Simon MiddlemissNov 29, 2022
Roj 🏳️‍🌈

Folks have mentioned that Twitter is an extremely important space for sharing #protest news across the world and as a result we should keep preserving it despite the takeover.

I get it, I am #Iranian, I have relied heavily on twitter for news sharing re protests in #Iran over the years.

But what you are missing is that those same activists and protesters are MOST vulnerable to the new Twitter regime. Misinformation campaigns will be easy, and #Putin/#China/Islamic republic will use it.

Nov 29, 2022 at 4:30amWeb
Show threadRoj 🏳️‍🌈Nov 29, 2022

I genuinely think the sooner we can create alternative spaces the better. And it’s especially better for all #marginalized communities and those who resist dictatorships.

Just my 2 cents. #china #Iran

Show threadCherylBlueWaveNov 29, 2022

@mathcolorstrees I agree.

I had been waffling back and forth, but yesterday people were discussing a change Musk wants to the TOS, so that it would no longer protect a marginalized group.

I cannot support that. I just cannot.

Show threadניצן צבי כהןNov 29, 2022
@mathcolorstrees
But how do you believe those spaces should be operated?
Show threadRoj 🏳️‍🌈Nov 29, 2022
@NizzanZvi I don’t know, I just know that place is not safe anymore.
Show threadניצן צבי כהןNov 29, 2022

@mathcolorstrees

That I understand. Didn't ask to provoke. Its a quastion I think about myself and searching for interesting answars. 🤷

Show threadRoj 🏳️‍🌈Nov 30, 2022
@NizzanZvi yes important question still
Show threadThiemo FetzerNov 29, 2022
@mathcolorstrees but isnt the challenge just to bring people over to this platform and improve the functionality/user experience on here? Eventually Twitter will just become a misinformation cesspit the more it is deprived of quality content and its doing its best to become that.
Show thread1 3₂+7Nov 29, 2022
@mathcolorstrees Good two cents, I completely agree! Switching over here was a great decision!
Show threadJR 🏳️‍🌈Nov 29, 2022

@mathcolorstrees

The twitter we knew and no longer exists. Holding on to the thing that only carries its name it will never bring it back. It will instead support the fomenting of hate and insane whims of its evil clown of a leader.
We will find new spaces, New voices. We will be heard - without Twitter or Elon Musk's permission.

Show threadNinaBina11Nov 29, 2022
@Lucky188 @mathcolorstrees it’s like a good relationship gone bad.
We loved it once.
But people/things change.
I miss the old bird app,
But it’s gone.
Show threadTeresa Rothaar  Nov 29, 2022
@mathcolorstrees I've been thinking along the same lines. Twitter simply isn't fixable at this juncture, and continuing to use it perpetuates the problem. Additionally, it wastes time and effort that is better devoted to standing up alternate spaces.
Show threadJohannes Ehsan FischerNov 30, 2022
@mathcolorstrees I've had similar discussions with Iroonies but so far they didn't wanna hear it also blaming people for leaving bird site. Couldn't agree more with you: Yes while using Twitter as much as possible for now it probably is crucial for the future of an international Iranian protest movement to build up new information infrastructures that is more resilient to corruption both from capitalists and dictatorship regimes. Thank you so much for your input!!
Show threadHtaggertNov 30, 2022
@mathcolorstrees agreed and boosted. The recent Chinese Porn campaign on coverage there shows that it is not a reliable space- so unfortunate but- we must move beyond it. I’ve seen a few ppl bust through the fediverse effectively (George Taiki) but haven’t seen news spread as easily….
Show threadSarahNov 29, 2022
@mathcolorstrees there is no quote tweeting here so I will link to this thread I wrote tonight, in which I discuss what you are saying. With all the faults of the former ownership of Twitter (and there are a bunch), Musk seems uniquely susceptible to bowing to suppressive regimes https://mstdn.social/@SarahOestreich/109424887543926850
Sarah (@[email protected])

And we can’t forget #China, a country in which #ElonMusk and #Tesla are heavily invested. If Musk intends to “hew close to the laws of countries in which Twitter operates,” one can only assume that #Twitter will suppress voices of dissidents, especially when he has a close relationship with an autocratic regime. He seems to have such a superficial view of #FreeSpeech and it really seems to be dependent on his whims. 3/x

Mastodon 🐘
Show threadRoj 🏳️‍🌈Nov 29, 2022
@SarahOestreich thank you for sharing, couldn’t agree more
Show threadSarahNov 29, 2022
@mathcolorstrees I do think some activism may have growing pains on other sites but as you so articulately noted, Twitter looks to be actively hostile to such protests. I hope such revolutionary movements can gain traction here at Mastodon and elsewhere. It will be a return to a scary place if dissidents lose what little voices they do have
Show threadCherylBlueWaveNov 29, 2022

@SarahOestreich

Thank you for sharing your thread.

I hadn't realized yet we cannot quote tweet.

I wish those of us looking for new online homes were going to the same place.

