Annalee Newitz 🍜May 7, 2023

Based on two unscientific polls I conducted here, people's biggest fears about the future of the Fediverse are: 1) volunteer moderator burnout; 2) too much defederation causes fragmentation; 3) people are driven away by racism; and 4) Mastodon.social gets too big.

Here are the polls:
https://wandering.shop/@annaleen/110318754714238485
https://wandering.shop/@annaleen/110318806416458197

Annalee Newitz 🍜 (@[email protected])

What is your biggest worry about the future of the Fediverse? [ ] mastodon.social gets too big [ ] Tumblr federates & sells ads against Masto content [ ] Bluesky [ ] too much defederation causes fragmentation

The Wandering Shop
Show threadMackajMay 7, 2023

@annaleen

Racism? I would have thought our moderation model would stamp on that pretty hard wherever it rears its ugly head.

Show threadH. A. KirschMay 7, 2023
@mackaj @annaleen I’ve seen many posts calling out very significant racism towards BIPOC on mastodon to the point that something like “black twitter” won’t happen in the fediverse currently
Show threadMackajMay 7, 2023

@hakirsch

'something like “black twitter” won’t happen in the fediverse currently'

This is something I really don't understand. The fediverse is designed to allow people to create communities around purpose built spaces. Mastodon specifically has both general and themed instances. Look at how Art, or hobbies or LGBTQ+ communities have sprung up around instances fostering those groups. Why can't "black mastodon" for example enjoy the same?

@annaleen

Show threadGareth KitchenMay 7, 2023
@mackaj It's quite complex, taking that line is basically saying to black and brown people, go set up your own instance. Not cool. But black and brown people who talk about racism get jumped on and told to CW. The vast majority of instance owners are white and poorly equipped to moderate. I'm aware because of anti-racist stuff I do, but trip up on things and a clumsy at times, but aware. I don't know the answers and it's a difficult subject.
Show threadMackajMay 7, 2023

@gruff

"[go] set up your own instance. Not cool."

I wasn't thinking of it like that, I assume you thought I meant putting them in a box. But rather I was thinking a strong core, a solid base to work from, and an easy way to discover, connect and share experiences and culture. An instance run by white mods is never going to know and understand black culture the same way a black owned and run instance would. I'm reminded of this interview with Denzel Washington...
https://youtube.com/shorts/_PxAQTJsbcE?feature=share

It's Not Color, It's Culture - Denzel Washington inspirational speech

YouTube
Show threadGareth Kitchen
@mackaj Soz, can't listen to that right now. The thing is black and brown folk, I'd guess, would prefer to be on the same instances as everyone else. I'm a middle aged balding white geezer, I don't think it's for me to suggest solutions, because how could I even begin, let alone fully understand the issues? I think the fedi community will eventually reach some sort of compromise, that's almost bound to be inequitable, but that's for others determine. I'll just be supportive in helping the community get to where it wants to go.
May 7, 2023 at 9:36pmWeb