Mastodawn

FediTips has moved!Jul 3, 2023

Do you want to see more posts about interesting topics in your Home timeline? And do you want your own posts to be noticed by others?

Here's how to do both these things:

1. Search for a hashtag you're interested in
2. On the results page, click the + or Follow button in the top right corner
3. Posts with that tag will start appearing in your Home timeline
4. Follow lots more tags
5. Include hashtags in your own posts, tag followers will then see your posts

More info at https://fedi.tips/how-do-i-follow-hashtags-on-mastodon-and-the-fediverse/

How do I follow hashtags on Mastodon and the Fediverse? | Fedi.Tips – An Unofficial Guide to Mastodon and the Fediverse

An unofficial guide to using Mastodon and the Fediverse

FediTips has moved!

p.s. The official Mastodon Android app does not have hashtag following. If you're using Android, I would strongly advise using the third party apps Tusky or Fedilab instead, which do support hashtag following and have a lot more features besides.

Alternatively you can use the website on your phone, it works well too and gets all the latest features first.

Giulia Jul 3, 2023

@feditips Does Ice Cubes work on Android?

🇺🇦🇪🇺🇩🇪🌻Jul 3, 2023

@giulia2575 @feditips Ice Cubes is great, but afaik iOS only.

FediTips has moved!Jul 3, 2023

No, it's just on iPhone/iPad.

ZeroEcks Jul 3, 2023

@feditips or the much better @megalodon which is pink! And has hashtag following, and the same comfortable UI you are already used to!

Edit: much better than the 'official' client, I make no judgement on other third party efforts

runarcn Jul 3, 2023

@ZeroEcks @feditips @megalodon seconded! And if you want a slightly different UI/UX, try @moshidon which is also pretty damn based

Michael K Johnson Jul 3, 2023

@feditips Alternatively, use https://elk.zone which installs as a PWA and works well with Chrome to host the PWA. (Mobile Firefox, sadly, is missing needed features for it to work reliably.)

Elk

A nimble Mastodon web client

Elk

Haakon Jul 3, 2023

@feditips Official apps just aren't as good as third-party apps.

The Actual Brian Jul 3, 2023

If you want the general public to come to Mastodon, that official app needs to give them everything they want without any effort on their end.

Maybe start them in the Federated feed as well.

FediTips has moved!Jul 3, 2023

@TheActualBrian

Having everyone using an official app tends to concentrate power in one place, which makes that one place vulnerable to Musk-type takeovers.

It's safer for the long term sustainability of this place that we use third party apps. Mastodon used to be 100% third party apps, the official app was only released last year.

The Actual Brian Jul 3, 2023

This is true, but if Mastodon wants to grow being niche, you need the general public, and they're not techs.

The standard for a UI is "Don't make me think," because if most people have to stop and think to use it, they won't start again.

FediTips has moved!Jul 3, 2023

@TheActualBrian

It's about sustainable growth.

There's no point in unsustainable growth, it will just end up in a dumpster fire as we can see on Twitter right now.

The UI on Tusky, Ice Cubes etc is very good, they are available from app stores... I don't see how they are more difficult to use than the official app.

Hermit the Frog Jul 3, 2023

@feditips @TheActualBrian
I haven't found how to follow hashtags though, and I'm using Tusky.

Would also love to add accounts to lists without having to follow them, which someone said was possible, but...

:(

FediTips has moved!Jul 3, 2023

@Jiriki @TheActualBrian

You can follow hashtags on Tusky by searching for a tag, then clicking the + icon at the top of the screen. It's got a little silhouette of a person next to it.

You can't add people to lists without following them. It is on the roadmap, but it hasn't been done yet.

Hermit the Frog Jul 4, 2023

@feditips @TheActualBrian thank you, for some reason that little person didn't show up any of the previous times I tried. Probably me.

Oh okay, I thought the list thing maybe was something that could only be done on a computer and not on my phone.

That would be so great though, sometimes the news just gets to be too much and it's nice to have the option to read or don't read.

FediTips has moved!Jul 4, 2023

@Jiriki @TheActualBrian

Lists of unfollowed users (or muted users) is a popular request:

https://github.com/mastodon/mastodon/issues/6982

I think the original concern was about trolls using lists to share targets, which happened on Twitter, where people were being added to lists without their knowledge. This was why the following requirement was brought in, to give people control over who can list them.

The solution suggested is to still require following, but you would be able to mute them on your Home timeline.

Feature request - add accounts to list without following them · Issue #6982 · mastodon/mastodon

Currently, you have to be following an account in order to be able to add it to a list. One of my primary use cases for lists is to follow bots that post news or media feeds. It would be nice to be...

