Mastodawn

Jake Winter Aug 1, 2023

The BBC's experiment with Mastodon is pathbreaking in English-language news -- a major organization setting up its own instance. They've really thought this through. Key language:

"We're using social.bbc as the domain, so you can be sure these accounts are genuinely from the BBC. And by linking to and from the BBC’s website, we have verified our identity on Mastodon."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/rd/blog/2023-07-mastodon-distributed-decentralised-fediverse-activitypub

Welcome to:
@BBCRD
@BBC5Live @BBCRadio4
@BBCTaster
@Connected_Studio
@BBC_News_Labs

The BBC on Mastodon: experimenting with distributed and decentralised social media

Trialling ActivityPub and the federated model for social media and it's possibilities for the BBC.

BBC R&D

Michael Vilain Jul 31, 2023

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

AND they've been blocked by multiple instances for their Transphobia.

Thanks but no thanks.

ᴚ uɐᗡ Jul 31, 2023

@mvilain @dangillmor @BBCRD @BBC5Live @BBCRadio4 @BBCTaster @Connected_Studio @BBC_News_Labs I'm pretty ignorant on these allegations but if instances wants to block them (for whatever reasons) then that kind of shows the system is working... to me

James Endicott Jul 31, 2023

@dannotdaniel @mvilain @dangillmor @BBCRD @BBC5Live @BBCRadio4 @BBCTaster @Connected_Studio @BBC_News_Labs

The BBC is firmly pro-TERF. They picked their side when they published an article that only got lightly edited after it was used to advocate for lynching by someone interviewed in the article. If instance admins were consistent with their policies, they'd almost certainly be defederated more broadly. Instead, it's a political balancing act between their transphobia vs wanting news to pay attention to the Fediverse.

https://www.them.us/story/bbc-trans-women-article-statement

BBC Defends Article Claiming Trans Women Are Predators

One of its interview subjects has since called for trans women to be lynched.

Them.

ᴚ uɐᗡ Jul 31, 2023

@o76923 @dangillmor @mvilain @BBCRD @Connected_Studio @BBCRadio4 @BBC5Live @BBCTaster @BBC_News_Labs thanks for the link. I will check it out.

Transphobia is not OK ✌️

Epistatacadam Jul 31, 2023

@dangillmor @BBCRD @BBC5Live @BBCRadio4 @BBCTaster @Connected_Studio @BBC_News_Labs
I asked earlier when you would be joining! Please to welcome you the civilised world, of shared responsibility to keep conversations civil.

Inc Hulk 🧪Jul 31, 2023

@dangillmor @BBCRD @BBC5Live @BBCRadio4 @BBCTaster @Connected_Studio @BBC_News_Labs I am generally critical of the BBC after the highly biased Brexit debates, almost totally ignoring the 1 million demonstration against Brexit, ignoring all negative news of Johnson’s lies and many other very poor and biased reporting choices. Now I realize any new about UK politics is likely to be a pack of lies.
BUT , I am happy a large news organization has realised that Mastodon is a place to be resident.

Dym Sohin Jul 31, 2023

@dangillmor
what do you mean by "pathbreaking"?
as in the road was there for 5 years already, and now they suddenly decided to "discover" it? how imperialistic.
maybe even "name" it something like "new twitter" on your report card to the queen?

and no, not the first either.
/ref https://mastodon.social/@arstechnica

Koochulainn Jul 31, 2023

@dym @dangillmor Ars Technica is on mastodon.social, not its own instance
The 'pathbreaking' bit is that the BBC has set up its own

william.maggos Jul 31, 2023

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

It's huge. But they have verified their identity on THE #FEDIVERSE, not Mastodon. maybe the #socialweb.

all journalists/outlets just joining together to start their own instances and regain their independence and convince everybody to follow them here is how the social media platforms (that have profited so much via ads and data mining off their work) should die.

