Matt BlazeDec 20, 2022

About a month ago, I observed that two main things I found lacking here vs. Twitter were accounts from professional creatives (artists, etc) and discussion of breaking news.

The creatives have definitely started to arrive. But the breaking news has been much slower. However, it also seems like breaking news is starting to disappear from Twitter.

I wonder what will fill that gap. Perhaps it will be here, eventually.

Show threadMatt BlazeDec 20, 2022
Up until very recently, if there was something important going on anywhere in the world, it was virtually certain to be in my Twitter feed. Not just RTs of media reports, but discussion, etc. That just doesn't seem to be true any more over there. And it's not here yet.
Show threadMatt Blaze
I suspect this has much less to do with software features, and algorithms and more to do with culture and who's come over here.
Dec 20, 2022 at 6:51pmWeb
Show threadMatt BlazeDec 20, 2022
A bunch of people telling me I’m “wrong” to want, or would be “better off without” real-time access to breaking news and firsthand accounts. Maybe that’s true for you. But please don’t presume to speak for me. Not everyone wants or needs the same things.
Show threadMatt BlazeDec 20, 2022

The implication, explicitly stated or otherwise, is that if I want those things, I don’t belong here; I should go elsewhere.

I’m staying. Deal with it.

Show threadJonathan EvansDec 20, 2022
@mattblaze I'm hoping with bated breath that news organizations set up their own instances. If they run afoul of any instance's terms, they can defederate. I'm planning to keep my account on the most inclusive instance possible
Show threadNini BonbonDec 20, 2022
@jonathanevans @mattblaze Me too. It seems my favourite accounts barely interact with or post on Twitter anymore, so I don’t get much value here yet, and no longer get much value there anymore…
Show threadmizDec 21, 2022
@jonathanevans @mattblaze why r communities called instances on Mastodon. It seems like a rather clunky way to describe “community.”
Show threadMatt BlazeDec 21, 2022
@mizerello @jonathanevans it’s derived from a technical term for an individual server. And “community” isn’t quite right, since members of the same (social) communities might be on different (technical and administrative) instances.
Show threadmizDec 21, 2022
@mattblaze @jonathanevans
Thanks! I understand it more. Getting used to the different lingo.
Show threadDrew Crecente Dec 20, 2022

@mattblaze

We're glad you are here and are glad that you're staying.

Some of the nuanced conversations and perspectives are already here. But it will take a little time for some of the policy folks & experts to find us -- and then some time for the "fediverse" to find them.

But: once that is achieved and we are firmly in our groove we will be set.

We will no longer rely on the whims / vagaries of a single entity to keep a good thing going.

Show threadZardusDec 20, 2022

@mattblaze I've been glancing at my instance's Federated Timeline every once in a while and have started to notice more and more discussion of (even non-Musk-related!) current events, fwiw. Definitely agree it's not on the old-Twitter levels, but it feels like something that might be slowly fixing itself.

Maybe we should also be the change we see in the world. My current event: I just ate a great burrito! Happy to discuss.

Show threadstd::polarDec 21, 2022
@Zardus @mattblaze True. Makes sense giving the volume of journalism accounts that migrated over the last weeks.
Show threadJohn MinnihanDec 20, 2022

@mattblaze
are you getting a lot of the scoldings?

i haven't seen any yet so this is a genuine question

Show threadJosh O'Connor-ChenDec 20, 2022
@jbminn @mattblaze I don't think there are directed scoldings, just a lot of proclamations.
Show threadNonya Bidniss 🥥🌴Dec 22, 2022
@jbminn @mattblaze I'm not seeing it either but Blaze has 21k followers so his chances of getting scolds in his mentions are greatly amplified. Sometimes I'm really glad my circle is small because honestly I will block a fool or an irritant without hesitation 😏
Show threadJames GardnerDec 20, 2022
@mattblaze definitely missed the prior Twitter regimes 'bow wake' of news that I was expecting to see either here or there from the latest Cali earthquake
Show threadRabid Rabbit 🇨🇦🇬🇧🇪🇺🇺🇦Dec 20, 2022

@mattblaze

Access to breaking news and commentary was one of the things that drew me to Twitter.

Having it here is necessary.