GitHub

Hermit the Frog Jul 4, 2023

@feditips @TheActualBrian Oh yeah that would work great! Especially posts that take up a lot of space in the timeline.

Megan Thomas Jul 8, 2023

@TheActualBrian @feditips I saw someone on here compare Mastodon to email (I'm sorry I don't remember who!). Instances are just like the email provider you use (Gmail, Yahoo, etc). They're different and have their own rules but they all communicate together. I thought that made a lot of sense and helped to simplify the concept for me.

The Actual Brian Jul 8, 2023

@MeganThomasPA @feditips

0.o

That doesn't even begin to describe how it works.

That has zero to do with what I'm saying.

It looks like the Cult of the Open Source (No corporations allowed!!!) has made its choice and missed their one shot.

If/When Meta decides to federate, hide in obscurity or allow yourselves to join a larger world without giving up your data.

Your choice.

It's a pity so many are too scared to see that.

FediTips has moved!Jul 8, 2023

@TheActualBrian @MeganThomasPA

Could you please stop being so nasty in my thread?

People have very patiently tried to discuss these topics with you in a calm way, and you're consistently replying in a very angry and hostile way.

If you know what you're talking about, you should be able to talk about it without being so hostile to folks that have done you no harm.

The Actual Brian Jul 8, 2023

@feditips @MeganThomasPA

🙄

There's no tone. You hear what you want to hear. That part is on your head, period.

I'm not angry or hostile. That's also just your confirmation bias, what you're imagining, in your head.

"Your" thread? 🙄

I do know what I'm talking about, no one has been "discussing," just trying to push their limited views, and you're awfully pushy for a "help" account.

I'll do you a favor. I'll just block you and continue to spend my time on Threads with normal people.

Ryan Hamel Jul 9, 2023

@feditips The pot calling the kettle black since the app change was made. Yes the federation is important, but time after time the community has mentioned that "normies" need a lower barrier to entry, and Threads will be that gateway, for my friends, family, colleagues, classmates, etc.

FediTips has moved!Jul 9, 2023

It's not a gateway, it's just another centralised social network owned by Meta/Facebook. You will not be able to move off Threads to another server, and it will probably never federate with most servers.

Ryan Hamel Jul 9, 2023

@feditips

Definitions for "gateway":

an opening that can be closed by a gate.a means of access or entry to a placeBy that definition, Threads will be a gateway into ActivityPub. Remember that just because ActivityPub is open, does not mean each server and client software has to implement every single feature or be compatible with each other.

FediTips has moved!Jul 9, 2023

This place isn't ActivityPub, this is the Fediverse.

The idea of this place isn't to promote a specific protocol, it's to have a decentralised social network.

All that Threads will do is drive people onto Meta and keep them there, and centralise as much as possible. It's the opposite of what this place is supposed to be about.

Ryan Hamel Jul 9, 2023

@feditips Every instance is allowed to do that dude. I can make a mobile app that exclusively interfaces with my CalcKey instance, and expose the features I deem appropriate. There's no governing body saying how the Fediverse has to function, and if the Fediverse thrives like centralized email providers and SMTP. If that's the way the ecosystem goes, then so be it, that's the freedom of this ecosystem.

FediTips has moved!Jul 9, 2023

Yes you technically can, and then others can block you for trying to centralise a decentralised network that thousands of people have built without compensation.

Swooping in and taking advantage of other people's effort is not very nice.

Ryan Hamel Jul 9, 2023

@feditips Yes, because people blocking Gmail and Microsoft would do anyone any good... In reality, blocking would only be done on the smaller more opinionated servers versus bigger instances with "normies" that would get major blowback.

No one on this network has to care about how instances are run, who runs them, and how they are financially stable. That lack of compensation and success for thousands of instances is directly the fault of the instance owner. If the owner feels better after isolating themselves from the major instances, that is on them.

And I'm being honest, every instance that has more than one user can be considered centralized. No one knows this arbitrary number, and the only people that care are the ones up in arms about federations.

neofox_fingerguns

@feditips @mrhamel That is true, but I think it's worth keeping in mind that this is basically what has happened to e-mail.

Anybody can start their own e-mail server, but the market is completely dominated by big players like Gmail and Yahoo. There are multiple hoops you have to jump through to get them to even accept messages from your server (DKIM, DMARC, SPF), and even then, e-mails from your server are likely to go straight into Spam folders until you've convinced hundreds of users to go sifting through their spam and click "Not Spam" on your messages -- and even then, you might get condemned to the Spam folder forever if an "independent" body like Sender Score decides your e-mails don't meet some opaque criteria and are too spammy. It's an absolute nightmare to run an independent e-mail server nowadays.