Dr. Heather Etchevers Jul 31, 2023

@dangillmor @BBCRD @BBC5Live @BBCRadio4 @BBCTaster @Connected_Studio @BBC_News_Labs Fantastic initiative, likely to be influential. Thank you all for making a #prosocial experiment rather than procapitalist (or protofascist)! "This model is more like email: you can email anyone, but as an individual, you choose which email provider you want to use.... local control, quality content, & social value, are far more aligned with our public purposes than those of avowedly commercial networks." 💪

Prasenjeet Dutta Jul 31, 2023

@dangillmor @lisamelton

Not sure what’s holding the NYTimes and the Post back.

Xerø Jul 31, 2023

@pd I'd rather have PBS, NPR, and Democracy Now.

Prasenjeet Dutta Jul 31, 2023

@ecksearoh fair enough. I’d have thought PBS was a shoo-in after their experience on Twitter.

𝔸𝕟𝕔𝕚𝕖𝕟𝕥 𝕊𝕠𝕦𝕟𝕕𝕤 🔉Jul 31, 2023

@pd
Adverts? (BBC is not allowed to advertise anything other than itself)

Karel P Kerezman Jul 31, 2023

@dangillmor I really like how they point out fedi as being distinct from Mastodon-the-software-product.

Dr James J Teeth Jul 31, 2023

This is the approach I had hoped news organizations would take.

It would nice if the individual reporter accounts were easily accessible.

Shoq Jul 31, 2023

@dangillmor @BBCRD I’d like to think American broadcasters will take the hint, but I know I’d be wrong. They will drag their feet for 5 more years. At least. If they do it at all.

Dan Gillmor Jul 31, 2023

@shoq News orgs in general, not just broadcasters... @BBCRD

Shoq Jul 31, 2023

@dangillmor @BBCRD Yes, agreed. I’m just hoping an icebreaker like this moves at least one sector of journalism to move even one herd. This makes me a bit more optimistic it can happen.

Charles Roper Jul 31, 2023

@shoq @dangillmor @BBCRD I'm hoping it will lay enough of a cowpath for others to follow, particularly around identity verification and moderation. Very interested to see if they start bringing individuals within the BBC in or stick to "channels".

Iwaa-kun Jul 31, 2023

@dangillmor I wish more entities would follow suit, but it's a very good sign that the BBC is leading the way.

serklarvel Jul 31, 2023

@dangillmor @BBCRD @BBC5Live @BBCRadio4 @BBCTaster @Connected_Studio @BBC_News_Labs exciting times for the #fediverse !

Mycotropic Jul 31, 2023

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

"This toot is supported by advertising outside the UK"

Is @MelvynBragg coming along for the ride?
#InOurTime

Kevin Russell Jul 31, 2023

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

I wish the folks in charge of setting up the BBC Mastodon account ran the BBC.

The research is SPOT ON. Accurate and respectful.

Rick Belanger Jul 31, 2023

@dangillmor @BBCRD @BBC5Live @BBCRadio4 @BBCTaster @Connected_Studio @BBC_News_Labs I’m following with caution - want to encourage publishers to join the fediverse. I’m confident that the bean counters will look at metrics like number of followers, boosts, and favorites (i.e. engagement), and this will certainly influence how much time and effort the org puts into the effort.

4mc Jul 31, 2023

@dangillmor @BBCRD @BBC5Live @BBCRadio4 @BBCTaster @Connected_Studio @BBC_News_Labs It's not as ground breaking as you think. The Financial Times alphaville set up and ran their own instance last year. They shut it down in January 2023 with some valid concerns.

https://www.ft.com/content/8d995a24-d77c-4208-a3a6-603d8788ebcd

Client Challenge

ClickyMcTicker Jul 31, 2023

@4mc @dangillmor That’s a fairly irrelevant news article. Financial Times hosted their own *public* server, not private server. They allowed strangers to join their server and use it as they wished. The BBC is locking down access and using it as a broadcasting medium for their own content. It’s as different as apples and Apple Watches are in the context of use case. “None of the things just referenced are fun.” is the best quote I can give for FT’s attempt.

