Aral Balkan

Folks, please do block brighteon.social from your servers. Looks like a US far-right misinformation/conspiracy site and they’re apparently ramping up with tens of thousands of bot accounts. Best to nip this in the bud now.

If you don’t run your own #Mastodon or #fediverse server, please ask your server admin to do it for you by reporting them.

(See https://mastodon.ar.al/@atomicpoet@mastodon.social/110107329975325472)

#fediblock #brighteonSocial

Chris Trottier (@[email protected])

Attached: 1 image A source of new Fediverse accounts is dev.brighteon.social. 46,862 were discovered during the past day. Brighteon is known for spreading misinformation and conspiracy theories all over Facebook and Twitter, and it looks like they’re trying their hand at the Fediverse now. I’ve looked at the accounts on that server, and the overwhelming majority look like bots. The goal seems to be spamming misinformation. I recommend putting brighteon.social on #Fediblock. https://botsin.space/@mastodon_daily_active_users/110107223841240128

Mastodon
Mar 29, 2023 at 6:21pmWeb
Show threadMark DavisMar 29, 2023
@aral Just blocked them on my instance 👍
Show threadAral BalkanMar 29, 2023
@mark Thanks, Mark. And ditto :)
Show threadJoão Tiago RebeloMar 29, 2023
@hugo
Show threadHugo GameiroMar 29, 2023
@jt_rebelo Obrigado
Show threadJoão Tiago RebeloMar 29, 2023
@hugo eu é que agradeço. Mesmo.
Show threadHugo GameiroMar 29, 2023
@jt_rebelo Na boa, fui agora confirmar mas esses já estavam bloqueados :P
Show thread 𝚜𝚎𝚕𝚎𝚊 Mar 29, 2023

@aral

It has been suspended since the early days here, it has been here on fedi since 2019 atleast

Show threadDenis BuckleyMar 29, 2023
@aral
I don't know how to do this...
Show threadAral BalkanMar 29, 2023
@wellingtonrock Hey Denis, do you run your own Mastodon server? If not, just let your admin know. (Based on responses here, many servers already have them blocked.)
Show threadMaryPotApr 3, 2023

@aral @wellingtonrock

I haven't seen my admin replying to any posts regarding this and he never replies or even stars messages I tag him in.

So I want to block the domain for my account, at least.

I managed to do it for rubber.social, but I can't find an account to trigger the menu that lets me block the domain for brighteon.social.

Could it already be blocked by my instance? How can I find out what my instance has blocked?

Show threadnikolMar 29, 2023
@admin
Show threadagarbathiMar 29, 2023
@aral thank you for informing!
Show threadnevMar 29, 2023
@aral I would add: brighteon is a well-known bad actor and if your server doesn't already have it blocked, the admin should import a basic blocklist such as the ones available here: https://codeberg.org/nev/awesome-fediadmin/#user-content-moderation-blocking
awesome-fediadmin

A collection of awesome resources for running your own federated social media website.

Codeberg.org
Show threadAdmin #FRLMar 30, 2023

@aral
Thanks, did a little research and I agree: #FediBlock

@nev luckily we haven't had much abuse at our instance.. as long as we can manage we'll manually block instances, I like "the human touch" ;)

PS: @differentieel thanks for the tip

Show threadnevMar 30, 2023

@admin @aral @differentieel It is always a good idea to check out each instance yourself to make sure it's block-worthy, but I *strongly* recommend blocking the absolute worst-of-the-worst, "10 out of 10 admins block these" servers. You can prevent harassment before it happens.

Being lax on preventative moderation is a good way to make your server less diverse.

Of course, if diversity and safety are not priorities for you, disregard this.

Show threadAdmin #FRLMar 31, 2023

@nev @aral @differentieel Most of them are on our "suspend list"

PS: I will disregard your last sentance..

Show threadnevMar 31, 2023
@admin @aral @differentieel yeah, that was bitchy of me, sorry
Show threadAdmin #FRLMar 31, 2023
@nev @aral @differentieel couldn’t resist to re-use the word ‘disregard’ ;)
(No hard feelings)
Show threadFrank KumroMar 29, 2023
@aral @paulyd FYI
Show threadpaulyd II - the wrath of caro-kannMar 29, 2023
@frigidcode
✅
@aral
Show threadJR Buckley 🏳️‍🌈⚛️Mar 29, 2023

@aral
I just dipped in and the first couple of posts were about the "transgender mass killer" and other right wing bullshit.

@stux
Please block brighteon.social for spreading anti-LGBTQ and other misinformation.