Fortunately, that's not the case with the Fediverse yet, but I think it's a reasonable concern that a couple of massive corporations could convince 99% of people to move to their servers and then cut off everybody else.

Ryan Hamel Jul 9, 2023

@minneyar @feditips From my experiences sending emails to Gmail users from Linux servers, as long as the emails don't appear to be spammy, have a valid forward and reverse DNS set, and an SPF record set, it works just fine.

I wouldn't say it's a nightmare, but no one simply wants to admin that stuff because Microsoft and Google make it so easy. Microsoft's online email + cloud Active Directory system + Exchange integration, are a match made in heaven for major companies and sysadmins.

Ryan Hamel Jul 9, 2023

@TheActualBrian @MeganThomasPA @feditips If you have actually run an instance, then you'd know how much email is a perfect analogy from the end-user to managing an instance, and how the ActivityPub system works. This discussion had nothing to do with Meta federating Threads.

Tearcell Games Jul 3, 2023

@TheActualBrian @feditips Pre-fed-feed is sooooo important. It wasn't until I started just following people randomly that this place got fun.

The Actual Brian Jul 3, 2023

@Tearcell
@feditips

When I was using the Mastodon app, there was no way to switch.
Little to nothing was happening.
I was also on rando server.

Once I switched servers and got Fedilab, I have control, but I needed to have knowledge about how the back end works.
A vast majority of people don't know, don't care, and won't enjoy themselves if it looks like no one is saying anything because their in their local, random server.

Tearcell Games Jul 3, 2023

@TheActualBrian @feditips see it's crazy! I joined a big server, but didn't get the whole local/federated thing at all.

Like people kept saying about my games original tutorial... 'this sucks and why should I care anymore'

The Actual Brian Jul 3, 2023

@Tearcell @feditips

Right? I did the same thing. Had no clue why nothing was changing, ever.

They're not invested in building a new concept in distributed social media is whatever nerdy people, like us, find interesting.

They want social media that isn't hostile or toxic or whatever they're running away from.

You get one chance to make that first impression and if they're staring at a dead timeline because they're on local and some tiny server, they'll leave.

FediTips has moved!Jul 3, 2023

@TheActualBrian @Tearcell

"They're not invested in building a new concept in distributed social media is whatever nerdy people, like us, find interesting. ... They want social media that isn't hostile or toxic or whatever they're running away from."

This is the problem, you're treating these as two unrelated things, when in reality they are the same thing.

The reason this place is less toxic is because it is on many servers, and because it has various anti-addictive features.

FediTips has moved!Jul 3, 2023

@TheActualBrian @Tearcell

That's why there's hashtag searching, to reduce the ability of trolls to find victims.

And even small things like the colour of the alert icons being light blue on dark blue is designed to lessen the artificial alertness of the red dots you see on most social networks.

FediTips has moved!Jul 3, 2023

@TheActualBrian @Tearcell

The Fediverse structure means vulnerable groups can own their own servers, it costs about $10 a month for a five person server or $100 for a 2000 person server, with all tech stuff done by the hosting company.

They can set their own rules, and block other servers they consider hostile or abusive. It's giving them the power instead of leaving it up to some billionaire to say stupid things like "cis gender is a slur".

Actual power here is with ordinary people.

Tearcell Games Jul 4, 2023

@feditips @TheActualBrian which is perfect... If those who need it most realize it's there and how to do it. But many give up before they find the beauty in the ideals. I know I did on my first try here.

I know there are solutions, just hoping we get there and other people can come and help build something great.

Tearcell Games Jul 4, 2023

@feditips actually thinking about it if I had just know about or see your account, I probably would have been much better off. Your tips DO make a difference.

The Actual Brian Jul 4, 2023

@feditips @Tearcell

If. They're. Also. Technical.
If. They. Want. To. Hide.

FFS, division isn't what "vulnerable groups" need or want.
They need to be in the open, treated like they're normal, because they are.

Being able to build a bubble and hide is exactly what those billionaire run ones are about.

Yes, federation is a good idea.
It's not the solution to all of life's problems and there are realities you can't ignore.

You'll never be main stream if you don't build for everyone.

FediTips has moved!Jul 4, 2023

@TheActualBrian @Tearcell

"They need to be in the open, treated like they're normal, because they are."

I think it's up to vulnerable groups to say what they need. My point is that this place gives them options and powers which do not exist on Twitter, Facebook etc.

The Actual Brian Jul 4, 2023

@feditips @Tearcell

<sigh>
You're the one who claimed your technology was best for them.

You're just arguing to argue.
Responding only to the last thing I've said with no recall of the overall conversation.
You've drifted so far off topic that you've forgotten what I was initially saying.