Show threadLee GrayDec 20, 2022
@the_rabid_rabbit @mattblaze totally agree.
Show threadDuende ModeDec 20, 2022
@mattblaze Just curious... are there specific accounts you're looking for that are---at least, as of yet---not represented here?
Show threadMatt BlazeDec 20, 2022
@scduende no. Published news is easy to find (here or elsewhere) if you’re looking for it or know to look. I’m talking more about firsthand accounts, developing stories, emergencies, etc.
Show threadDuende ModeDec 20, 2022
@mattblaze oh, OK, thank you!
Show threadJake Is Writing (Allegedly)Dec 20, 2022
@mattblaze The newsmakers haven't jumped aboard yet. The politicians, the business owners, the marketing directors, yada yada yada...that'll pull people over here too, one would think.
Show threadChristian HuitemaDec 20, 2022
@callmejake @mattblaze The early investors in Twitter actively cultivated journalists and politicians as a way to grow the influence of the Twitter platform. That's easier to do when a centralized organization can dedicate budget, manpower, etc.I wonder who could drive similar lobbying for a distributed network.
Show threadJake Is Writing (Allegedly)Dec 20, 2022
@huitema @mattblaze It might take a group of influencers making their own server on here, tbh. If I know anything about influencers an famous people, they love exclusivity. If a server can be cordoned off that's exclusive to them, they might bite, but then that gates off a particular part of the fediverse and I dunno if they wanna start doing that either.
Show threadJeffrey VagleDec 20, 2022
@mattblaze I agree. There are folks who, because of expertise, etc, become natural nodes around which these conversations grow. As they appear here, so will the conversations, I think.
Show threadJeffrey VagleDec 20, 2022
@mattblaze There also seems to be some reticence based on unfamiliarity with the concept and culture. To the latter element, I think some culture scolds have dampened enthusiasm for the twitter style, at least initially.
Show threadMatt BlazeDec 20, 2022
@jvagle another thing that seems to be missing (or significantly dampened) here is political activism, protest organization, etc.
Show threadJeffrey VagleDec 20, 2022
@mattblaze Also possibly related to the occasional culture policing that pops up.
Show threadIan Coldwater 👻🌿Dec 20, 2022
@jvagle @mattblaze The lack of quote posts and discoverability also doesn't help
Show threadJeffrey VagleDec 20, 2022
@ian @mattblaze Indeed. We've become twitter diaspora.
Show threadMatt BlazeDec 20, 2022
@jvagle @ian well, now you’re going to get yelled at by the “mastodon is perfect, don’t touch it” scolds.
Show threadIan Coldwater 👻🌿Dec 20, 2022
@jvagle @mattblaze yesterday's post devolved into people yelling at me for besmirching the good name of emacs, so
Show threadJeffrey VagleDec 20, 2022
@ian @mattblaze Always a risk with religion arguments.
Show threadbrandon 🌻Dec 20, 2022
@ian @jvagle @mattblaze certainly unusual for the internet to react with such vim and vigor over something as inconsequential as editor choice
Show threadIan Coldwater 👻🌿Dec 20, 2022
@mattblaze @jvagle @bdimcheff
Show threadbrandon 🌻Dec 20, 2022
@ian @mattblaze @jvagle was it something I sed?
Show threadIan Coldwater 👻🌿Dec 20, 2022
@bdimcheff @jvagle @mattblaze awk-ward
Show threadArne VisscherDec 20, 2022
@ian @bdimcheff @jvagle @mattblaze this is turning into a cat-astrophy and I love y’all.
Show threadNorman WilsonDec 20, 2022
@zomgwtfbbqkewl @ian @bdimcheff @jvagle @mattblaze ed(1) is the standard editor.
Show threadSuzanne Aldrich (she/her)Dec 20, 2022
@zomgwtfbbqkewl @ian @bdimcheff @mattblaze @jvagle joe mama so old she don’t know nano
Show threadArne VisscherDec 20, 2022
@bdimcheff @ian @jvagle @mattblaze I had a real good laugh when @nova tried to launch emacs during the maintenance yesterday. Y’all should go watch the VOD 
Show threadSethOnOps Dec 20, 2022
@ian @jvagle @mattblaze
Wait... emacs has a good name?
Show threadIan Coldwater 👻🌿Dec 20, 2022
@jvagle @mattblaze @SethOnOps that's not what I Hurd
Show threadJohn MinnihanDec 20, 2022
@ian @jvagle @mattblaze
[perl clutching] well, i do declare
Show threadleifnixonDec 20, 2022
@ian @jvagle @mattblaze That was a bad thing, and you should feel bad.
Show threadMatt BlazeDec 20, 2022
@ian @jvagle @leifnixon It’s amazing how much you can learn about a person from their choice of text editor. It’s a window into the soul.
Show threadBlake LeonardDec 21, 2022
@ian
Discoverability is opt-in, you use hashtags for that. Like CWs, it's a consent thing.
Quote posts have been primarily used for bullying. You notice how it's more conversational here? That's (part of) why.
I don't know any good use that couldn't be accomplished by replying or just boosting.
That being said, the beauty of Mastodon is that you could add it yourself (or find someone who has).
Lastly: you don't want to recreate Twitter. I promise.
@jvagle @mattblaze
Show threadMatir Dec 20, 2022
@mattblaze @jvagle How much of that is a function of size? It's still pretty small.
Show threadSeth L. SandersDec 20, 2022
@mattblaze @jvagle Actually I found a pretty good number of the twitter political/activist accounts I follow on here too using movetodon
Show threadDan McDonaldDec 20, 2022

