myrmepropagandistDec 28, 2022

I've been creeping around looking at a lot of people's accounts (I'm doing a survey) Noticed that people with very few followers have one thing in common: they have not boosted the posts of other people often if at all.

(When I see posts like this encouraging boosting I always think "well that person just wants boosts, whatever") That's not it. On twitter it was important to only boost exceptional content -- boost here to invite more people to join in talking about something. #mastodonhowto

Show threadScott Willsey

@futurebird

Some people I'm friends with have other people's boosts turned off, which is strange to me (why follow someone who annoys you at all?) but then sometimes boost stuff themselves... 🤦‍♂️

That seems hypocritical to me, sorry friends. 😂

Dec 28, 2022 at 8:01pmWeb
Show threadmyrmepropagandistDec 28, 2022

@scottaw

I can understand having boosts turned off for some people.

If you just want to see their original top level posts, if they are super active ... (uh like I am) it could be annoying.

I don't think it's ... like a block.

Show threadScott WillseyDec 28, 2022

@futurebird No, it's definitely not the same, I just grumpily reject the notion of turning off all boosts (which they did) and then boosting stuff to. your own followers. 😂

But yeah, turning off some boosts on an individual basis is a different thing.

Show threadjphDec 28, 2022
@scottaw @futurebird I suppose if you’re operating under the assumption that people annoyed by boosts like you are would just turn them off like you did it sort of makes sense 🤷🏼 (“you” here being the friend.)
Show threadScott WillseyDec 29, 2022
@jph @futurebird I just fundamentally don’t believe in subjecting people to things I think are detrimental to me. 🤷‍♂️ If lots of other people’s boosts make me take action to not see them, I can’t justify turning around and making other people take the same action. It really feels like a “I won’t deal with this, but you can” statement.
Show threadScott WillseyDec 29, 2022

@jph @futurebird Or, put another way, “my boosts don’t stink”

😂

Personally I enjoying seeing what people I follow boost anyway. 🤷‍♂️

Show threadmyrmepropagandistDec 29, 2022
@scottaw But I've never felt the need to block boosts. In fact, I'm frustrated that I miss things due to threads not loading... if someone I follow would boost those things I'd get to see them.
Show threadScott WillseyDec 29, 2022

@futurebird yes, completely agreed.

Wrt disabling boosts, I’m solely referring to a friend who wholesale blocks them all and still apparently boosts things. 😂 And I’m not hating on him because I love the man, but I can’t buy that stance.

Show threadmyrmepropagandistDec 29, 2022

@scottaw

Maybe he just wants to be like a radio tower. A beacon in the night.

Show threadScott WillseyDec 29, 2022
@futurebird 😂 Now I’ll have to reframe my view on his work.
Show threadEllenInEdmonton Dec 29, 2022
@scottaw I've turned off boosts on most of my new follows because otherwise, I get the same meme posted to my timeline on an endless repeat. I think that boosting is cool and I definitely do it. However, I'm more interested in folks' original ideas and content than in the other things they think are cool. Also, many of those people are in completely different parts of the world, potentially boosting local news/events.
Show threadScott WillseyDec 29, 2022
@EllenInEdmonton the fact that repeated boosts are more of a thing here definitely is an issue. I can see that point for sure.
Show threadJohn LuskDec 28, 2022

@futurebird @scottaw
I just want a "don't show me stuff I've already seen" feature in whatever app (or the desktop). Boosts I've never seen from people I follow: perfectly fine. The same post boosted five times in two days, multiplied by 100 other equally scintillating posts: less fine.

I'm on board with that "we're the algorithm" thing, but I think there's room for improvement.

Re follower counts: participation ==> moar followers, just by virtue of getting under people's noses.

Show threadInfrapink (he/his/him)Dec 28, 2022
@tarheel
YES. THIS! ALL OF THE YES!
@futurebird @scottaw
Show threadTamar YellinDec 28, 2022
@tarheel @futurebird @scottaw Do you have this setting checked?
Show threadJohn LuskDec 28, 2022
@TamarYellin
I do.
@futurebird @scottaw
Show threadTamar YellinDec 28, 2022
@tarheel @futurebird @scottaw Hmm. I do miss parts of the algorithm, but even on Twitter I would see popular RTs several times in a day.
Show threadEllenInEdmonton Dec 29, 2022
@TamarYellin I have that checked but I still get a lot of duplication unless I hide boosts from the folks who do a lot of boosting.
Show threadMatt McIrvinDec 31, 2022
@TamarYellin @tarheel @futurebird @scottaw I read somewhere that in the Mastodon code that setting has a hard limit for how recent counts as "recently boosted", like, within the last N posts... and the number N is probably set too small for Mastodon as it currently exists, resulting in a lot of repetitive boosts appearing if there is heavy traffic.
Show threadKarsten™️Dec 29, 2022
@tarheel @futurebird @scottaw I like to boost posts, but I almost never re-boost things because I also don't really like seeing the same posts over and over, and don't want to potentially subject people to the same.
Show threadCyber YukiDec 29, 2022

@scottaw @futurebird I have some follows which I follow because they tend to post cool stuff. Or because I consider them friends.

And then they decide to go in a frenzy and start boosting kinky or noisy stuff that I'm not in the mood to watch (like tragedy / outrage posts that I've already seen all the 🤬 day and I'm out of spoons already). Or that obnoxious image bot that I hate...

"Hide boosts" does it for me. Minimal conflict and I still get to see my friend's self posts.

Show threadCyber YukiDec 29, 2022
@scottaw @futurebird (And it's always the same people who do this.)
Show threadSupertapaniJan 2, 2023

@scottaw @futurebird I am not comfortable with this notion of judging how other people use their accounts.

That is an individual choice, and we all should be free to choose the way that works for us, without needing to worry what the neighbors will think and say about us.

Show threadScott WillseyJan 2, 2023

@Supertapani @futurebird I’m not asking anyone not to. But refusing to see something yourself and then doing that same thing to others? 🤷‍♂️ Jerk move.

If you’re asking me to change how I feel about that, it’s a very simple no. 🤷‍♂️