We're a few days into the current wave of #TwitterMigration, and we're all excited for all the #NewHere folks to have joined.
But please be mindful you are joining a social network that was not a barren, desolate desert before. It was a blooming, cozy garden.
It's not just about finding your old connections from 
, it's also about making new valuable connections with folks on here, who might have moved years ago, or who might have never had an account on hellbird.
It's also important to recognize that like any large change to a social space, and like other such migrations before, this is making many of us old-timers here somewhat anxious.
Plenty of fedi people had quit to find respite from the toxicity. So, a social contract of sorts emerged here.
It includes things that might be unfamiliar to the new arrivals — like broad use of Content Warnings ("CW" under the edit box) and expectation that images have alt text for the visually impaired.
But even though they might seem unfamiliar or perhaps a bit peculiar, these social norms are important. They helped make the Fediverse the cozy, blooming garden in the first place.
I think, and I hope you agree, that it's worth keeping it that way.
So please, don't take it the bad way when someone asks you to put a CW on something, or add an alt-text to an image. These are small asks. And with the post (hah!) edit function you can even fix it afterwards.
Let's be excellent to each other. 💜
To help #NewHere folk find their way around here, over the last few days I was boosting people liberally.
I will now be a bit more picky.
I will look for posts with a Content Warning when that's appropriate. I will avoid boosting posts with images but without an alt-text or image description in the post.
Again, it's nothing personal. I had to go through this myself: learn when to use CW, get used to writing alt-text. I am still not perfect in this, nobody is.
But we need to get a bit better.
Just to be clear, CWs and alt-text *are* extra work. And we all run out of spoons sometimes. That's okay. Don't feel bad if you genuinely cannot find the energy for them.
Also, different people will have different expectations what should and should not be CW'd. That's also okay, as long as it's a conscious choice.
What's not okay is deciding you just can't be bothered with any of this.
Fedi is a communal garden, we're all gardeners. Let's keep it cozy and blooming. 
@rysiek really helpful thread, thank you! As part of the big recent influx I'm mindful that it must be really weird for the folks who were already here. I hope we don't trample your garden! 🌷
Also thank you for that last point, I always try to add alt text, warnings etc and if I don't then it's definitely due to fatigue / short term memory problems. It's encouraging to see that is understood here too!
@moragperkins it is very well understood here. Plenty of people on fedi are acutely, personally familiar with the "spoons" concept, and recognize the importance of it.
You won't trample the garden, you are a part of it now. 
@biglinter well, it makes sense in some cases. I *want* public institutions to be present here. I could even see some value of brands being here, if done right.
But especially brands need to understand this is not . Any attempt at heavy marketing here will backfire.
@rysiek how do I add alt text though, couldn't figure it out just now.
edit: I use the web site not an app if it matters.
@rysiek I try to be conscientious, but you really can't guess what everyone everywhere might consider triggering. BTW I still stand by what I said in the first ever nonsexual topless Vlog I ever did (tagged for female nipples obviously) (don't mind the clickbait title, I'm not saying ALL trigger warnings just that some of the expectations by some of what should be spoilered gets pretty ridiculous)
@bitomag a decent guideline is "if you're not sure if a post needs a CW, it needs a CW."
And don't worry, nobody is perfect, we're all learning, and norms are fluid. I am far from perfect with CWs also.
The important thing is that we try to improve and listen to what others tell us.
@JaneFloe best way not to trample the garden is to become part of it.
Welcome. 🙂
@rysiek
Yes indeed, well said.
Also worth pointing out @[email protected]
Which is worth a follow if, like me, you weren’t habitually doing ALT text before. It’s a revolutionary idea for former bird site denizens, because it’s a bot used for the common good! If you follow/back, it will toot reminders at you if you forget to provide ALT text. Ingenious.
And I hope that old-timers like Michał won’t mind prodding us if we newbies get a bit twit-frenetic.
Chill & good will!
@ArdentArchivist right, how did I forget about @PleaseCaption ?
Absolutely *do* follow PleaseCaption, it's a great simple little tool!
@rysiek
Tested "editing" out with some direct toots at myself:
It's probably worth noting that editing (actually delete/redraft) does break the relationship between toots.
If toot b in this chain:
A>B>C
Is edited to add a CW, then toot C will be orphaned and lose its context.
Not sure how it would affect boosted toots: is a boost actually a disguised re-toot, or an invalid reference which is ignored if the original is deleted?
@lucien as soon as all Mastodon instances upgrade to 4.0, there will be proper editing, that does not break that relationship.
Mine already has, observe this post.
Edit 1: edited!
Chris Plumley
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