, and how long somebody has been a member is shown nowhere on vutuv (2026-09-18). Leaving it out is not an option for the reason above: an app that cannot read a date fails or falls back. So all members share one placeholder in Mastodon's shape (`Presenter`'s `@member_created_at`); a page keeps its real date, and the stored `inserted_at` is untouched.
+
 **Advertising a version is a promise about the shape of the API.** This adapter
 says it is compatible with 4.4, and a client reads that to decide which
 endpoints exist: Ice Cubes therefore calls `GET /api/v2/notifications` (the
diff --git a/lib/vutuv/mastodon_api/presenter.ex b/lib/vutuv/mastodon_api/presenter.ex
index c61cb20cc..ebc23886a 100644
--- a/lib/vutuv/mastodon_api/presenter.ex
+++ b/lib/vutuv/mastodon_api/presenter.ex
@@ -29,6 +29,15 @@ defmodule Vutuv.MastodonApi.Presenter do
   alias VutuvWeb.Markdown
   alias VutuvWeb.RemoteMediaToken
 
+  # Every member's `created_at`. The field is required and every app shows it
+  # as the day the account joined, and how long somebody has been a member is
+  # shown nowhere on vutuv (Stefan, 2026-09-18). Leaving it out or sending
+  # something unparseable is not an option: Ivory and Ice Cubes fail on a date
+  # they cannot read (see `timestamp/1`). So all members share one placeholder,
+  # printed through `timestamp/1` like every other time. A page keeps its real
+  # date.
+  @member_created_at ~U[1970-04-01 00:00:00Z]
+
   def identity_name(%User{} = user),
     do: Identity.display_name(user) <> " (@" <> user.username <> ")"
 
@@ -59,7 +68,7 @@ defmodule Vutuv.MastodonApi.Presenter do
       acct: user.username,
       display_name: Identity.display_name(user),
       note: note(user.headline),
-      created_at: created_at(user, user.id),
+      created_at: timestamp(@member_created_at),
       url: profile_url(user),
       avatar: avatar,
       header: header,
@@ -1217,11 +1226,12 @@ defmodule Vutuv.MastodonApi.Presenter do
     |> DateTime.to_iso8601()
   end
 
-  # Not every caller hands over a fully loaded row: `Vutuv.Search` selects the
-  # few columns a result list needs, so `inserted_at` can be absent. Raising
-  # over a missing display timestamp would be the wrong trade, and there is a
-  # better answer than nil — the id is a UUIDv7 and carries its own creation
-  # time.
+  # Not every caller hands over a fully loaded row: a query that selects only
+  # the few columns a list needs leaves `inserted_at` out (search once did this
+  # for members, whose date is a fixed placeholder now). Raising over a missing
+  # display timestamp would be the wrong trade, and for a page there is a better
+  # answer than nil — its id is a UUIDv7 and carries its own creation time, which
+  # is what `created_at/2` falls back to.
   def timestamp(_missing), do: nil
 