There are so many people I will dearly miss,

Show threadSarahNov 29, 2022
@CherylBlueWave thank you. I will surely miss some people from the other site, and this decentralization can make it difficult to find people and elevate their content which is certainly problematic, but I do like that our voices and who hears them aren’t subject to one mercurial billionaire’s whims
Show threadCherylBlueWaveNov 29, 2022
@SarahOestreich I agree with you 100%.
Show threadDoroteja M. Nov 29, 2022
@SarahOestreich @CherylBlueWave just create groups via https://a.gup.pe and spread the word? i thought decentralised federated social network is perfect for activism?
Gup

Show threadCherylBlueWaveNov 30, 2022

@luka

Wow! Great minds think alike?

I explored that site lat night, and wrote a toot similar to this one.

Show threadCherylBlueWaveNov 30, 2022

@luka @SarahOestrich I honestly don't know if it is.

I have only know I don't see other #TwitterRefugees I was following on that platform.

Show threadCherylBlueWaveNov 30, 2022

@SarahOestreich
I just published a toots which might be able to meet some of those some of those people.

I've been considering reaching directly back on Twitter, specific people I knew well and invite them to join us here.

Show threadchaos 🏳️‍🌈Nov 29, 2022

@mathcolorstrees
and twitter is already being weaponized against protesters in #China

https://www.theverge.com/2022/11/28/23481673/twitter-porn-spam-chinese-protests-obscuring-information

Twitter hit with wave of porn and spam obscuring tweets about China protests

Search results for major Chinese cities have become filled with spam tweets about escort services, porn, and gambling that are obscuring content about a wave of protests that have gripped the country.

The Verge
Show threadThomas SchmallNov 29, 2022

@rockfeels @mathcolorstrees the question is whether Mastodon or any other platform is ready yet to take this on.

Moderation is tough. Mastodon instance admins are not full-time professional employees. What makes us think they'll be able to defeat an attack by a sophisticated and well financed state actor?
Who is accountable if they can't?

Show threadRoj 🏳️‍🌈Nov 29, 2022
@oxpal @rockfeels sure, but the point is that Twitter is potentially worse.
Show threadThomas SchmallNov 29, 2022
@mathcolorstrees @rockfeels absolutely agreed.
Show threadchaos 🏳️‍🌈Nov 29, 2022
@oxpal @mathcolorstrees right, it’s not that mastodon or another alternative network is invulnerable to this, but that Twitter is exceptionally vulnerable with its current commander in “free speech.”
Show threadThomas SchmallNov 29, 2022

@rockfeels @mathcolorstrees with Mastodon we just don't know yet how it'll work out. I think a lot of good decisions and tech will be needed.

My prediction is that the current model of "random people moderate if they want" can't scale. It'll either lead to not enough action, or too much (just banning instances because it's easier than filtering posts).
At some point mods will be legally responsible for decisions - and that will have all kinds of complex effects.

Show threadchaos 🏳️‍🌈Nov 29, 2022

@oxpal @mathcolorstrees
‘random people moderate if they want’ means that users have options. On a centralized platform, you report a hate post, MAYBE content moderators will hide the post or suspend the user. Here you often have direct access to the team (or person) in charge of moderation for your instance.

not perfect but many admins of sm/medium instances are making it work…an argument that joining a large instance kind of defeats the benefits of decentralization

Show threadShawn NelsonNov 29, 2022
@oxpal @rockfeels @mathcolorstrees Just a thought and I’m no Developer but what about tools for community groups? In other words a way to bring users into a group (vetting so to speak) Then allow the members to moderate. ICQ had something like this with their chat groups. You could vote to boot once you reached a certain percentage of participants. The user was removed from the group chat. Something like this might take some of the pressure off.
Show threadWill RehwinkelNov 29, 2022
@mathcolorstrees Unfortunately Roja won't see this post because nixnet is blocked by mstdn.social but anyway, i found this type of argument funny because there is not really anything special about #twitter that would make it better suited for this purpose. Plenty of raw footage already gets uploaded to #youtube, more secure information sharing platforms already exist and get used to coordinate said protests...the people will find a way.
Mastodon 🐘

A general-purpose Mastodon server with a 500 character limit. All languages are welcome.

Mastodon hosted on mstdn.social
Show thread🔥RzaSha🌾🕊🩸Nov 29, 2022
@fiskfan1999 @mathcolorstrees
The truth is Iranian people are in the war with an occupied regime! Also, it's true that the forces of regime are cyberbulling and they spread misinformation! However, because of these two reasons (being in middle of war, spread misinfo) we have to use all potential every single social media! Every where regime's cyberarmy is more active, we have to be the most active! In this case the front line of war is Twitter!
Show threadjmgreshamNov 29, 2022
@fiskfan1999 @mathcolorstrees nixnet shouldn't be blocked
Show threadWill RehwinkelNov 29, 2022
@humanc3p0 @mathcolorstrees If you go to https://mstdn.social/about it is there (but the name is suspended so search for "nixn" and you'll see it)
Mastodon 🐘

A general-purpose Mastodon server with a 500 character limit. All languages are welcome.

