Mastodawn

Maria Abreu Jul 31, 2023

Mastodon Migration

Breaking #FediverseNews 💥

WOW! The BBC now has an instance!

BBC >>> https://social.bbc/about

"The team at BBC Research & Development are researching social technologies and exploring possibilities for the #BBC. One part of our work is to establish a BBC presence in the Fediverse... This is an experiment - we will run it for 6 months, and then look at how much value it has provided"

New BBC accounts you can follow: @BBCRD, @BBC5Live, @BBCRadio4, @BBC_News_Labs, @BBCTaster, @Connected_Studio

BBC Mastodon

This is an experimental Mastodon instance run by BBC Research and Development.

Mastodon hosted on social.bbc

Mastodon Migration Jul 31, 2023

@BBCRD @BBC5Live @BBCRadio4 @BBC_News_Labs @BBCTaster @Connected_Studio

The BBC's implementation of this groundbreaking instance should serve as a model to other organizations on how to field their own instances:

1) The first thing to notice is that it is not open to the public. If you try to create an account, they politely say that "it's a place for us to publish in the Fediverse," and encourage users to make an account on any other server and follow them.

#BBC #PrivateInstance #BBCRD
1/3

Mastodon Migration Jul 31, 2023

@BBCRD @BBC5Live @BBCRadio4 @BBC_News_Labs @BBCTaster @Connected_Studio

2) Because it is a #PrivateInstance they do not have to perform the difficult job of vetting and monitoring users. This problem is left to public instances which have the resources to do the job.

3) Another #PrivateInstance benefit is that the #LocalTimeline (https://social.bbc/public/local) and #FederatedTimeline (https://social.bbc/public) become chronological content feeds under their control.

#BBC #PrivateInstance #BBCRD
2/3

Mastodon Migration Jul 31, 2023

@BBCRD @BBC5Live @BBCRadio4 @BBC_News_Labs @BBCTaster @Connected_Studio

4) Another benefit to the BBC of being a private instance is that they can apply style rules across all the accounts conforming to their general standards.

5) And, of course, a huge #PrivateInstance benefit is that it automatically verifies all content is from the BBC.

Congratulations to the BBC for a well thought out and beautifully executed entry into the Fediverse. Welcome!

3/3
#BBC #PrivateInstance #BBCRD

Brian Pierce Jul 31, 2023

@mastodonmigration @BBCRD
Now we need #PBS to do this over here in the states. @gbhnews

gbhnews Jul 31, 2023

@BrianPierce @mastodonmigration I have a few emails in my Drafts folder about this. Is this the week they get sent?

Hitsu Yonai Jul 31, 2023

@mastodonmigration @BBCRD @BBC5Live @BBCRadio4 @BBC_News_Labs @BBCTaster @Connected_Studio

Umm ... 'groundbreaking' ?

ard.social
@tagesschau
Beigetreten
05. Mai 2023
@BR24
@SWR2Wissen
@swr3

some might say the beeb are a tad late to the party (though no idea quite what constitutes being fashionably late under such circumstances).

Gabriele Pollara Jul 31, 2023

@mastodonmigration @BBCRD @BBC5Live @BBCRadio4 @BBC_News_Labs @BBCTaster @Connected_Studio
Yes to all the above, but I particularly enjoyed how well they explained this move, including the potential benefits and risks.

No one should be under any illusion that Mastodon is the definite solution to all social media problems out there, but it can only be evaluated by a solid period of investment and engagement, like the #BBC are doing here.

⚜️Δρakakiς🍁Jul 31, 2023

@mastodonmigration @BBCRD @BBC5Live @BBCRadio4 @BBC_News_Labs @BBCTaster @Connected_Studio

This is exactly the way governments and other official agencies should do it. I hope (I would assume) they are following the experiment with interest.

Don Thompson Jul 31, 2023

@mastodonmigration
@woollyapp
Very confused/puzzled here.
If I attempt to search for @[email protected] nothing is returned.
If I tap on a mention, Woolly simply opens the corresponding web page at social.bbc
Am I doing something wrong (my instance’s admins say they don’t de-federate/block).

Shrig 🐌Jul 31, 2023

@mastodonmigration @BBCRD @BBC5Live @BBCRadio4 @BBC_News_Labs @BBCTaster @Connected_Studio
"2) Because it is a #PrivateInstance they do not have to perform the difficult job of vetting and monitoring users. This problem is left to public instances which have the resources to do the job."
This is incorrect. If they federate with all servers the worse of the worse will be filling their replies and leaving them acting as both a relay and platform for hate speech

William Hughes Jul 31, 2023

@Shrigglepuss @mastodonmigration @BBCRD @BBC5Live @BBCRadio4 @BBC_News_Labs @BBCTaster @Connected_Studio I doubt they mean they won't have to do *any* maintenance or monitoring. But the federation model with lots of moderators spread out everywhere democratizes the system in a way that a privately held social network isn't.