   defp created_at(%{inserted_at: at}, _id) when not is_nil(at), do: timestamp(at)
diff --git a/lib/vutuv_web/agent_docs/markdown.ex b/lib/vutuv_web/agent_docs/markdown.ex
index d47759773..422868956 100644
--- a/lib/vutuv_web/agent_docs/markdown.ex
+++ b/lib/vutuv_web/agent_docs/markdown.ex
@@ -671,7 +671,6 @@ defmodule VutuvWeb.AgentDocs.Markdown do
       User.desired_workplace_line(doc.desired_workplace_types) &&
         "- #{gettext("Preferred workplace")}: #{User.desired_workplace_line(doc.desired_workplace_types)}",
       doc.desired_salary && "- " <> User.desired_salary_agent_line(doc.desired_salary),
-      "- #{gettext("Member since")}: #{doc.member_since}",
       fediverse_fact(doc[:fediverse]),
       count_facts(doc.counts),
       birthday_facts(doc)
diff --git a/lib/vutuv_web/agent_docs/profile_doc.ex b/lib/vutuv_web/agent_docs/profile_doc.ex
index 73bf72fec..ed3ed306f 100644
--- a/lib/vutuv_web/agent_docs/profile_doc.ex
+++ b/lib/vutuv_web/agent_docs/profile_doc.ex
@@ -138,7 +138,6 @@ defmodule VutuvWeb.AgentDocs.ProfileDoc do
       headline_markdown: user.headline,
       work_info: work_info,
       current_position: current_position(job),
-      member_since: NaiveDateTime.to_date(user.inserted_at),
       avatar_url: avatar_url(user),
       counts: profile_counts(user, viewer),
       tags: Enum.map(user.user_tags, &SectionDocs.tag_entry/1),
diff --git a/lib/vutuv_web/agent_docs/text.ex b/lib/vutuv_web/agent_docs/text.ex
index 033161642..e61738a29 100644
--- a/lib/vutuv_web/agent_docs/text.ex
+++ b/lib/vutuv_web/agent_docs/text.ex
@@ -640,7 +640,6 @@ defmodule VutuvWeb.AgentDocs.Text do
       User.desired_workplace_line(doc.desired_workplace_types) &&
         "#{gettext("Preferred workplace")}: #{User.desired_workplace_line(doc.desired_workplace_types)}",
       doc.desired_salary && User.desired_salary_agent_line(doc.desired_salary),
-      "#{gettext("Member since")}: #{doc.member_since}",
       fediverse_fact(doc[:fediverse]),
       count_facts(doc.counts),
       birthday_facts(doc)
diff --git a/lib/vutuv_web/controllers/og_image_controller.ex b/lib/vutuv_web/controllers/og_image_controller.ex
index b1b3d83e6..93842fda1 100644
--- a/lib/vutuv_web/controllers/og_image_controller.ex
+++ b/lib/vutuv_web/controllers/og_image_controller.ex
@@ -38,7 +38,6 @@ defmodule VutuvWeb.OgImageController do
   alias VutuvWeb.PostTeaser
   alias VutuvWeb.UI
   alias VutuvWeb.UserHelpers
-  alias VutuvWeb.UserHTML
 
   # How many tags the profile card offers the pill rows; the renderer keeps
   # as many as fit two rows.
@@ -47,7 +46,7 @@ defmodule VutuvWeb.OgImageController do
   def profile(conn, %{"slug" => slug}) do
     png =
       with %User{} = user <- public_member(slug) do
-        in_locale(user, fn -> OgImage.profile_png(profile_data(user)) end)
+        in_locale(user, fn -> OgImage.profile_png(profile_card_data(user)) end)
       end
 
     ControllerHelpers.send_og_image(conn, png, "image/png")
@@ -120,8 +119,14 @@ defmodule VutuvWeb.OgImageController do
     end
   end
 
-  defp profile_data(%User{} = user) do
-    Map.merge(author_fields(user), %{tags: tags(user), meta: profile_meta(user)})
+  @doc false
+  def profile_card_data(%User{} = user) do
+    # The follower count and nothing else: how long somebody has been a member
+    # is shown nowhere, so the join year this line once carried is gone.
+    Map.merge(author_fields(user), %{
+      tags: tags(user),
+      meta: OpenGraph.follower_detail(Social.follower_count(user))
+    })
   end
 
   defp post_data(%Post{} = post, %User{} = author) do
@@ -159,14 +164,6 @@ defmodule VutuvWeb.OgImageController do
     end
   end
 
-  # "7 followers · Member since 2016"; each half only when it has something to
-  # say.
-  defp profile_meta(%User{} = user) do
-    [OpenGraph.follower_detail(Social.follower_count(user)), UserHTML.member_since(user)]
-    |> Enum.reject(&(&1 in [nil, ""]))
-    |> Enum.join(" · ")
-  end
-
   # The profile's address as a reader would type it: host and handle, no
   # scheme — `www.` included when the installation serves under it.
   defp address(%User{username: username}), do: "#{VutuvWeb.Endpoint.host()}/#{username}"
diff --git a/lib/vutuv_web/fediverse/docs.ex b/lib/vutuv_web/fediverse/docs.ex
index fb78a0ece..910e87da5 100644
--- a/lib/vutuv_web/fediverse/docs.ex
+++ b/lib/vutuv_web/fediverse/docs.ex
@@ -142,10 +142,16 @@ defmodule VutuvWeb.Fediverse.Docs do
   @doc "The same address the way it is written for humans: `@member@vutuv.de`."
   def handle(user), do: "@" <> acct(user)
 
