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I’ve been asked on TV hits and interviews lately to explain why decentralized social media is better, especially re: Mastodon.
How would you explain the benefits of a platform like Mastodon and the fediverse to someone in just a few sentences? How would you make the argument that platforms like Mastodon allow for more free expression than big tech controlled apps?
Would love to hear people’s thoughts! Trying to make my arguments most effective
@taylorlorenz decentralized = no single entity will control the entire network.
No oligarchy control, almost impossible to shutdown, hard to manipulate via algorithm tweaks or short: real people interact, not corporate puppets
@taylorlorenz imagine picking and choosing what to read rather than having if rammed down your throat with 'suggested content ' that you can't avoid, where you are the algorithm.
@taylorlorenz Nothing new really--just that we make the algorithm with boosting often and following widely. The effort I spend in getting into streams of content is worth the satisfaction of enriching multiple aspects of my life. Knowing that a billionaire cannot ensh*ttify this is also a big plus because the present-day game plan seems to be billionaire + media outlet = ashes.
@taylorlorenz easy. I can explore whatever shows up on my feed without worrying about it showing up in my ad portfolio. It took time for this is sink in. My curiosity or lack of ability to understand what a link is before a click it no longer punishes me by assuming that I am now into whatever that was. It's like getting out of an abusive relationship when they question everything I do.
@taylorlorenz We’re not force fed an oligarchs’ interests.
@taylorlorenz Basically, "having a small Twitter or Facebook". Most of these do not have ads, manipulative algorithms, or hidden agendas.
Like a any web application, tech savvy people are in charge of hosting it, but its easier nowadays.
Being decentralized like a spider web, you can still interact with people from other Mastodon servers, or even people from Threads. That's "The Fediverse".
Some may focus on particular interests or groups, making it easier to interact with other people.
An oligarch with extreme views cannot buy the whole thing and turn it into a data mining, propaganda shit show. See X.
With Mastodon if someone turns an instance into something you do not approve of, you can move your entire acct to a new instance w/out losing followers.
Mastodon is the anti-influence platform
On the social web we are
- free from the influence of megalomaniacs or any one person
- free from the influence of VCs and profit motivations
- free from the influence of algorithmic manipulation
Plus as a bonus, you can follow a friend's "Instagram" from your "Twitter" account ✨
@haubles @taylorlorenz dear madam, thx for the info. Just wanted 2 inform: I can not open a insta account anymore. Most probably because I commented my former boss' insta pictures (she was or is also model). I swear it wcharming only(after me being below her in companie's hierarchy. But I can not ask insta (META) what the (/$/&§§"!$§"/%$) is going on there. Wt i want to tell is that META can not be reached en by german federal offices...just 2 let u know 🙂 cheers Jan CT BECKMANN Diploma eng.
@haubles @taylorlorenz and even a friend's "TikTok" 🤓
@haubles @taylorlorenz that first one really isn’t true though. The fediverse has harmful parasocial and group dynamics just like every other social space. And the concentration of power in instance admins sure adds to that.
I take your point, but as you say: that’s a people problem not a technology problem. that is true of people wherever they form groups, on and offline. The fediverse is different because unlike other social networking platforms, you can vote with your feet if you find yourself in a social space that doesn’t suit you anymore, by leaving and taking your followers and followings with you.
There’s certainly more we can do as a community (and as the Mastodon org) to make our technology more resilient to toxic human dynamics. One thing we want to do is make it a lot easier for anyone to host a Mastodon instance, so if you can’t find a space that suits you, you can make your own. And we’re working on that this year! Another thing we’re considering (but is not on our roadmap right now) is adding post migration, which will make it a lot easier for people to pick up and leave when a space doesn’t suit them anymore.
We’re not trying to “fix” people here, but we are trying to make technology that is resilient to our worst habits and impulses instead of actively exploiting and compounding them. How do you think we should try to address this?
@haubles it's true that you can move instances when you want, but that's also a very clunky process that puts a lot of people off. and then there's the whole anxiety over losing connections because of how instances are or aren't federating with each other. So I don't think "you can just move" is as simple as people often claim it is.
And it's not just an issue of having to move instances. The relationship people have with their admins can also be a very unhealthy parasocial one.
@haubles I think this is very much a problem caused by the low level design of the fediverse. The way instances work in ActivityPub leads to a few people in powerful positions and that's very much an effect of the technology, not a purely social one.
@aesthr these are good points, and thank you for your feedback! As I said, we definitely want to make account migration and instance hosting better and more accessible. Stay tuned :)
*BOOSTS HARD FOR MAXIMUM CLOUT*
*ALL-FATHERS LET THE CLOUT FLOW THROUGH ME ONE LAST TIME*
@taylorlorenz Content moderation is decentralized and therefore more localized and spread out. Dispute redressal feels much more interpersonal than on corporate platforms.
@taylorlorenz It's by and about the people.
the magic of this place is that it gives the people all the power over what info, ideas and art gets attention. not governments or billionaire owners of media or corporate platforms. (not sure they'd want to hear that)
the problems with social media come down to the algos, not social media itself. that's what we're proving. the algos push a tabloid culture cause they know we'll pay attention to junk, even if we'd never share it. so they push the junk and our culture dets debased.
It’s like having a neighborhood as well as the global connection, and the health of the neighborhood depends on you and the neighbors.
@taylorlorenz
It might be useful to reference the recent news on censorship on TikTok and BlueSky and Threads and Instagram.
I like my instance's rules, but if they ever change, I can keep my name and followers and just switch instances to one where I can continue as I have been. I don't have to worry about who owns the gated garden I'm allowed to interact in or how they feel about our demented dictator's whims from minute to minute.
It's more stable. It's also more international. I know what other people think around the world.
@taylorlorenz no elon , no zuck by technical design?
@taylorlorenz 1 - There is no "algorithm" - you see posts from those you follow, unless you choose to explore.
2 - Your platform of choice does not make money by selling your personal information.
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