It's closer to an actual "public square" in that the "locals" along with the "shopkeepers" etc can impose some consequences on bad actors without having to appeal to a profit seeking entity with inscrutable aims.

Derek Brauders Jul 31, 2023

@mastodonmigration @BBCRD @BBC5Live @BBCRadio4 @BBC_News_Labs @BBCTaster @Connected_Studio now that's a very interesting and positive way to go!

pavi Aug 1, 2023

@mastodonmigration @BBCRD @BBC5Live @BBCRadio4 @BBC_News_Labs @BBCTaster @Connected_Studio

Happy to see BBC in #fediverse. Publicmoney well spent. ✊

Tim Chambers Jul 31, 2023

@mastodonmigration @BBCRD @BBC5Live @BBCRadio4 @BBC_News_Labs @BBCTaster @Connected_Studio

Yes, and as it is a six month experiment, important that those who care about the Fediverse help boost this and offer help to them to make the promise of what they could do here real quickly...

Martijn Tonies ✅Jul 31, 2023

@tchambers @mastodonmigration @BBCRD @BBC5Live @BBCRadio4 @BBC_News_Labs @BBCTaster @Connected_Studio

Would like a BBCNews account, the accounts above don't seem interesting to me per se.

Connel Jul 31, 2023

@tchambers @mastodonmigration @BBCRD @BBC5Live @BBCRadio4 @BBC_News_Labs @BBCTaster @Connected_Studio starting off with radio 4 and 5 makes me think they must have some data on the demographics on here. Live score updates on 5 when the football starts again will be great.

Dale Reardon Aug 1, 2023

@tchambers @mastodonmigration @BBCRD @BBC5Live @BBCRadio4 @BBC_News_Labs @Connected_Studio Perhaps the BBC would like to sponsor or help building those necessary moderation tools etc for scaling up the Fediverse? Would help everyone & be a pretty cheap but huge PR boost for the BBC

S.K.Misra Jul 31, 2023

@mastodonmigration @BBCRD @BBC5Live @BBCRadio4 @BBC_News_Labs @BBCTaster @Connected_Studio Will definitely prove lethal for a normal development of the app.An unnecessary interference of an unwanted agency.😲😲👽👽👽

Mike Fraser Jul 31, 2023

@mastodonmigration @BBCRD @BBC5Live @BBCRadio4 @BBC_News_Labs @BBCTaster @Connected_Studio Doing it the exact right way by leaving it closed to sign ups! Trying to moderate a public server was a pitfall other news orgs fell into. The future looks bright at the BBC. Now if only we could convince the #CBC

Mastodon Migration Jul 31, 2023

@mike @BBCRD @BBC5Live @BBCRadio4 @BBC_News_Labs @BBCTaster @Connected_Studio Completely agree! This highlights one of the important differences and huge advantage of the Fediverse. Organizations such as the BBC can own and share their content without the responsibility for vetting and moderating user content.

Mike Fraser Jul 31, 2023

@mastodonmigration @BBCRD @BBC5Live @BBCRadio4 @BBC_News_Labs @BBCTaster @Connected_Studio Having a closed instance also intrinsically verifies their accounts.

Samir Al-Battran Jul 31, 2023

@mike @mastodonmigration @BBCRD @BBC5Live @BBCRadio4 @BBC_News_Labs @BBCTaster @Connected_Studio
If you want others to join, follow the BBC (all their accounts) even if temporarily.
If they succeed here, others will take note and join too!

Boost this post, let it reach all the corners of the #fediverse, and follow them if you care about it!

SinclairLewis [Minnesota]Jul 31, 2023

@BBCRadio4 @BBCTaster @mastodonmigration @BBC_News_Labs @BBCRD @Connected_Studio @BBC5Live I followed some from US, but disappointed that @BBCTaster is not a baking and cooking account.

I'm Kerro Jul 31, 2023

@SinclairLewis @BBCRadio4 @BBCTaster @mastodonmigration @BBC_News_Labs @BBCRD @Connected_Studio @BBC5Live
Ha ha ha ha... I thought it was baking and cooking too! Damn. 😂

mem_somerville Jul 31, 2023

@mastodonmigration attention @gbhnews Look!

Mastodon Migration Jul 31, 2023

@mem_somerville @gbhnews

Absolutely! You can do it too @gbhnews!