-  @doc "The Person document WebFinger points at."
+  @doc """
+  The Person document WebFinger points at.
+
+  It carries no `published`: Mastodon shows an actor's `published` as the day
+  the account joined, and how long somebody has been a member is shown nowhere
+  on vutuv (2026-09-18). A page and a topic keep theirs.
+  """
   def actor(user, %Actor{} = actor) do
     user
-    |> base_actor(actor, user.inserted_at)
+    |> base_actor(actor)
     |> Map.merge(%{
       "type" => Vutuv.Identity.ap_type(user),
       "preferredUsername" => user.username,
@@ -214,8 +220,9 @@ defmodule VutuvWeb.Fediverse.Docs do
   """
   def tag_actor(%Tag{} = tag, %Actor{} = actor) do
     tag
-    |> base_actor(actor, tag.inserted_at)
+    |> base_actor(actor)
     |> Map.merge(%{
+      "published" => iso8601(tag.inserted_at),
       "type" => "Group",
       "preferredUsername" => tag.slug,
       "name" => tag.name,
@@ -235,7 +242,7 @@ defmodule VutuvWeb.Fediverse.Docs do
   # inbox — were among the copies. The per-kind builders stay separate on
   # purpose, because half of the member document has no meaning for a page or a
   # topic; only this half is shared.
-  defp base_actor(subject, %Actor{} = actor, published_at) do
+  defp base_actor(subject, %Actor{} = actor) do
     actor_url = actor_url(subject)
 
     %{
@@ -249,7 +256,6 @@ defmodule VutuvWeb.Fediverse.Docs do
       "followers" => followers_url(subject),
       "endpoints" => %{"sharedInbox" => shared_inbox_url()},
       "manuallyApprovesFollowers" => false,
-      "published" => iso8601(published_at),
       "publicKey" => %{
         "id" => key_id(subject),
         "owner" => actor_url,
@@ -290,8 +296,9 @@ defmodule VutuvWeb.Fediverse.Docs do
   """
   def organization_actor(%Organization{} = organization, %Actor{} = actor) do
     organization
-    |> base_actor(actor, organization.inserted_at)
+    |> base_actor(actor)
     |> Map.merge(%{
+      "published" => iso8601(organization.inserted_at),
       "type" => Vutuv.Identity.ap_type(organization),
       # The page's claimed handle. Federating without one is not possible —
       # WebFinger's `subject` and this field both need an address — which is why
diff --git a/lib/vutuv_web/views/json_ld.ex b/lib/vutuv_web/views/json_ld.ex
index 90180cbe4..7c1281cc6 100644
--- a/lib/vutuv_web/views/json_ld.ex
+++ b/lib/vutuv_web/views/json_ld.ex
@@ -139,8 +139,10 @@ defmodule VutuvWeb.JsonLd do
   enrich the Person entity with the cards the page shows, and the verified
   entries of `:urls` (the member proved the page is theirs,
   `Vutuv.Profiles.LinkVerification`) join `sameAs` as identity links.
-  `dateCreated` / `dateModified` + the interaction counters are the fields
-  search engines document for profile-page markup.
+  `dateModified` + the interaction counters are the fields search engines
+  document for profile-page markup. `dateCreated` is one of them too and is
+  left out on purpose: it would say how long the member has been here, which
+  vutuv shows nowhere.
   """
   def person(user, job, user_tags, social_accounts, extras \\ %{}) do
     url = AgentDocs.abs_url("/" <> user.username)
@@ -148,7 +150,6 @@ defmodule VutuvWeb.JsonLd do
     %{
       "@context" => "https://schema.org",
       "@type" => "ProfilePage",
-      "dateCreated" => iso_utc(user.inserted_at),
       "dateModified" => iso_utc(user.updated_at),
       "mainEntity" =>
         compact(%{
diff --git a/lib/vutuv_web/views/user_html.ex b/lib/vutuv_web/views/user_html.ex
index bac2da432..447471c4f 100644
--- a/lib/vutuv_web/views/user_html.ex
+++ b/lib/vutuv_web/views/user_html.ex
@@ -277,29 +277,6 @@ defmodule VutuvWeb.UserHTML do
     end
   end
 
