Christy DenaNov 23, 2022
Robert Kingett updates

I've created a small, incomplete, list of instances with moderators of color.

The list and suggestions became to much to keep up on my own, so here is a Google document, https://docs.google.com/document/d/12pTmSMpq8lMYyYlHT25DgTmdMmE6ysUyRHGiq-E4XdQ/edit?usp=sharingp

Here's how to move accounts and take your followers with you https://docs.joinmastodon.org/user/moving/

#BlackMastodon #BlackTwitter #BlackFedi #FediTips #TwitterMigration #MastoAdmin

New Copy of Fediverse instances with moderators of color

This initially started out as a post but I am offline more than online, so cannot keep up this list. This is why anybody can edit the document. The original is hidden, but I'd encourage you all to make a wiki based on the below instances and information. Hosting your own wiki. For a fully mana...

Google Docs
Nov 22, 2022 at 3:18pmWeb
Show threadShelley PowersNov 22, 2022
@blindscribe I found that scholar. social has a scary number of CW demands. To the point where I would expect it to become problematic.
Show threadjust adrienneNov 22, 2022
@burningbird @blindscribe weirder.earth also has a real tendency to defederate everyone they don't like, including other instances completely aligned with their goals.
Show threadMr. VNov 22, 2022
@blindscribe https://blacktwitter.io is one I've run across and seems to be a good instance from the people I've interacted with there.
Black Twitter

Remember when you first heard about Black twitter and thought it was actually a separate website? Was that just me?

Mastodon hosted on blacktwitter.io
Show threadMortSinyxNov 22, 2022
@blindscribe, what make those moderators only proof of concept? I have seen many of the respective instances in production for quite a while now.
Show threadclacke: exhausted pixie dream boy 🇸🇪🇭🇰💙💛Nov 22, 2022
@cnx @blindscribe Not proof of concept, not point of contact, not proof of capacity or the Pirates of the Caribbean, the most common interpretation of PoC outside technology and industry:

Person/People of Color
Show threadMortSinyxNov 22, 2022

Thanks, @clacke, I don’t see that abbreviation outside tech very often. It creeps me out a bit that such phrase categorizing people by race is actually commonly used so casually, but I guess since the Anglosphere is predominantly white it makes other races exotic 🤷🏎

FWIW I wouldn’t be exactly comfortable were I to be recommended on the interwebs because of my skin color, unless my physical appearance is relevant to the job or work. Highlighting cultural distinction on the other hand is more appropriate IMHO, and I hope umbrella terms for it will gain more traction.

Cc: @blindscribe

Creative work - Wikipedia

Show threadckohtalaNov 23, 2022

@cnx

the reality for many is being ignored, overlooked, underestimated precisely because of the colour of their skin

@clacke @blindscribe

Show threadMortSinyxNov 23, 2022

Indeed @ckohtala, but the interwebs is not meatspace. Verifying someone‘s skin color here is the equivalence of finding out the color of an IRL acquaintance’s toilet bowl. It’s not necessarily classified information (as in, fine to be shared) and most likely to be white, but choosing who to hang out with based on such information is creepy nevertheless, if not fetishizing.

Now culture, one the other hand, is entirely different, despite the large intersection because the majority of anglophone cyberspace is from the West. A purple guy online is more likely to appear similarly to a green gal from the same hood than another purple guy half the globe away. Shouldn’t our language reflect such distinction?

File:Internet dog.jpg - Wikipedia

Show threadGigi 🍄‍🟫Nov 24, 2022

@cnx @ckohtala

Uh.
Wtaf people?

Show threadGreg MinshallNov 23, 2022
@clacke @cnx @blindscribe cnx, could you expand on umbrella terms for cultural distinctions, maybe some examples? thanks in advance.
Show threadMortSinyxNov 24, 2022

IDK TBH @minshall, I suppose it depends on what you’re looking for. The Internet is a global space, IMHO it’d be better to be specific rather than trying to group irrelevant cultures based on their popularity. If you belong to X and look for cultural enrichment, you might wanna ask for stuff in non-X.

My main gripes with calling the majority of the world population color in everyday conversation are (1) we are just as human as the rest, so why the special treatment, be it good or bad and (2) it’s just technically wrong since white is composed of more colors than any other.

Cc: @clacke and @blindscribe

Show threadGreg MinshallNov 26, 2022
@clacke @blindscribe @cnx
thanks. i'm also not a fan of using color as a means to label ("summarize", i guess?) people. in the US context, e.g., "African-American", "Euro-American", etc., seem better, though not perfect.
Show threadKim Spence-Jones #FBPENov 27, 2022
@cnx I agree. It gives me deep sadness every time I see people looking for a safe space because of their skin colour. In the mid-twenty-first century, that really shouldn’t have to be a thing, though I do understand why it is needed.
Show threadCeil Kessler (she/her)Nov 22, 2022

@blindscribe Just wanted to flag this post for @BlackAzizAnansi, who's been scouting out this place for his followers in the Black community.