And, let's give a big shoutout to our media instance pioneers the Tucson Sentinel @TucsonSentinel and Texas Observer Lives! @TexasObserver

Texas Observer Jul 31, 2023

@mastodonmigration @mem_somerville @gbhnews @TucsonSentinel It's great to see BBC join the Fediverse with an instance!

Let's also shout out @restofworld, another early example of a publication with an instance

Taco Jul 31, 2023

@TexasObserver @NTVNewsNL has been at it here locally for a while too

Texas Observer Jul 31, 2023

@taco @NTVNewsNL cool!

gbhnews Jul 31, 2023

@mem_somerville @mastodonmigration ooh nifty

sticky comics 🚴‍♀️🚶‍♀️✍️Jul 31, 2023

I'd love to see social media as a public media capacity, to enable the world to use social media for the public good, not just to make corporations richer. More like PBS and NPR, but social media SERVICE, beyond public media simply having social media accounts. Mastodon could be the platform. Love seeing BBC dipping in its toes here. @mastodonmigration @BBCRD @BBC5Live @BBCRadio4 @BBC_News_Labs @BBCTaster @Connected_Studio

Lord Caramac the Clueless, KSC Jul 31, 2023

@mastodonmigration How long until the BBC gets defederated because of rampant transphobia? @BBCRD @BBC5Live @BBCRadio4 @BBC_News_Labs @BBCTaster @Connected_Studio

Frank Bennett 🇯🇵Jul 31, 2023

@LordCaramac @mastodonmigration @BBCRD @BBC5Live @BBCRadio4 @BBC_News_Labs @BBCTaster @Connected_Studio It's read-only, randos can't open accounts there.

Lord Caramac the Clueless, KSC Jul 31, 2023

@fgbjr There is quite a lot of regular transphobic content on the bloody BBC. @mastodonmigration @BBCRD @BBC5Live @BBCRadio4 @BBC_News_Labs @BBCTaster @Connected_Studio

Frank Bennett 🇯🇵Jul 31, 2023

@LordCaramac @mastodonmigration @BBCRD @BBC5Live @BBCRadio4 @BBC_News_Labs @BBCTaster @Connected_Studio Well there you go then.

Lord Caramac the Clueless, KSC Jul 31, 2023

@fgbjr It's already happening, mastodon.art defederated social.bbc for transphobia

Cam Jul 31, 2023

@LordCaramac @fgbjr tbh that's not a surprise. Dot art tends to suspend instances a lot more frequently than others, I don't see it being common practice amongst the other larger instances so fairly insignificant.

Richard Jul 31, 2023

@mastodonmigration An interesting aspect to this is they have made the ultimate blue checkmark for themselves. When #threads and the like eventually integrate, they'll be there, and they won't have to play any of the games Meta tries.

sukh Jul 31, 2023

@mastodonmigration @BBCRD @BBC5Live @BBCRadio4 @BBC_News_Labs @BBCTaster @Connected_Studio this is great to see & hopefully the R&D department get a good 6 month experiment here to setup base permanently.

Media companies don’t host their articles on some generic website so why be dependant on centralised platform like the old bird site - they should all aim to have their own instances that they can control fully

Dave 🦔Jul 31, 2023

@mastodonmigration
I hope they add BBC Alba or at least the daily naidheachd updates
@BBCRD @BBC5Live @BBCRadio4 @BBC_News_Labs @BBCTaster @Connected_Studio

Phil Landmeier Jul 31, 2023

@mastodonmigration This looks great. Unfortunately, my instance doesn't seem to know about the BBC instance yet. Have to wait a bit.

clacke: exhausted pixie dream boy 🇸🇪🇭🇰💙💛Jul 31, 2023

@shuttersparks You mean if you search for one of these user names you don't get a hit?

As soon as you search, normal behavior would be to look them up and at that point your instance would know about them.

Phil Landmeier Jul 31, 2023

@clacke Yes. I've searched on the standard form @user@url. I can find the BBC instances on the open Internet but not through my instance yet. (I haven't tried in the last hour.) If I search on BBC, all kinds of BBC presences appear like tweet bots, etc., but not the BBC's own instances -- yet. I'll try again now and see what I get.

Phil Landmeier Jul 31, 2023

@clacke Yep. Still not getting it through my own instance with the "follow" option. The links take me to the BBC instance where it asks me to join the instance.

A search on BBC Radio 5 Live delivers only:

BBC Radio 5 Live
@bbc5live
BBC Radio 5 Live
@bbc5live
BBC Radio 5 Live
@bbc5live
BBC Radio 5 Live
@bbc5live
BBC Radio 5 Live
@bbc5live

So I'll wait for things to propagate some more.