-  @doc """
-  How long the account has been on vutuv, derived from `inserted_at`.
-
-  "Member since 2008" for an older account; "Member since February 2026" when
-  the account was created in the current year, where a bare year reads oddly
-  for a fresh profile so the month is spelled out. Follows the viewer's locale
-  via gettext. Returns nil for an unsaved struct with no `inserted_at`.
-  """
-  def member_since(%Vutuv.Accounts.User{inserted_at: %NaiveDateTime{} = inserted_at}) do
-    joined = NaiveDateTime.to_date(inserted_at)
-
-    if joined.year == Vutuv.BerlinTime.today().year do
-      gettext("Member since %{month} %{year}",
-        month: month_name(joined.month),
-        year: joined.year
-      )
-    else
-      gettext("Member since %{year}", year: joined.year)
-    end
-  end
-
-  def member_since(_user), do: nil
-
   @doc """
   The profile header's picture, and the click that opens it at full size
   (issue #1528).
diff --git a/priv/dev_docs/data-model.md b/priv/dev_docs/data-model.md
index 3536404df..101657b06 100644
--- a/priv/dev_docs/data-model.md
+++ b/priv/dev_docs/data-model.md
@@ -43,7 +43,6 @@ The central entity. A member (`type: "profile"` in API responses) has:
   **Honor these**: if your app feeds profiles into an LLM, skip members
   with `"noai?": true`. (The public `.json`/`.md` pages carry the same
   choice as `Content-Signal` and `X-Robots-Tag` response headers.)
-* **`member_since`:** the registration date.
 
 A member who never verified their email address, or who is currently
 moderated, is invisible through the API — see
diff --git a/priv/gettext/de/LC_MESSAGES/default.po b/priv/gettext/de/LC_MESSAGES/default.po
index 685dd6b51..f0e8de192 100644
--- a/priv/gettext/de/LC_MESSAGES/default.po
+++ b/priv/gettext/de/LC_MESSAGES/default.po
@@ -2076,16 +2076,6 @@ msgstr "März"
 msgid "May"
 msgstr "Mai"
 
-#: lib/vutuv_web/views/user_html.ex:292
-#, elixir-autogen, elixir-format
-msgid "Member since %{month} %{year}"
-msgstr "Mitglied seit %{month} %{year}"
-
-#: lib/vutuv_web/views/user_html.ex:297
-#, elixir-autogen, elixir-format
-msgid "Member since %{year}"
-msgstr "Mitglied seit %{year}"
-
 #: lib/vutuv_web/components/ui.ex:3753
 #, elixir-autogen, elixir-format
 msgid "November"
@@ -3978,12 +3968,6 @@ msgstr "Antwort auf einen gelöschten Beitrag."
 msgid "In reply to a post by %{name}."
 msgstr "Antwort auf einen Beitrag von %{name}."
 
-#: lib/vutuv_web/agent_docs/markdown.ex:674
-#: lib/vutuv_web/agent_docs/text.ex:643
-#, elixir-autogen, elixir-format
-msgid "Member since"
-msgstr "Mitglied seit"
-
 #: lib/vutuv_web/agent_docs/markdown.ex:256
 #: lib/vutuv_web/agent_docs/text.ex:218
 #, elixir-autogen, elixir-format
diff --git a/priv/gettext/default.pot b/priv/gettext/default.pot
index 9abb5641c..2fbcea276 100644
--- a/priv/gettext/default.pot
+++ b/priv/gettext/default.pot
@@ -2038,16 +2038,6 @@ msgstr ""
 msgid "May"
 msgstr ""
 
-#: lib/vutuv_web/views/user_html.ex:292
-#, elixir-autogen, elixir-format
-msgid "Member since %{month} %{year}"
-msgstr ""
-
-#: lib/vutuv_web/views/user_html.ex:297
-#, elixir-autogen, elixir-format
-msgid "Member since %{year}"
-msgstr ""
-
 #: lib/vutuv_web/components/ui.ex:3753
 #, elixir-autogen, elixir-format
 msgid "November"
@@ -3863,12 +3853,6 @@ msgstr ""
 msgid "In reply to a post by %{name}."
 msgstr ""
 
-#: lib/vutuv_web/agent_docs/markdown.ex:674
-#: lib/vutuv_web/agent_docs/text.ex:643
-#, elixir-autogen, elixir-format
-msgid "Member since"
-msgstr ""
-
 #: lib/vutuv_web/agent_docs/markdown.ex:256
 #: lib/vutuv_web/agent_docs/text.ex:218
 #, elixir-autogen, elixir-format
diff --git a/priv/gettext/en/LC_MESSAGES/default.po b/priv/gettext/en/LC_MESSAGES/default.po
index a2c0c39e9..834ef744a 100644
--- a/priv/gettext/en/LC_MESSAGES/default.po
+++ b/priv/gettext/en/LC_MESSAGES/default.po
@@ -2036,16 +2036,6 @@ msgstr ""
 msgid "May"
 msgstr ""
 
