DavidDec 11, 2019
Nolan Lawson
Pretty impressive to see Twitter's CEO explain how awesome the fediverse is without once mentioning the fediverse. Is this some kind of Oulipo-like game? https://twitter.com/jack/status/1204766078468911106
Dec 11, 2019 at 3:47pmWeb
Show threadNolan LawsonDec 11, 2019

Seriously though, my brain is not doing a good job processing this news. Some quick thoughts:

- No mention of ActivityPub/Scuttlebutt/Diaspora/etc, but... "blockchain"? For some reason?
- Jack is totally right about decentralized moderation; one of the best things about the fediverse.
- Whatever standard Twitter decides upon, it will become the de-facto standard. (See: browsers and market share.)
- Struggling to understand what's in it for Twitter in all this.

Show threadNolan LawsonDec 11, 2019

For a moment, let's take Jack at his word that this is something he actually wants to do.

First off, I doubt that whatever standard they choose will be based on ActivityPub, since apparently both Jack and Parag seem to think that the problem with existing standards is: needs moar blockchain!

- https://mobile.twitter.com/jack/status/1204766085037248512
- https://mobile.twitter.com/paraga/status/1204766189139873793

Show threadNolan LawsonDec 11, 2019
Second, I see interesting comments about how this may be a strategy by Twitter to avoid the responsibility of moderation. But even in a decentralized world, Twitter would have both a client and a server (instance), and both would be under pressure by governments and activists to block other instances, the same as we see on the fediverse today.
Show threadNolan LawsonDec 11, 2019

Third, whatever standard Twitter decides on, clearly they will have the most influence over the ecosystem. I think the right analogy is not Google and Android (https://twitter.com/MastodonProject/status/1204791506143457281) but rather Google and Chrome. Google has a huge amount of influence over W3C/WHATWG without outright control of either, just because of their market share.

Presumably Twitter would have similar control, even if they create an independent commission or W3C Working Group or whatever.

Show threadNolan LawsonDec 11, 2019
(BTW, I actually don't believe that Google is 100% evil with what they're doing in web standards. They do a lot of important work in security, performance, new Web APIs, etc. They just steer things in the kinds of directions that are important to Google; that's all.)
Show threadNolan LawsonDec 11, 2019
One thing I've learned from working in big companies is that when a decision gets made, it's rarely a case of the company/CEO speaking with One Unified Voice and Thus It Was. More often, the story behind these things is just old-fashioned company politics, bureaucracy, etc. Both the "CEO/company is a clear-eyed visionary" and "company has a secret conspiratorial motive" takes are usually wrong.
Show threadNolan LawsonDec 11, 2019
So here's my take: Jack has listened to a few too many Anil Dash podcasts (https://twitter.com/jack/status/1204786758061133826), and maybe he actually is nostalgic for the old, decentralized web and wants to push Twitter in that direction. The rest of the higher-ups disagree, but Jack won't shut up about it, so they're like, "fine Jack, here's 5 headcount, go nuts." They expect him to fail, but they hope this will mollify Jack and his supporters for a few years.
Show threadNolan LawsonDec 11, 2019

Note this is just wild-ass theorizing. My main point is that there is probably a bigger story behind the headline, and that this story may be a lot more prosaic. Hopefully things will become clearer as Twitter builds up this team.

And hey, the good news is that this move sort of validates the fediverse. Twitter doesn't think we're totally nuts! Or they're scared of us! Or something!

