Dr. Casey FieslerNov 5, 2022

I want to make sure I'm understanding this correctly: If you switch Mastodon instances, it's easy to transfer your network/follows over (I did this), but NOT your content. Is this right? If you change instances you can't move your toots to the new one?

This makes the "don't be held hostage by a platform!" benefit less compelling doesn't it? Like what if someone just doesn't pay the bill for your instance? All your content's gone?

Am I missing something?

Show threadDan HonNov 5, 2022
@cfiesler your original posts stay at their original URL, so as not to break any links. The account itself transparently redirects to your new account.
Show threadJos Schuurmans (EN)Nov 5, 2022
@danhon @cfiesler Unless... the administrator of the original instance breaks them, or gets broken. No?
Show threadDan Hon

@josschuurmans @cfiesler Well, yeah.

The only way you can fix any of that, at all, is to run and self-host your own instance. I moved to a personal instance but even then, I'm paying an admin to do it for me (masto.host). If I really want to be sure, I'd do it myself, on a server I owned. It's all cost/benefit risk.

Nov 5, 2022 at 4:34pmWeb