-#: lib/vutuv_web/views/user_html.ex:292
-#, elixir-autogen, elixir-format
-msgid "Member since %{month} %{year}"
-msgstr ""
-
-#: lib/vutuv_web/views/user_html.ex:297
-#, elixir-autogen, elixir-format
-msgid "Member since %{year}"
-msgstr ""
-
 #: lib/vutuv_web/components/ui.ex:3753
 #, elixir-autogen, elixir-format
 msgid "November"
@@ -3861,12 +3851,6 @@ msgstr ""
 msgid "In reply to a post by %{name}."
 msgstr ""
 
-#: lib/vutuv_web/agent_docs/markdown.ex:674
-#: lib/vutuv_web/agent_docs/text.ex:643
-#, elixir-autogen, elixir-format
-msgid "Member since"
-msgstr ""
-
 #: lib/vutuv_web/agent_docs/markdown.ex:256
 #: lib/vutuv_web/agent_docs/text.ex:218
 #, elixir-autogen, elixir-format
diff --git a/priv/gettext/it/LC_MESSAGES/default.po b/priv/gettext/it/LC_MESSAGES/default.po
index 47768b481..a675671b2 100644
--- a/priv/gettext/it/LC_MESSAGES/default.po
+++ b/priv/gettext/it/LC_MESSAGES/default.po
@@ -2076,16 +2076,6 @@ msgstr "Marzo"
 msgid "May"
 msgstr "Maggio"
 
-#: lib/vutuv_web/views/user_html.ex:292
-#, elixir-autogen, elixir-format
-msgid "Member since %{month} %{year}"
-msgstr "Membro da %{month} %{year}"
-
-#: lib/vutuv_web/views/user_html.ex:297
-#, elixir-autogen, elixir-format
-msgid "Member since %{year}"
-msgstr "Membro dal %{year}"
-
 #: lib/vutuv_web/components/ui.ex:3753
 #, elixir-autogen, elixir-format
 msgid "November"
@@ -3985,12 +3975,6 @@ msgstr "In risposta a un post eliminato."
 msgid "In reply to a post by %{name}."
 msgstr "In risposta a un post di %{name}."
 
-#: lib/vutuv_web/agent_docs/markdown.ex:674
-#: lib/vutuv_web/agent_docs/text.ex:643
-#, elixir-autogen, elixir-format
-msgid "Member since"
-msgstr "Membro da"
-
 #: lib/vutuv_web/agent_docs/markdown.ex:256
 #: lib/vutuv_web/agent_docs/text.ex:218
 #, elixir-autogen, elixir-format
diff --git a/test/vutuv_web/agent_docs/agent_docs_drift_test.exs b/test/vutuv_web/agent_docs/agent_docs_drift_test.exs
index 64cb35503..11135623b 100644
--- a/test/vutuv_web/agent_docs/agent_docs_drift_test.exs
+++ b/test/vutuv_web/agent_docs/agent_docs_drift_test.exs
@@ -1456,18 +1456,18 @@ defmodule VutuvWeb.AgentDocsDriftTest do
 
   test "?lang=de translates the labels, English stays the default" do
     de_txt = get(build_conn(), "/drift_tester.txt?lang=de").resp_body
-    assert de_txt =~ "Mitglied seit:"
+    assert de_txt =~ "Vorname:"
     assert de_txt =~ "TAGS"
 
     de_md = get(build_conn(), "/drift_tester.md?lang=de").resp_body
     assert de_md =~ "## Lebenslauf"
 
     en_txt = get(build_conn(), "/drift_tester.txt").resp_body
-    assert en_txt =~ "Member since:"
+    assert en_txt =~ "First Name:"
 
