Damon OutlawJul 30, 2023
There is a lot of victim blaming on the #fedi and defensiveness when the flaws are pointed out. Minorities have pointed out the harassment and a bunch of people, who were never asked btw, started posting how they did not have this experience.
It was pointed out that there is #CSAM content on #Mastodon and the Trump in everyone came out. They were calling fake news and attacking the report and study.
In both situations victims were disregarded. Do you know how minorities felt to see people downplaying what their experience was like? To see people state how much better than Big Social Mastodon is, yet it was people on Mastodon that contributed to a popular minority ran instance shutting down.
Victims of CSA having to see Mastodon users coming to the defence of software without showing any regard for survivors.
This place isn't as clean as many like to claim it is.
Show threadwolfjJul 31, 2023
@damon
Can you post some links so I can find out what are you talking about?
Show threadDamon Outlaw
@wolfj https://www.theverge.com/2023/7/24/23806093/mastodon-csam-study-decentralized-network https://stacks.stanford.edu/file/druid:vb515nd6874/20230724-fediverse-csam-report.pdf
Stanford researchers find Mastodon has a massive child abuse material problem

Researchers at Stanford’s Internet Observatory found that child sexual abuse material (CSAM) has become widespread on the Twitter alternative Mastodon.

The Verge
Jul 31, 2023 at 11:22amWeb
Show threadwolfjJul 31, 2023
@damon
That surely is disturbing.
How would you handle it?
Show threadDamon OutlawJul 31, 2023
@wolfj How I would handle it would be enrol in the PhotoDNA programme and others so there are tools that scan for these types of images. I would build a moderation tool that would filter out some the most common hashtags and words associated with these kinds of posts. The software would also keep record of the offending users and their instances
Show threadwolfjJul 31, 2023

@damon

PhotoDNA is made by Microsoft.

Not acceptable.

For me this alone would constitute a sufficient reason to ditch an instance.

You can run your own instance with your own rules and de-federate from those you find harmful.

You can always try to volunteer as a moderator elsewhere and help them.

Show threadDamon OutlawJul 31, 2023
@wolfj I don’t know if it’s PhotoDNA. I have to look into the programme that Thorn uses. I know a good amount of Fedi instances will be utilising Thorn software. I understand and respect your stance but I wouldn’t want anyone on my instance that is fine with CSAM. I will have my own instance, I’m actually in the process of building a fedi platform and will offer tools that provide safety for the admins, mods and users. The tools are surely lacking.
Show threadDamon OutlawJul 31, 2023
@wolfj No one needs to join my instance nor any instance that will have tooling to protect against CSAM but that won’t prevent myself nor others from having these tools. That’s one of the aspects of the Fedi is that there’s something for everyone and it’s actual choice. Not a choice where people miss out or their experiences compromised. I believe in safety especially since I’m a survivor of CSA.
Show threadwolfjJul 31, 2023
@damon
Exactly. Nobody's stopping you from anything. So... what exactly do you expect?
I was under the impression you're asking other instance moderators to use proprietary tools.
Show threadDamon OutlawJul 31, 2023
@wolfj Where did you get that impression?
Show threadDamon OutlawJul 31, 2023
@wolfj Where did you get that impression?
Show threadwolfjJul 31, 2023
@damon
Didn't you want them to include PhotoDNA in their moderating process?
Show threadDamon OutlawJul 31, 2023
@wolfj I did not, you asked me how I would resolve the issue. I answered how I would resolve the issue. I didn't state I wanted any instance to include PhotoDNA.
Show threadwolfjJul 31, 2023
@damon OK then.