Others servers in the @'s as well.

Notable: if people don't want to move, know that they can check out these servers and they might just find good follows there, too. Just search the server name and check out the profiles that pop up.

Show thread@pineywoozle ‘s #3WordNoteNov 22, 2022
@blindscribe Do you mind if I share this on #twitter ?
Show thread🧷 et al. | &​Nov 22, 2022
@blindscribe JSYK currently weirder.earth is invite only, rage.love is very limited entry, and writeout.ink is closed for entry right now!
Show threadMike HuntingtonNov 22, 2022
@blindscribe Hello! Admin for NeoVibe.app here! 🖤
Show threadThe Peoples of KuxtalNov 22, 2022
@blindscribe this is awesome. Thank you!
Show threadAnna PanekNov 22, 2022

@blindscribe

although once should also note that the instance block list and the speed with which admins are able to react to racist trolling is worth a look too.

Look at the instances that had to be blocked for racism by chaossocial:
https://github.com/chaossocial/about/blob/master/blocked_instances.md

I would definitely take a look at this too when deciding if I call a server/instance as a good home for a POC.

Like imagine Kanye making own server suddenly... is this a POC instance then? POC with a confederate hat...?

about/blocked_instances.md at master · chaossocial/about

Contribute to chaossocial/about development by creating an account on GitHub.

GitHub
Show threadTomNov 22, 2022
@blindscribe curious, and apologies for my ignorance if that’s the case. Why does it matter what colour the moderators are?
Show threadSarahNov 22, 2022

@dosboi @blindscribe lived experience. It shouldn't matter but it does.

it's absolutely more likely that a moderator who isn't white will be a safer moderator for non white folks. Sure other white moderators might be good or even great at spotting racism in interactions, but if there is already someone (or more than one) non-white on the team it's more likely to be a safer instance.

Show threadTomNov 22, 2022
@froodie @blindscribe fair enough, thanks. It’s a shame trolls out there that need this level of moderation.
Show threadSarahNov 22, 2022
@dosboi @blindscribe ah there's the thing. The trolls are not the only issue. There's plenty of well meaning white folks who simply do not understand the experience of Black people and other marginalised folks on social media. Step one is always listening 👍 there's plenty of people who have been here dealing with this stuff for years.
Show threadTomNov 22, 2022
@froodie @blindscribe and this why I’m a much happier person when using the platform. My ears are open, and I want to understand and grow as a person. It’s been a long time since I’ve had this chance, so again. Thanks for sharing your thoughts
Show threadSarahNov 22, 2022
@dosboi @blindscribe and thanks to you for asking 👍
Show threadTeresa Rothaar  Nov 22, 2022
@froodie @dosboi @blindscribe I'm white, and I agree that I can't fully grasp the experiences of BIPOCs, anymore than I could fully grasp those of blind people, or people in wheelchairs, or trans people. We all live in bubbles.
Show threadTomNov 22, 2022
@DancesWithCybermen @froodie @blindscribe indeed, it’s important to ask questions. It’s a habit we grow out of and it stops us learning like we did as kids.
Show threadTeresa Rothaar  Nov 22, 2022
@dosboi @froodie @blindscribe I recently posted a whole rant about aging vs. getting old. Aging is an inevitable physical process. Getting old is a mindset, a choice. When we choose to stop learning, we get old. I will never allow myself to get old.
Show threadTomNov 22, 2022
@DancesWithCybermen @froodie @blindscribe here here.
Show threadSarahNov 22, 2022
@DancesWithCybermen @dosboi @blindscribe am also white, to be clear 😱
Show threadMike HuntingtonNov 22, 2022
@dosboi @blindscribe This question is a great example of why. Moderation requires diversity and the understanding of what could be offensive to a group of people. Sometimes we say things out of ignorance that is reported and a moderator may not see it as offensive. But when you have a diverse group of mods from all backgrounds, it can shed better light on those things.
Show threadTomNov 22, 2022
@mikey @blindscribe thanks again. A diverse group makes a lot of sense. I think I misunderstood that it was exclusively POC mods.
Show thread🧷 et al. | &​Nov 22, 2022
@dosboi @blindscribe because it's literally impossible for white people to understand the experience of being a person of color, & white people are taught to act as superior to POC, which is a bias that can be unlearned but not erased.
this means that even well meaning white people are very likely to act on harmful biases against POC, and especially on mastadon, numerous white-run instances have had serious incidents of racism that doesn't really occur when, say, a Black trans woman is in charge.
Show threadAtypical American AbroadNov 22, 2022
In tech spaces, where white men dominate, a little diversity helps.
Show threadAlonNov 22, 2022
@blindscribe scholar.social is the one where a professor got yelled at to put an "I voted" sticker behind a CW.
Show threadDaphneNov 22, 2022

@blindscribe I think this is a great idea and important endeavor and I want to support it.