     # An unknown language falls back to English instead of erroring.
     fallback = get(build_conn(), "/drift_tester.txt?lang=xx").resp_body
-    assert fallback =~ "Member since:"
+    assert fallback =~ "First Name:"
   end
 
   test "a linked work experience carries its verified organization page in every format" do
diff --git a/test/vutuv_web/controllers/user_controller_test.exs b/test/vutuv_web/controllers/user_controller_test.exs
index 6338deb70..82fc73553 100644
--- a/test/vutuv_web/controllers/user_controller_test.exs
+++ b/test/vutuv_web/controllers/user_controller_test.exs
@@ -141,24 +141,6 @@ defmodule VutuvWeb.UserControllerTest do
     assert html_response(conn, 200) =~ user.first_name
   end
 
-  test "profile header leaves out the join date", %{conn: conn} do
-    # The join date said little and cost the header card a line on a phone, so
-    # the card no longer shows it, in any locale. The agent formats keep it as
-    # a fact, where it costs no room.
-    user = insert_activated_user(inserted_at: ~N[2008-02-15 10:00:00])
-
-    html = conn |> get(~p"/#{user}") |> html_response(200)
-    refute html =~ "Member since"
-
-    de_html =
-      build_conn()
-      |> put_req_header("accept-language", "de-DE,de")
-      |> get(~p"/#{user}")
-      |> html_response(200)
-
-    refute de_html =~ "Mitglied seit"
-  end
-
   test "profile hides a zero follower/following counter", %{conn: conn} do
     # One follower, nobody followed back: the followers counter shows, the
     # following counter is gone (a bare "0 following" says nothing).
diff --git a/test/vutuv_web/join_date_hidden_test.exs b/test/vutuv_web/join_date_hidden_test.exs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..124474f73
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/vutuv_web/join_date_hidden_test.exs
@@ -0,0 +1,82 @@
+defmodule VutuvWeb.JoinDateHiddenTest do
+  @moduledoc """
+  Nothing a reader, an agent or another server sees says how long somebody has
+  been a member (Stefan, 2026-09-18). The date itself stays in the database —
+  the onboarding window, the sweepers and the admin views read it — only its
+  display is gone, so this module pins every public surface that used to show
+  it: the profile page, its share card, its agent formats, its schema.org
+  block, its fediverse actor and the Mastodon API's account entity.
+  """
+  use VutuvWeb.ConnCase, async: true
+
+  import Vutuv.MastodonHelpers
+
+  alias Vutuv.Fediverse
+  alias VutuvWeb.Fediverse.Docs
+  alias VutuvWeb.OgImageController
+
+  @joined ~N[2008-02-15 10:00:00]
+
+  setup do
+    %{member: insert_activated_user(inserted_at: @joined)}
+  end
+
+  test "the profile page, in English and in German", %{conn: conn, member: member} do
+    html = conn |> get(~p"/#{member}") |> html_response(200)
+    refute html =~ "Member since"
+
+    de_html =
+      build_conn()
+      |> put_req_header("accept-language", "de-DE,de")
+      |> get(~p"/#{member}")
+      |> html_response(200)
+
+    refute de_html =~ "Mitglied seit"
+  end
+
+  test "the share card says followers and nothing about the join year", %{member: member} do
+    follow!(insert(:activated_user), member)
+
+    meta = OgImageController.profile_card_data(member).meta
+
+    assert meta =~ "1"
+    refute meta =~ "2008"
+  end
+
+  test "no agent format carries the join date", %{conn: conn, member: member} do
+    for ext <- ~w(md txt json xml), lang <- ~w(en de) do
+      body = conn |> get("/#{member.username}.#{ext}?lang=#{lang}") |> response(200)
+
+      refute body =~ "2008-02-15", "/#{member.username}.#{ext}?lang=#{lang} states the join date"
+      refute body =~ "member_since"
+      refute body =~ "Member since"
+      refute body =~ "Mitglied seit"
+    end
+  end
+
+  test "the page's schema.org block has no creation date", %{conn: conn, member: member} do
+    page = conn |> get(~p"/#{member}") |> html_response(200) |> json_ld("ProfilePage")
+
+    assert page, "the profile still describes itself as a ProfilePage"
+    refute Map.has_key?(page, "dateCreated")
+  end
+
+  test "the fediverse actor has no published date", %{member: member} do
+    {:ok, actor} = Fediverse.ensure_actor(member)
+
+    refute Map.has_key?(Docs.actor(member, actor), "published"),
+           "Mastodon shows an actor's `published` as the date the account joined."
+  end
+
+  test "a Mastodon app is told 1 April 1970 for every member", %{conn: conn, member: member} do
+    account =
+      conn
+      |> on_mastodon_host()
+      |> get("/api/v1/accounts/lookup", %{"acct" => member.username})
+      |> json_response(200)
+
+    assert account["created_at"] == "1970-04-01T00:00:00.000Z",
+           "`created_at` is required and apps show it as the join date, so every " <>
+             "member gets the same placeholder in Mastodon's own shape."
+  end
+end
diff --git a/test/vutuv_web/json_ld_test.exs b/test/vutuv_web/json_ld_test.exs
index 604984769..eb460bb80 100644
--- a/test/vutuv_web/json_ld_test.exs
+++ b/test/vutuv_web/json_ld_test.exs
@@ -84,11 +84,6 @@ defmodule VutuvWeb.JsonLdTest do
 