Nika2022 🐶🎶🌐☕️Jul 31, 2023

@mastodonmigration @BBCRD @BBC5Live @BBCRadio4 @BBC_News_Labs @BBCTaster @Connected_Studio i also have one:
https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2023/07/fbi-seizure-mastodon-server-wakeup-call-fediverse-users-and-hosts-protect-their

FBI Seizure of Mastodon Server Data is a Wakeup Call to Fediverse Users and Hosts to Protect their Users

We’re in an exciting time for users who want to take back control from major platforms like Twitter and Facebook. However, this new environment comes with challenges and risks for user privacy, so we need to get it right and make sure networks like the Fediverse and Bluesky are mindful of past...

Electronic Frontier Foundation

Blake 🇵🇸Jul 31, 2023

@mastodonmigration @BBCRD @BBC5Live @BBCRadio4 @BBC_News_Labs @BBCTaster @Connected_Studio nice! instantly suspended

serklarvel Jul 31, 2023

@mastodonmigration @BBCRD @BBC5Live @BBCRadio4 @BBC_News_Labs @BBCTaster @Connected_Studio really amazing initiative from BBC! I hope it works well for them and for the fediverse!

donald_brady Jul 31, 2023

@mastodonmigration @BBCRD @BBC5Live @BBCRadio4 @BBC_News_Labs @BBCTaster @Connected_Studio going to follow some of these to send a vote of support and signal to other news organizations to migrate from Sh*tter (I think that's how you pronounce Xitter or whatever it's called).

Ryan Rampersad Jul 31, 2023

@mastodonmigration @BBCRD @BBC5Live @BBCRadio4 @BBC_News_Labs @BBCTaster @Connected_Studio

that's really awesome, I hope your experiment goes well

WMSP Jul 31, 2023

I’m so glad that BBC is here too! Followed all the accounts and am looking forward to the great content.

@BBCRD @BBC5Live @BBCRadio4 @BBC_News_Labs @BBCTaster @Connected_Studio

The Overhead Wire Jul 31, 2023

@mastodonmigration @BBCRD @BBC5Live @BBCRadio4 @BBC_News_Labs @BBCTaster @Connected_Studio Would love a BBC Future Planet handle!

jtb Jul 31, 2023

@mastodonmigration Mastodon has gone mainstream.

Lu, Magical Goth Jul 31, 2023

@mastodonmigration @BBCRD @BBC5Live @BBCRadio4 @BBC_News_Labs @BBCTaster @Connected_Studio how long until they get defederated for tooting transphobic material? 🤣

Dharkstare Jul 31, 2023

@mastodonmigration @BBCRD @BBC5Live @BBCRadio4 @BBC_News_Labs @BBCTaster @Connected_Studio

Ever since I first learned about Mastodon I felt that it made sense for companies to run their own instance. Why be held hostage to the whims of another company when you can run your own instance and be in complete control?

First the Dutch government and now BBC. Hopefully more will soon follow

James Tweedie (has moved)Jul 31, 2023

@mastodonmigration
May be worth considering this thread before getting too excited - certain parts of the BBC are pro Union propaganda channels - for example, there is very little balance in BBC "Scotland" when it comes to representing the considerable number of people in Scotland who seek independence.
https://mastodon.scot/@catmcintyre/110810697392354773

Cat McIntyre (@[email protected])

PSA for people living outwith the disUK who seem to be excited by a certain once-reputable major news organisation joining the fediverse: The #BBC has basically turned into a propaganda machine for the conservative government in recent years. The director-general is a former tory candidate. We in Scotland learned not to trust it a decade ago during the indyref when they felt their job was to help the unionists instead of providing balanced coverage. They've only gotten worse since. 1/

mastodon.scot

Nartagnan ⏚Aug 1, 2023

@mastodonmigration @BBCRD @BBC5Live @BBCRadio4 @BBC_News_Labs @BBCTaster @Connected_Studio

Ah oui, le média qui répand la haine et l'intolérance ?

J'ai vu passer merci...

(immigration, racisme, homophobie, transphobie, etc... pour le sexisme j'ai rien trouvé de récent, alors faut peut-être applaudir ?)

Clinton Anderson SwordForHire Aug 1, 2023

@mastodonmigration @BBCRD @BBC5Live @BBCRadio4 @BBC_News_Labs @BBCTaster @Connected_Studio 20 hours later and they still haven't posting anything past the 1, "Here we are" post......

Pity

kevin Aug 1, 2023

@mastodonmigration @BBCRD @BBC5Live @BBCRadio4 @BBC_News_Labs @BBCTaster @Connected_Studio
Took me a minute to realize.... The BBC has their own TLD??