"The Master’s Tools Will Never Dismantle the Master’s House.” - Audre Lorde, 1984
-
"The Master’s Tools Will Never Dismantle the Master’s House.” - Audre Lorde, 1984
Thanks to the mostly one way interface from Threads to Mastodon today we saw some discontent among high follower progressive Threads accounts. These influencers, who had migrated from X, are upset that Meta censored and demoted their messages during the election. A few are saying they will now leave Threads, and go to Bluesky. Perhaps they should consider truly non-corporate social media.
1/n
-
Mastodon Migration VOTEDreplied to Mastodon Migration VOTED last edited by
"I will never again devote my energies to building up an audience on a platform whose management can sever my relationship to that audience at will." -Cory Doctorow 2024 (https://pluralistic.net/2024/11/02/ulysses-pact/#tie-yourself-to-a-federated-mast)
Sure Bluesky seems like the shiny object right now. Lots of Brazilians went there. They are getting good press for their architecture, and so far, it does not seem to be enshittified. But, what happens when some billionaire buys it nine months before the next election?
2/n
-
Mastodon Migration VOTEDreplied to Mastodon Migration VOTED last edited by [email protected]
Back in 2022 there was a moment of opportunity to create a truly open social media ecosystem. Many people created accounts here and the system struggled to deal with the influx. Also, technical features were lacking. So, people mostly went back to X, and ignored the risks associated with using the 'master's tools.' Some later went to Threads, again ignoring the obvious risks.
We should be smarter than that now.
3/n
-
Mastodon Migration VOTEDreplied to Mastodon Migration VOTED last edited by
To state the obvious. The way to build a resilient social media counterweight to corporate controlled social media is not to join another corporate social media network. The opportunity before us is to build an open system ecosystem that can not be commandeered. And the only real choice for this is Mastodon and the Fediverse.
And for this to happen, influencers will need to use their influence.
4/n
-
Mastodon Migration VOTEDreplied to Mastodon Migration VOTED last edited by [email protected]
The easy path lies in escaping from the billionaire overlords into the arms of the VCs. The path is laid out and the welcome is certain. Much more difficult, but ultimately necessary, is to not just give voice to the struggle, but actually participate in building out the open defensible systems necessary to sustain that voice. Otherwise, when we need you most, you will be silenced once again.
So, inviting you to join us here. It won't be easy, and we need your help.
5/fin
-
Jorge Candeiasreplied to Mastodon Migration VOTED last edited by
@mastodonmigration That's the main reason why I think the calls for the small fedi are very much mistaken. I understand where they're coming from, and sympathize with many of their arguments, but in the end of the day there's one simple fact that defeats them all: you can't build a true alternative to corporate media unless you find a way to attract to the fediverse as many people as possible.
That means big fedi.
-
Mastodon Migration VOTEDreplied to Jorge Candeias last edited by
Agree. We have seen to power of social media to influence through misinformation. All that it takes is for the voices of truth to be quashed. It becomes vitally necessary for us to build truthful and defensible information systems.
-
Grutjesreplied to Mastodon Migration VOTED last edited by
Of course, one of the problems are that influencers are complicit at the billionaire algorithms because they can't exist without it.
-
hybrid havocreplied to Mastodon Migration VOTED last edited by
@mastodonmigration put kindly, I think attempts to frame people bouncing off of the fediverse as being strictly due to technical challenges are disingenuous.
The largest factor, I think, was just the network effect: the accounts they wanted to follow, the content they wanted to see, just wasn't here.
Beyond that, the fediverse tendency toward HOA behavior and constant purity tests did the rest of the work.
-
Robert Linkreplied to Mastodon Migration VOTED last edited by
@mastodonmigration We are all influencers. Shine on.
-
Mastodon Migration VOTEDreplied to hybrid havoc last edited by
No disagreement. Had to fit something into 500 characters, but you could write a thesis on why it didn't stick and what issues currently exist as friction. Mastodon is in no way perfect. It has lots of problems. But it has one thing that no other viable alternative has, and that is it's an open system. The job of improving those deficiencies and strengthening the network will be very difficult, but it will be up to us, and if we are successful it will be stronger for it.
-
Mastodon Migration VOTEDreplied to Robert Link last edited by
Well said.
-
Mastodon Migration VOTEDreplied to Grutjes last edited by
Great point. They may think so, but the truth is they can. Good works are interesting to people and Mastodon has a good system for promoting good works. Breaking reliance on algorithms for promotion and demotion is the challenge.
-
hybrid havocreplied to Mastodon Migration VOTED last edited by
@mastodonmigration the AT protocol is also an open system. It's possible today to self host several elements of that architecture, and work continues on the remainder.
Every time someone here pretends that AT proto isn't open just because it's not as readily available today you lose credibility. It comes off as petty.
-
Mastodon Migration VOTEDreplied to hybrid havoc last edited by
"The master's tools..."
-
Grutjesreplied to Mastodon Migration VOTED last edited by
@mastodonmigration
Hmm. I think we're using the same word for different things.To me the "influencer" is the most capitalist and empty top down selling of air there is. It's no coincidence to me that influencers are on the rise at the same time as the extreme right is: they partly use the same mechanisms.
I would never call someone who's writing good stuff an influencer, I would call her a great author or journalist.
I'm very happy that influencers have a hard time here. -
@mastodonmigration
Maybe my understanding of the word is warped
-
Mastodon Migration VOTEDreplied to Grutjes last edited by
That is not how it was intended. Perhaps there should be another word that does not carry these negative connotations. The point is people who have influence to encourage others to help build open social media. If there is a better way to say this that would be great.
-
JimmyChezPantsreplied to Mastodon Migration VOTED last edited by
I clicked through here to a Threads post the other day and there was some dude in the comments saying you can't trust Zuck and Musk and begging people to go to Bluesky where they'll for sure do the right thing gaize... gaize?
And I'm here like
-
Mastodon Migration VOTEDreplied to JimmyChezPants last edited by
"The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result."