       db_user = Vutuv.Repo.get!(Vutuv.Accounts.User, user.id)
 
-      assert page["dateCreated"] ==
-               db_user.inserted_at
-               |> DateTime.from_naive!("Etc/UTC")
-               |> DateTime.to_iso8601()
-
       assert page["dateModified"] ==
                db_user.updated_at
                |> DateTime.from_naive!("Etc/UTC")
diff --git a/test/vutuv_web/og_image_test.exs b/test/vutuv_web/og_image_test.exs
index 30117527a..aec7574a3 100644
--- a/test/vutuv_web/og_image_test.exs
+++ b/test/vutuv_web/og_image_test.exs
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ defmodule VutuvWeb.OgImageTest do
       name: "Greta Tester",
       headline: "Developer @ Acme Corp",
       tags: ["Elixir", "Phoenix", "open source", "PostgreSQL", "Rust", "Kubernetes", "Go"],
-      meta: "12 followers · Member since 2016",
+      meta: "12 followers",
       footer: "vutuv.de/greta"
     }
 
diff --git a/test/vutuv_web/views/user_html_test.exs b/test/vutuv_web/views/user_html_test.exs
index 5d5997d16..c1526d215 100644
--- a/test/vutuv_web/views/user_html_test.exs
+++ b/test/vutuv_web/views/user_html_test.exs
@@ -1,50 +1,9 @@
 defmodule VutuvWeb.UserHTMLTest do
   @moduledoc """
-  Covers the "Member since" label on the profile's share card: just the
-  year for older accounts, the spelled-out month for accounts created in the
-  current year (where a bare year would read oddly for a fresh profile).
+  Pure helpers of `VutuvWeb.UserHTML` that need no database.
   """
   use ExUnit.Case, async: true
 
-  alias Vutuv.Accounts.User
-
-  describe "member_since/1" do
-    test "shows just the year for accounts created in a past year" do
-      user = %User{inserted_at: ~N[2008-02-15 10:00:00]}
-      assert VutuvWeb.UserHTML.member_since(user) == "Member since 2008"
-    end
-
-    test "spells out the month for accounts created in the current year" do
-      today = Date.utc_today()
-      user = %User{inserted_at: NaiveDateTime.new!(today.year, today.month, 1, 12, 0, 0)}
-      month = Calendar.strftime(today, "%B")
-
-      assert VutuvWeb.UserHTML.member_since(user) == "Member since #{month} #{today.year}"
-    end
-
-    test "returns nil when the account has no inserted_at yet" do
-      assert VutuvWeb.UserHTML.member_since(%User{}) == nil
-    end
-
-    test "follows the viewer's locale (German)" do
-      Gettext.put_locale(VutuvWeb.Gettext, "de")
-
-      assert VutuvWeb.UserHTML.member_since(%User{inserted_at: ~N[2008-02-15 10:00:00]}) ==
-               "Mitglied seit 2008"
-
-      today = Date.utc_today()
-      user = %User{inserted_at: NaiveDateTime.new!(today.year, today.month, 1, 12, 0, 0)}
-
-      de_month =
-        Enum.at(
-          ~w(Januar Februar März April Mai Juni Juli August September Oktober November Dezember),
-          today.month - 1
-        )
-
-      assert VutuvWeb.UserHTML.member_since(user) == "Mitglied seit #{de_month} #{today.year}"
-    end
-  end
-
   describe "compact_activity_date/2 (Code card last-active date)" do
     test "shows only the year for a date in an earlier year" do
       assert VutuvWeb.UserHTML.compact_activity_date(~D[2025-05-28], ~D[2026-07-09]) == "2025"