Can you imagine what the #Fediverse would look like now if the response to Gab had been "Admins don't need to block these instances, individual users can just choose whether or not to apply a user-level block (mute) themselves"?
And #Meta is even more corrosive than Gab. Gab users just posted a barrage of hate and unpleasantness. Meta is commercially incentivised to destroy what some people are inviting it into.
yr humble #fediverse servant picked up this banger from a local book purveyor yesterday
it is the autobiography of Rep. Shirley Chisholm, the first Black woman elected to the U.S. Congress. She led a remarkable life and her dry, direct wit is a pleasure to read. #bookstodon
Activity across the #Fediverse, software launches and updates, a spotlight on #HeyForm - a modern open-source form builder, and more in this week's self-hosted recap!
I can’t tell you how happy I am to get texts like these from friends. I’m so optimistic about the future of the #fediverse and always excited to talk about it.
The fediverse is still a tricky concept to explain though. I’d love to hear how you like to describe this gestures wildly at ActivityPub/Federation/Mastodon/Threads/AT Protocol/PeerTube to a friend.
🌞 Good morning #fediverse! This is GBH #News bringing you the world from #Boston. It's 58F at Logan Airport and visibility is 2.5mi.
Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley calls the latest round of student debt relief "life-changing" as the Biden administration continues to find ways to eliminate some segments of it.
Harvard says it will resume requiring standardized tests for applicants.
On this day in 1861, the U.S. Civil War began. #histodons
Today was a huge milestone in our quest to federate #Flipboard and tear down the walls around our own walled garden.
First, we launched a new version of Flipboard for iOS and Android which brings the promise of two way federation to life. Now when a federated Flipboard user curates, people in the fediverse can reply, favorite, boost or follow those Flipboard users who will in turn see that activity in their usual notifications tab. Even better, Flipboard users can directly reply to people in the fediverse -- and very soon they will also be able to follow each other.
Second, we federated some of our best curators today who are actively curating more than 10,000 magazines about everything from climate change to kale smoothie recipes. I'm grateful to our many curators and the service they provide to so many others who want to find the best content about a shared interest. I know our curators are excited to have millions more people who could potentially benefit from their curation. I also know that people in the fediverse will give a warm welcome to these curators. Especially now that everyone can hear and talk to each other over what was once two totally separate networks but now increasingly are in one and the same #fediverse.
I'm launching a new sister project to the self-hosted apps directory I launched a few weeks ago and am giving the #fediverse a sneak peek because I need your help!
What are your favorite companion apps for the self-hosted services you deploy?
They must support software that can be self-hosted, be relatively up-to-date, and can be closed source.
Comment below or send me a DM with your suggestions. Thanks!
There is a lot of criticism on the #Fediverse for people who won't leave Twitter/X. And, indeed, there are plenty of good reasons for leaving that platform, or for any other commercialized social media platform for that matter.
However, we need to remember that while these platforms are not safe for marginalized people, neither is #Mastodon and the #Fediverse by default. The user base is still overwhelmingly white and European and North American.
And, all other things being equal, this user base tends to be wealthier than other demographic groups, and has more free time as well.
This is important, as running and moderating Mastodon instances is a non-trivial investment in money and time - things that marginalized people are more likely to lack. And given how they are more likely to be subject to discrimination, marginalized people need even more and better moderation - and they likely have to do it themselves, as others are unlikely to even recognize many forms of harassment.
So, stick to Twitter/X and experience lots of harassment... or move to the Fediverse where you will also experience a lot of harassment unless you spend lots of time and resources on moderation? Time and resources you might not have in the first place?
When put that way, it's not such an easy choice to make. Especially if the vast majority of your community is still on Twitter/X, and is unlikely to move to Mastodon without a clear demonstration that the Fediverse is better for their community.
I don't have a solution for this dilemma. But we can't find a solution without recognizing the problem in the first place.
Sharing what's going on with actual #fediverse#censorship happening over on #threads. Zuck has beef with a small #nonprofit newsroom calling out #meta#facebook ethics and they've decided to try wiping it off the internet. Tell all your friends to bring their receipts to #mastodon before they're gone too
🌞 Good morning #fediverse! This is GBH #News bringing you the world from #Boston. It's 42F at Logan Airport and visibility is 10 miles.
A fire in #EastBoston displaced 30 and killed 1; community recovery efforts are underway.
The Biden administration approved a new wind power project off of #Massachusetts that will produce more power than the state's last coal-powered plant.
On this day in 1860, the first Pony Express mail delivery relay riders took off.
This is your periodic reminder that you will be happier in the #Fediverse and find it more rewarding if you are quick to follow people and also quick to unfollow / mute / block.
Quick to follow is important because that's how to build a community of interest.
Quick to unfollow etc. is even more important, because you don't owe anyone here your time or attention and you shouldn't give it to people who don't spark joy. #FediTips#fediquette