Show threadTexan_ReverendApr 14, 2024

It's important for folks to know that reports are always investigated. The posts will be read, the user's post history considered, and their server's Local Feed potentially reviewed.

If bigoted/inappropriate posts are common and unmoderated on the public feed, the server will be blocked. In some cases, reading those posts and their replies will lead to other servers with similar behavior which then also get blocked.

So, even just one report can sometimes have a big impact.

2/2

#KindSocialMod

Texan_ReverendApr 14, 2024

I've been reading posts from all different servers about users' hesitance to utilize the report function, and I'd like to make some things clear regarding how Kind.Social handles reports.

First and foremost, please use it. I understand it takes up spoons/energy, and it may not always be worth it to you, but please, report whenever possible.

Kind.Social will always prefer extra reports over users having to endure hateful or rule-breaking content.

1/2

#KindSocialMod

Show threadTexan_ReverendOct 19, 2023

@Shards The Owner label that got applied to my profile during the latest update of the Mastodon server software just indicates that mine is the account set as the publicly visible Admin on the server's About page.

I can always make another account/person an Admin and then set that account as the one on the About page, making them the Owner.

So, to answer your question: it can be transferred entirely. Though, as you said, it's unlikely I'll be interested in leaving anytime soon.

#KindSocialMod

Texan_ReverendAug 16, 2023

If you experience an account repeatedly Following you, sometimes with days or weeks in between, they are likely trying to get you to Follow back to build their Follower count. I find this practice quite annoying and view it as a form of spamming. So, Kind.Social users, I encourage you to Report any account that does this to you.

#KindSocialMod

Texan_ReverendAug 8, 2023

Kind.Social welcomes and encourages independent creators, small businesses, and their promo posts.

While nobody's interested in banner ads for Amazon, an indie book store posting about some new arrivals or a gaming shop sharing upcoming tournament details is fine.

I ask that Public promo posts like that, from businesses or individuals, be kept to 5 or fewer per day. If posting more than that, those posts should be set to Unlisted. This prevents flooding our Local feed.

#KindSocialMod

Show threadTexan_ReverendJul 26, 2023
@ekimekim I did use the Admin Announcement once for server downtime. If it's relevant to everyone and time-sensitive, as opposed to general procedure questions or something, then an announcement begins to look like a good idea.
#KindSocialMod
ekimekimJul 26, 2023
Hey @Texan_Reverend, I'm working on a Mastodon bot and reading API docs, I see this thing called an "admin announcement". As far as I can tell when you have things to say about the server (eg. maintenance) you generally just make a normal post. Out of curiosity, do you consider this other kind of admin "broadcast" to be too heavy handed / unnessecary, or under what circumstances would you use it? #KindSocialMod
Show threadTexan_ReverendJul 17, 2023
@niphette @Graham_LRR @Lachlan As a brief aside, much fearmongering has been made over admins/moderators having access to DMs, but that's true of every platform. Facebook & Twitter have both had legal issues from mods searching DMs for nudes or sensitive data. In some cases even trying to blackmail people.
At least Mastodon puts a warning right in the DM interface that tells you there's no encryption & that you should use something more secure for sensitive information.
#KindSocialMod
Show threadTexan_ReverendJul 17, 2023
@niphette @Graham_LRR @Lachlan We take one additional step that most servers don't, though. Kind.Social has Authorized Fetch enabled. This means that for a server to be able to pull & potentially store posts/data, it has to be authorized to do so. If that server is blocked/defederated it will not be allowed to access that information.
Without that, while our users wouldn't see blocked users/servers, those blocked could still see posts here, & their servers could still pull data.
#KindSocialMod
Show threadTexan_ReverendJul 17, 2023
@niphette @Graham_LRR @Lachlan Yes. The protocol connecting the whole network has access to the majority of the same post data. Only servers that have a connection to your home server will ever attempt to pull and store it, but yes there is access. No type of Mastodon post is encrypted, so it's possible for admins/mods to view them if something like harassment comes up. The overwhelming majority of folks have neither the time nor inclination to just rummage through them, though.
#KindSocialMod