Mastodon hosted on mstdn.social
Show threadC-richNov 29, 2022
@mathcolorstrees
❤️❤️❤️❤️
Show threadInterstelarLANov 29, 2022
@mathcolorstrees do you think that mastodon or fediverse are going to be as essential as twitter has been for quickly organizing and mobilizing protest?
Show threadRoj 🏳️‍🌈Nov 29, 2022
@jaskot at least in the context of Iran it was never used to organize protest, but to share news with the world. So I guess the answer is i don’t know.
Show threadInterstelarLANov 30, 2022
@mathcolorstrees I hope this turns out to be useful in organizing at any rate
Show threadhiding from plagues ☣️♿Nov 29, 2022
@mathcolorstrees arg fuck I didn't think of that. Not good. Is there a way to alert Iranians in Iran to move to mastodon?
Show threadRoj 🏳️‍🌈Nov 30, 2022
@smollestbunny I don’t think it really works that way unfortunately. I don’t think it makes sense to fully move right now because the audience in twitter is still huge and they need to share the news with a larger audience. More people in general need to move here and the folks sharing the Iran news need to create second accounts on here, etc. and maybe post to both for a while…do you know any tools that can post to both places?
Show threadhiding from plagues ☣️♿Nov 30, 2022

@mathcolorstrees I don't know any but @byroncclark uses something to post in both places, Byron if you can please share what tool you use to do this?

Moving here by making a second account is definitely safer imo. Lots of misinformation/disinformation going on social media about Iran atm and twitter turning into a fully right wing/Nazi hub won't really help in the long run. :/
I will share any toots I see here though. I'm mostly retreating from twitter as I don't want to be doxed by Nazis :/

Show threadByron C ClarkNov 30, 2022
@smollestbunny @mathcolorstrees this is the tool I use https://crossposter.masto.donte.com.br/
Mastodon Twitter Crossposter

Show threadhiding from plagues ☣️♿Nov 30, 2022
@byroncclark @mathcolorstrees ty Byron!
Show threadVincentNov 29, 2022
@mathcolorstrees ofc, disinformation spreads quicker than truth on twitter and the authoritarian leaders and radical groups know it
Show threadeviloatmeal, resident Death Stranding 2 apologist (arch, btw)Nov 29, 2022
@mathcolorstrees Perhaps this is glib of me, who doesn't experience these issues personally, but I've always imagined that we (well, you guys) created these important spaces in spite of how proprietary and hostile the underlying companies and technologies were, not because of them.

Which in turn means it should be feasible to create similar or even more resilient important spaces when they're based on open technologies and run by people who actively support the ideals.
Show threadRoj 🏳️‍🌈Nov 30, 2022
@eviloatmeal sure, it’s definitely possible to move. But their audience is still mostly on twitter. Twitter is not really used for organizing by Iranians as much as for spreading the protest news. And there are a lot more people there still.
Show threadeviloatmeal, resident Death Stranding 2 apologist (arch, btw)Nov 30, 2022
@mathcolorstrees That makes sense to me. A platform is only as good as how well it allows you to get your message to the intended audience.
Show threadAris TeonNov 29, 2022
@mathcolorstrees nonprofit platforms are far better for sharing news and organizing. Here there are no promoted propaganda accounts, no algorithms pushing outrage and tribalism, and no authoritarian oligarchs in charge.
Show threadStephen D’ArcyNov 29, 2022
@mathcolorstrees Yeah it’s becoming a free for all for all the nefarious cranks of the world to promote their poison & disrupt the democratic process for their own warped interests. Frightening times!!
Show threadEnrique BarcelliNov 29, 2022
@mathcolorstrees
Is there any legal or technical reason why they wouldn't be able to move their activism to somewhere else like the Fediverse?
Show threadRoj 🏳️‍🌈Nov 30, 2022
@kikobar no. Just logistics. How are you going to move all of Twitter here? The audience (the general public) is still on twitter.
Show threadEnrique BarcelliNov 30, 2022

@mathcolorstrees it is symbiotic, if the leaders moved, the crowd would move, or if the crowd moved, the leaders would move too.

If we welcome them and make the transition easy for them, we would be facilitating the process.

I think the best way we can help is by running small instances everywhere.

The more fragmented the constellation of instances, the better protected the crowd would be, as you cannot attack thousands of servers at once.

Show threadStefan MüllerNov 29, 2022
@mathcolorstrees Thanks for being here. I heard this argument several times. The solution would be to mirror these accounts here. Maybe you can tell those who post a lot about the Iran to get a Mastodon account and set up bridges so that their tweets are available here as well.
Show threadRoj 🏳️‍🌈Nov 30, 2022
@StefanMuelller I would love to! Can you share more about how to do that?
Show threadStefan MüllerNov 30, 2022
@mathcolorstrees There are web-pages that sent all your tweets to mastodon. There are several. I used moa.party until I finally decided to quit twitter entirely.
Show threaddearmouse51Nov 29, 2022
@mathcolorstrees the Twitter whistleblower Zatko testified that foreign government agents from China and Iraq had been found in Twitters employment. Due to weaknesses in privacy and security, employees can find data identifying and locating dissidents. It’s doubtful that Twitter has fixed those weaknesses. The 3 executives in charge of improving security and compliance resigned with the layoffs.