Show threadAnnabelle 🇬🇱🇨🇦🇺🇦🇪🇺Mar 29, 2023
@aral @jorijn
Show threadDave Troy Mar 29, 2023
@aral more substantiating information here on brighteon.social — the many ".news" sites listed here are also them.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1JIHe_RqyRVO9JR1yR7AqEYqcLg9uimidiiEcVnlDnbA/edit#gid=0
Show threadAral BalkanMar 29, 2023
@davetroy Based on the responses, they’re apparently rather well known as a bad actor. But the recent increase in accounts is worrisome.
Show threadgavinisdie Mar 29, 2023
@aral the right already have Like what, 4 platforms? But then again, they are Usually expansionist
Show threadAaronMar 29, 2023
@aral I will check my Blocklist on my server, but I am pretty sure they are already on it.
Show threadMichael StancliftMar 29, 2023
@aral I wonder if they cloned their original instance for testing.
Show threadBill Plein🌶Mar 29, 2023
@vmstan @aral I went as far as preemptively blocking their related site domains, from the menu of their home page.
Show threadBrett ElliffMar 29, 2023

@bplein
I've done the same just in case.

@vmstan @aral

Show threadJamieMar 29, 2023
@aral thanks for the heads up
Show threadJeroen BaertMar 29, 2023
@aral @admin One for the blocklist!
Show threadMastodon Belgium AdminMar 29, 2023

@jbaert @aral
Didn't encounter posts from them on my instance but they are already on Fediblock (https://joinfediverse.wiki/FediBlock).
And now also blocked here !

Thanks for the heads up.

FediBlock - Join the Fediverse

Show threadJoris MeysMar 29, 2023
@aral @stux here's a candidate server for the block list.
Show threadstux⚡️Mar 29, 2023
@JorisMeys @aral We added them a looong time ago 😉
Show threadDustinMar 29, 2023
@aral @geewiz
Show threadScott 🏴😷Mar 29, 2023
@aral should I block *.brighteon.social or just brighteon.social for that to work? I know that with some stuff (certs for example) *.ex.co doesn't include ex.co, just subdomains
Show threadpodkaynelivesMar 29, 2023
@aral attention: @supernovae. You may already have them on your block list.
Show threadGerard Cunningham ✒️Mar 29, 2023

@aral

CC @dregin

Show threadBernard McKeeverMar 29, 2023
@faduda @aral Done.
Show threadGerard Cunningham ✒️Mar 29, 2023
@dregin @aral
Thank you
Show threadTim BrayMar 29, 2023

@aral Woah, I glanced at it and my brain is bleeding. Protip: Don’t glance.

Blockety-blockety-block pls.

Show thread@pineywoozle ‘s #3WordNoteMar 29, 2023
@aral Thank you and @atomicpoet for the heads up on these creeps.
Show threadflere-imsaho 🇺🇦Mar 29, 2023
@aral oh, so i had a good intuition in december. 🙂
Show threadNetSec Kahn Mar 29, 2023
@aral @jerry passing along some #threatintelligence
Show threadJerry 🦙💝🦙Mar 29, 2023
@CoachKahnsef thanks for that.
Show threadGlennMar 29, 2023
@aral Thanks. Hadn't come across that one before but looked through some of their posts from the front page... Blocked now.
Show threadJigme DatseMar 29, 2023
@aral Well, it looks like my server will be going away, and I'll be back to just using this account.
Show threadPhoenixSerenityMar 29, 2023
@aral I blocked them awhile back for that reason.
Show threadjcypherMar 29, 2023

@aral I do *not* think we should be censoring conservatives. Smearing conservatives by name-calling "far-right misinformation/conspiracy" just shows you to be intolerant. Better not to block them, unless you also want to block sources of leftist information (or to use your language, far-left misinformation/conspiracy).

Besides, brighteon.social has tighter controls on who can join than infosec.exchange. Please provide proof for your assertion of bot infestation.

Show threadAral BalkanMar 30, 2023
@jcypher I am intolerant of fascism, yes. The real question is, why aren’t you?
Show threadJeff C. 🇺🇦🇬🇱Mar 31, 2023

@jcypher @aral Mike Adams was still a misinformation/conspiracy nut back when he was only known for Natural News and most of the crap he posted fit more with left-wing propaganda than traditional right-wing.

If the description fits, it fits.

If batshit insane conspiracy-mongering is indeed to be considered mainstream “conservatism” now then perhaps they should clean their mess up instead of expecting the rest of us to pretend it is normal, rational discourse.

Show threadagarbathiMar 29, 2023
@aral try -> *.brighteon.social or dev.brighteon.social
Show threadRemnantsMar 29, 2023
@aral
Another suspicious domain is freeatlantis.com
Show threadNovemberMar 29, 2023
@aral @Jeltron @szbalint
Show threadAn NguyenMar 29, 2023
@aral @danny heads up?
Show threadDanny PageMar 29, 2023
@aral @an Thanks! Will lock it down.
Show threadBenjamin Kwiecień 🇵🇸Mar 29, 2023
@aral Good advice, but "Best to nip this in the bud early." is redundant; to "nip something in the bud" already means to stop it early.
Show threadAral BalkanMar 30, 2023
@ben Changed to “now”. Appreciate the edit :)
Show threadOmar Hawwash Mar 30, 2023
@aral @jippi se her :-)