@mattblaze @jvagle

I'm seeing the beginnings of the sort of activism I saw on Twitter.

@KimCrayton1 is one such example.

Show threadKim Crayton ~ Her/SheDec 20, 2022
@danmcd @mattblaze @jvagle ✊🏾💛
Show threadthesuperpapagaiDec 20, 2022
@mattblaze @jvagle I've seen a lot of "activists" on here who think blocking someone on Twitter is a form of activism, but I haven't seen a lot of activists who actually go outside, talk to people and advance their cause in the real-world.
Show threadMartin Vermeer FCDDec 20, 2022
@mattblaze @jvagle There is an active #anarchism and #antifa scene though.
Show threadErik AblesonDec 20, 2022
@mattblaze I suspect that the lack of quote-post/tweet has an impact. Boosting news directly seems a little silly/redundant as the news is news and those interested will follow the appropriate sources.
But boosting without being able to add commentary seems somehow less appealing since you’ll want to explain *why* you think this thing is important (or stupid). It adds a tiny bit of friction that slows things down if you need to compose your own message linking back to the source.
Show threadDavid AndersenDec 20, 2022

@erik @mattblaze This is interesting - I agree with you, but it's purely my personal take on QT'ing. On the bird site, I used QT drastically more than RT to do exactly that: Explain to my audience why I was sharing something, instead of just saying "here, see this"

(I understand the abuse-centric arguments against QT and I'm not trying to argue one way or another, just agreeing with the observation)

Show threadschneider_EFDec 20, 2022
@erik @mattblaze As in another discussion I hope for the voices of long time M users to explain their reasoning to us newbies gentrificating the space.
Show threadJake From State HospitalDec 21, 2022
@erik @mattblaze Absolutely agree! In fact, the bit of news accompanied by expert commentary is something I miss and hope to recreate. It’s nice to have an authority cut through the spin, or conversely to amplify something I might have overlooked.
Show threadrateexportpilotDec 20, 2022
@mattblaze I've found the same, but following a few of the breaking news bots helped a bit - just search "breaking" under accounts, and you should see a few!
Show threadOliver GhingoldDec 20, 2022
@mattblaze Discoverability of breaking news events that are starting outside of your social bubble will take longer to bubble up in the Fediverse due to the lack of an algorithm, unless/until a bunch of different "breaking news" bots start categorizing things with "live" or "HappeningNow" tags and spreading things across the fediverse using bespoke algorithms of their own.
Show threadMariuszDec 20, 2022
@mattblaze what your thoughts on Post?
Show threadIain RowDec 20, 2022
@mattblaze Presumably the sheer quantity of people you could follow on Twitter, vs here, is a major reason? I only follow a couple of hundred people on Twitter, around 10% of them are on Mastodon (based on their Twitter bio, which is obviously not a perfect measure).
Show threaddavid koblasDec 20, 2022

@mattblaze I also think it's tools.

1) The tools that people are using to publish articles (e.g. NYTimes, CNN, BBC) are probably a blend of in-house and commercial, if they don't support the platform it takes real work.
2) Back to tools -- how does one monitor and respond if you don't have good tools. This little comment box doesn't cut it.