Sharing some thoughts about Pride month, Lunduke and technology.

https://youtu.be/xhvFVCjOX7I

#linux #opensource #pride #lunduke #ramblings

Okay, so, with my decade+ of experience of being on social media, I've noticed a trend within recent years about pretty much all social platforms. I think there's a critical mass of users on a platform where it becomes impossible to properly enforce. Inevitably, there will be a sheer volume of bad actors that no matter what the platform does, cannot stop completely and it becomes public knowledge/source of scrutiny.

There isn't a single large platform I can name that doesn't have the problem of toxic behavior, child abuse/exploitation, NSFW rings, (the kind that aren't tagged/gated properly) etc. Doesn't matter what their moderation policies/enforcement is. It doesn't matter if a platform like #Discord files millions of NCMEC reports or bans millions of accounts a year. There's simply too many malicious users to handle and it's impossible to prevent them from coming back in some form or another or new ones joining the platform.

Sure, if you have say, 10,000 users, that's way easier for a small team of mods to handle, but what about 1 million? 10 million? 100+ million? There's no way a company/organization can afford a team to handle that sheer volume of communication and interaction, and we all know automated systems are deeply flawed and clearly do not stop the problem. Inevitably, a larger and larger number of bad actors slip through the cracks. Those cracks widen as more users join and moderation systems become increasingly strained. Regarding the NCMEC bit, Discord alone files over 500,000 reports, do you seriously think the NCMEC has the resources to look into every report and do something about it? Obviously not. And that's just Discord.

It's a huge reason why punitive actions don't work well, nor things like telling parents to monitor their kids. There's simply too many to keep track of all at once, and it's why I stress the importance of educational methods when it comes to protecting people. Education is a form of preventative measure instead of all the reactive ones we see on these platforms. Teaching a kid why this kind of content is harmful, how to avoid it, what to do if they do come across it, how to not get sucked into it or become a bad actor themself, etc will do way more than just a losing arms race of updating moderation systems and filters. It better addresses the cause rather than just the symptom.

All of this is simply the consequence of mass-centralization and the network effect on steroids. It's easier than ever before to connect with so many people and the possibility for interaction-- good or bad exponentially increases. Until eventually, it becomes unsustainable and causes huge swaths of harm.

#Essay #LongPost #Ramblings #SocialMedia #Commentary #Centralization #Reddit #Tumblr #YouTube #Roblox #Twitter #Facebook #Instagram #TikTok

I find it funny how there are 2D artists who try to make their 2D art look 3D and how there are 3D artists who try to make their 3D art look 2D.

#2DArtist #3DArtist #2DArt #3DArt #Ramblings

Mini data centers outside your home. Yeah… no thanks! https://youtu.be/ZoYeJwN7Rkw?si=xlBMS054F-uIQxHl

 
Well I’m not cured but I am feeling a lot better than I was earlier this week for sure. I’m on antibiotics now. I really wanted to attend the fossil festival. Now I gotta wait until next year. 🫩

:BlobCat_Masked::BlobCat_Googly_Sad: Tired of being sick already

Well. A stranger on the internet calling my situation with my dad “white people problems” brought on a new type of pain for me. Do I have to say ABUSE for you to understand? Or is it only abuse if he hits me or worse? Are you one of those who make fun of emotional abuse normally? I checked his profile, man’s in his 40’s bullying someone 12 years younger than him while also posting hypocritical things. Wow. I really hate us humans sometimes.

So of course my dad wants me to come visit for four days for Father’s Day. He wanted me to tell him by this week and he’s called me twice today. I just can’t deal with him right now. I feel kind of sick and scared when I think about going back. I want to but not to see him. I hate that I’m 30 and he still controls me with guilt and money basically. I do things he wants just so he’ll stop pushing it. I hate all of it.

Okay, I feel a lot better after eating and getting more rest. Still not feeling 💯 though. I really don’t want to have whatever virus my parents got. They cough a lot and my mom lost her voice. I live in the same house and it’s small so it’s hard to avoid their germs.

“Mother’s Day”

Today my dad will call my mom
And thank her for my existence
I do not thank her for it
But I can’t say that aloud
I am not suicidal!
But I am always terrified or unhappy
Maybe not always
How often do you feel hopeless, like you would be better off dead?
Most days, some days, or not at all?
I roll the question around in my brain
Some days.
I don’t want to die.
Actually I’m terrified of death
I want to live so badly
I want to experience everything
Fear and chronic symptoms
That’s what holds me back
Today my dad will call my mom
To thank her for my existence
Today I will take several pills
They keep me here
But they don’t fix me.