I wanted to learn more about how these servers are being moderated and what kind of experiences users could expect if they join, so I looked up their lists of limited and suspended (aka blocked) servers.
(cont)

Show threadDaphneNov 22, 2022

@blindscribe

Here are the about or about/more pages of those above mentioned hosts which share their Moderated Servers list:

https://weirder.earth/about/more
https://rage.love/about/more
https://mastodon.art/about
https://writeout.ink/about/more
https://mastodon.ie/about
https://kolektiva.social/about/more

These hosts aren't currently sharing their Moderated Servers lists publicly:
https://scholar.social/about
https://blacktwitter.io/about/more
https://queer.garden/about
https://neovibe.app/about

weirder.earth

Hometown is adapted from Mastodon, a decentralized social network with no ads, no corporate surveillance, and ethical design.

Hometown hosted on weirder.earth
Show threadblueishNov 22, 2022
@blindscribe it's worth noting that weirder.earth will be suspending federation with .social and .online in a few days, so people migrating there from twitter probably won't get the easiest to understand experience
Show threadNonieNov 22, 2022

@blindscribe

Here's how to bulk import ALL of the people you follow on Twitter:

https://debirdify.pruvisto.org/

Debirdify -- provides a downloadable list of people that you follow on Twitter who indicated they have an account on Mastodon in a format that you can upload to Mastodon to repopulate your follow list

#twitter #TwitterMigration

Debirdify

This is a web app that helps you find out which of the people you follow on Twitter are on Mastodon/in the Fediverse already and follow all of them easily.

Show threadEmony 🏳️‍⚧️Nov 22, 2022
@blindscribe I'm half-Chinese and was raised/identify as Hoklo Chinese, and I'm the admin for yugioh.social, if you'd like to add that.
Show threadAngieStone 🌳 Nov 22, 2022
@blindscribe @serenissima
Show threadCleeyvNov 22, 2022
@blindscribe the moderation team of the kolektiva.social instance is listed at the bottom of their about page:
https://kolektiva.social/about/more
I know some of them are not white, and this part of their moderation document seems relevant as well: "We are aware of the broad conversations taking place around anti-Blackness and other forms of racism on the fediverse, and we take this seriously."
kolektiva.social

A collective effort to offer federated social media to anarchist collectives and individuals in the fediverse. Registrations are open. Kolektiva.social is made by anarchists and anti-colonialists, for the social movements and for liberation!

Mastodon hosted on kolektiva.social
Show threadBlogfeedserNov 22, 2022
@blindscribe @joenepraat @kiara
Show threadKaren Swim, APRNov 22, 2022
@blindscribe Thank you so much!
Show threadCollector Of DreamsNov 22, 2022
@blindscribe i am still learning this rss. IS It posible to change Rooms constantly? Maybe IS bothering to do that for the hosts...
Show thread@Null ™️Nov 22, 2022
@blindscribe @ramez
Show threadPiper CarterNov 22, 2022
@blindscribe thank you
Show threadOne Meat Ball ✔️Nov 22, 2022
@blindscribe I've had no issues or problems with mstdn.party. See no particular reason to jump ship at this point. Searching #BlackMastodon works well enough where I am.
Show threadmoirajsaucerPoetNov 22, 2022
@blindscribe @Tinu Maybe this information will help.
Show threadJennaMagnuskiNov 22, 2022
@blindscribe are there listings of instances that aren't the ones Mastodon offers you upon joining? I don't know where to look!
Show threadLucy BernholzNov 22, 2022
@blindscribe thank you!
Show threadGoofriderNov 22, 2022
@blindscribe I think it should be noted that many of these are specialized communities that block other instances quite aggressively. Many of them already block mastodon.social, some even block fosstodon.org.
Show threadSam YoungNov 23, 2022
@goofrider @blindscribe that’s because they’ve had a lot of bad experiences with the people on those servers. If they’re getting racist abuse why shouldn’t they block servers, that’s what the tool is there for.
Show threadSteveNov 22, 2022
@blindscribe seems a bit racist
Show threadSam YoungNov 23, 2022
@the_person @blindscribe these are safe spaces that don’t tolerate racism so we can build our communities just like the LGBTQA, political left, political right (which are majority white spaces). That’s not racists. That’s protecting the users from hate.
Show threadSarahNov 26, 2022
@the_person @blindscribe this is the only thing you've ever posted? What a wonderful snapshot of your personality Steve 🤣
Show threadMax GuthierNov 23, 2022

@blindscribe

Make #BlackFedi a bigger thing and I'll celebrate. Admins can try to be allies all they want but it will not be the same as a space organized by the community itself. The #Fediverse is not immune to minority abuse (far from it), it only gives us instance admins as another line of defense against trolls and we definitely should be on instances we trust in that regard.

Show threadPaul BowsherNov 23, 2022
@blindscribe @Floppy it’d be great to be able to put mastodon.me.uk on this list
Show threadJames Smith 💾Nov 23, 2022
@boffbowsh it really would! Definitely something I want to improve is the diversity of the mod team.