Show threadcharlagDec 11, 2019
@nolan Jack's job is to sell snake oil. Or they want even field with Facebook? Or they're afraid of fedi? It's so weird, really.
I'm glad that people in replies said "so ActivityPub?" many times.
Show threadPhelDec 11, 2019
@nolan I love that analysis of company decision making. So often companies are seen too simplified without taking their internal politics and fights for power.
Show threadDan SchnauDec 11, 2019
@nolan I think Jack is just really far up his own ass and nothing will come of this news
Show threadMatthew Jorgensen Dec 11, 2019
@nolan they want a fediverse they can monetize is what it looks like to me.
Show threadtech? no! man, see...Dec 11, 2019

@nolan re "what's in it for Twitter" maybe they hope to make relevant-sounding noises in a desperate attempt to create buzz?

their entire trajectory for the past decade has been dropping APIs and moving to a more and more closed ecosystem, so the chances of this actually working are vanishingly slim, but the positioning could be strategic even if it goes nowhere.

Show threadMark Shane HaydenDec 11, 2019

@nolan Anyone who has a Twitter account please tweet-bomb Jack as well as the new @[email protected] account to continually remind them to avoid NIH syndrome and embrace established standards and implementations, namely ActivityPub and Secure Scuttlebutt which he seems intent on duplicating, instead of wasting resources on something destined to lack vision due to focusing on Twitter's agenda.

I hope @cwebber and @Gargron pester them regularly 

Show threaddeutrinoDec 11, 2019
@msh bold of you to assume good faith can exist in the same skull as Twitter-brand BlockchainTivitypub
@nolan @cwebber @Gargron
Show threadMark Shane HaydenDec 11, 2019

@deutrino I have no confidence in Jack, or Twitter, doing the right thing. Perhaps I could be surprised

The intention would be to bring Jack and his newly formed Bluesky "independent team" down a peg, and make it knowm to their thousands/millions of followers that Jack is no visionary on decentralization and that the idea is well established and even standardised.

@nolan @cwebber @Gargron

Show threadbhaugenDec 11, 2019

@nolan
> Struggling to understand what's in it for Twitter in all this.

1. They can keep running Twitter as is for a long time before their imaginary new protocol gets finished and they implement it.
2. They might see the handwriting of the future on their wall. As did MSFT with open source. So, embrace and extend.
3. As many people mentioned, escape from some kinds of regulation.

(Just guesses, you can do better...)

Show threadBálint SzilaksziDec 11, 2019
@nolan they wanna outsource nazis and muddy the waters wrt decentralized alternatives
Show threadDarius KazemiDec 11, 2019
@nolan re: last bullet, I think it's a moonshot vanity project, maybe in order to retain some high level staff by giving them a ball of foil to play with in their spare time
Show threadNolan LawsonDec 11, 2019
@darius Hah, I didn't read your toot, but then kind of came to the same conclusion. :) https://toot.cafe/@nolan/103290479543025010
Show threadLPSDec 11, 2019
@nolan I see it more as a way to co-opt it, they know it's a threat, they want to get out in front of it and brand their own version of the fediverse. There is no way to monetize a federated version of twitter and no way to hold on to a monopoly using open standards. He learned from Trump, say a few buzz words, blockchain, decentralized ... then watch them shuffle about wondering what you plan
Show threadAdministratorDec 11, 2019
@nolan I guess they're going to do an Apple and "invent" the fediverse themselves.
Show threadDaniel LoweDec 11, 2019
@nolan It's my belief that he wants to outsource the things Twitter doesn't want to do. He calls out specifically moderation and recommendation. Nothing in there about interoperating with other social networks.
Show threadDaniel LoweDec 11, 2019
@nolan In my imagination, Jack's vision is that Twitter becomes an identity and content broker, a common carrier with no obligations, and then other services provide a view (maybe even paying for access) into the twitterverse. And then people can go be mad at the "decentralized" views instead of Twitter while Twitter reaps all the benefits.
Show threadDavidDec 11, 2019
@nolan wait, what? That's quite a feat when the _main driver_ of the fediverse is already a direct clone of your service.
Show threadMaxDec 11, 2019
@nolan It reads like he watched Silicon Valley and thought it was a documentary. Of course, I can’t believe he’s serious until he signs the Tethics pledge.
Show threadmbrubeckDec 12, 2019
@nolan Why don't they just use URBIT???