This platform will never grow beyond obscurity if you don't embrace the general public and cater to them.
Period. Dispute that.

Hopefully without straw man, deflecting, or any other logical fallacies.

Toni Widmo Jul 4, 2023

@TheActualBrian @feditips @Tearcell Speaking as a member of a 'vulnerable group' yes I want to be out in the open, and treated as normal, and because I am. But the only way we can have that is zero tolerance of bigotry and zero tolerance of those that enable bigotry. It is the Nazis, Tankies and other assorted bigots that need to be driven into hiding, and not seen as 'normal'.

The Actual Brian Jul 4, 2023

@toni @feditips @Tearcell

Yes. And that's all about moderation.

The claim above that federation inherently causes that moderation is false.

True, it MIGHT make it easier, but the tech isn't what's causing it.
It's the people.

The Actual Brian Jul 4, 2023

@feditips @Tearcell

No.

Moderation. That's why. Moderation is why.

Maybe many, smaller servers makes moderation easier, but it does not, inherently, create a better place.

Also, I'M not treating anything like anything.
I'm talking about the perception of average people.

You're getting lost in the weeds.
Trying to find technical "arguments" just to oppose me at this point.

Simple. If you want a mass audience, build for the masses, or remain small and insignificant.

FediTips has moved!Jul 4, 2023

@TheActualBrian @Tearcell

"Maybe many, smaller servers makes moderation easier, but it does not, inherently, create a better place."

In my experience it does. Having human moderators on small servers that you can actually talk to directly is far better than massive billion-person servers with unreachable robots making inexplicable decisions.

"Trying to find technical "arguments" just to oppose me at this point."

These aren't technical arguments, they're human arguments.

The Actual Brian Jul 4, 2023

@feditips @Tearcell

"In my experience it does. Having human moderators on small servers that you can actually talk to directly is far better than massive billion-person servers with unreachable robots making inexplicable decisions."

Thanks for agreeing with me!

Like I said, it's not the federation of the server size, IT'S THE MODERATION.

Twitter could do the same if:

They wanted to
They hired enough people

The Actual Brian Jul 4, 2023

@feditips @Tearcell

Also, yeah, talking about how federation is the root cause of a less toxic environment is technical, not human.

FediTips has moved!Jul 4, 2023

@TheActualBrian @Tearcell

No.

On a grassroots level, where each server is small, the people who run it are more invested and have more direct control over it. That in itself provides better quality.

Twitter can't do the same because it's a vast corporation whose job is to make money for its shareholders. It doesn't care about anything else.

If you want a real world example, who is more committed: a small family that own a restaurant, or some random people at a random branch of McDonalds?

FediTips has moved!Jul 4, 2023

@TheActualBrian @Tearcell

Also the numbers just don't add up for large servers. The average server on here has about 500-1000 people. Let's say 1000.

Even if they had just one moderator, that's a ratio of 1:1000 staff per user.

Twitter has about 300 million users, so to get a ratio of 1:1000 they would need to employ 300,000 moderators. Depening on who you ask, the actual number of total staff at Twitter is 2000 to 7000, and only a small fraction will be moderators. That's why they use algo.

The Actual Brian Jul 5, 2023

@feditips @Tearcell

<sigh>

Like a large, for profit corporation is the same as some guy running an instance from home.

You really can't do this without logical fallacies.

The Actual Brian Jul 5, 2023

@feditips @Tearcell

Yeah, you're ignoring reality just to argue.

🟡 "are" No. Being small DOES NOT ensure this and you know it.

🔴 "can't" No. They can. They don't.

🟢 Logical fallacy. I guess you couldn't do this without logical fallacies.

You're disingenuous with a cult like obsession to this place.

This will grow beyond the control of its creators. Deal with that. Try to guide it or get left behind. Trying to keep it just the way you imagine it should be isn't an option, though.

Luis Galocha Jul 3, 2023

@feditips I prefer #moshidonapp. The interface and the possibility to check the trending hashtags are really cool.

Ste Jul 3, 2023

@feditips I found out this yesterday and I immediately uninstalled the app and installed the web app from the web that's actually really good

nat Jul 3, 2023

@feditips already using it, thanks for the tip

Ether Diver Jul 3, 2023

@feditips I use Tusky, it's solid!

Alexandre B A Villares 🐍Jul 3, 2023

@feditips also #moshidon

lazlo/trec Jul 3, 2023

@feditips hashtag following works on the official ios app right?

FediTips has moved!Jul 3, 2023

Yes it does.

Click "Follow" on a hashtag search results page to follow that tag.

To see which tags you're already following, go to your profile page and click the # button at the top.

Totoro The Great Jul 3, 2023

@feditips I've been trying #Megalodon. It works quite well. @megalodon