Stop That Aug 1, 2023

@4mc @dangillmor Well, that was certainly a useful article.

hollowleviathan Aug 1, 2023

@stopthatgirl7 @4mc @dangillmor
I found this article to be actually useful (and it's publicly available!): https://www.techdirt.com/2023/02/01/financial-times-sets-up-mastodon-server-realizes-laws-exist-which-it-was-already-subject-to-pulls-down-mastodon-server/

Financial Times Sets Up Mastodon Server, Realizes Laws Exist (Which It Was Already Subject To), Pulls Down Mastodon Server

Here’s a weird one. With the rapid pickup of Mastodon and other ActivityPub-powered federated social media, there has been some movement among those in the media to make better use of the pla…

Techdirt

Claire Barnes Aug 6, 2023

@hollowleviathan Thanks for posting that, a remarkable summary by @mmasnick on this bizarrely incompetent episode from the normally-sensible #FT. Hoping the #BBC can find better paths!

https://www.techdirt.com/2023/02/01/financial-times-sets-up-mastodon-server-realizes-laws-exist-which-it-was-already-subject-to-pulls-down-mastodon-server/

Financial Times Sets Up Mastodon Server, Realizes Laws Exist (Which It Was Already Subject To), Pulls Down Mastodon Server

Here’s a weird one. With the rapid pickup of Mastodon and other ActivityPub-powered federated social media, there has been some movement among those in the media to make better use of the pla…

Techdirt

rateexportpilot Jul 31, 2023

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

It's crazy #bbcradio6 #6Music doesn't have one yet! I get the sense there would be a decent population of mastadonians who are also music geeks (myself very much included)

)}]Jul 31, 2023

@rateexportpilot @dangillmor @BBCRD @BBC5Live @BBCRadio4 @BBCTaster @Connected_Studio @BBC_News_Labs
I'm looking forward to an official Peel Sessions account.

rateexportpilot Jul 31, 2023

@dec23k @dangillmor @BBCRD @BBC5Live @BBCRadio4 @BBCTaster @Connected_Studio @BBC_News_Labs

filip_STDV Jul 31, 2023

@rateexportpilot
It was one of my first searches on Mastodon. That and The Quietus 😁!

The Nerdy Neko🍥🐾Jul 31, 2023

@dangillmor This is great news! Hopefully more follow suit!

Indy Richard 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿Jul 31, 2023

@dangillmor @BBCRD @BBC5Live @BBCRadio4 @BBCTaster @Connected_Studio @BBC_News_Labs For very good reason, the BBC brand in Scotland has lower levels of trust than elsewhere in the UK and more people in Scotland refuse to pay their TV licenses. I imagine that many are unlikely to follow any BBC instance over here just to hear the same bias we have been hearing for a long long time. Thanks but no thanks.
#BBCBias
#Scotland

Fluffgar 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 HAS MOVED Jul 31, 2023

@IndyRichard One of the good things about Mastodon is the ability to block an entire instance at once.

Indy Richard 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿Jul 31, 2023

@fluffgar Indeed.

Indy Richard 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿Jul 31, 2023

@fluffgar That an interesting point you make. If untrustworthy sources mean people might block a whole instance with all the other sources and users on that instance, is that an interesting approach to bias, exaggerated or fake news or just news that is designed to fit an editorial line?

Philip John Aug 1, 2023

@IndyRichard @dangillmor @BBCRD @BBC5Live @BBCRadio4 @BBCTaster @Connected_Studio @BBC_News_Labs https://mstdn.social/@Nickiquote/110813350755200399

Nick (@[email protected])

Just a note on the #BBC: The BBC is not just the editors of The Today Programme, or Question Time. It is not just that Panorama about ADHD or Stephen Nolan’s Stonewall podcast The BBC is also Yasmin Finney and Ncuti Gatwa on Doctor Who. It is Newsround. It is Horrible Histories doing the Bristol bus boycott. It is CBBC dramas for children about autism. It is a platform for new music of all kinds on radio. It has no ads. Hating “the BBC” because of Tory news editors misses the bigger picture.

Mastodon 🐘

Indy Richard 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿Aug 1, 2023

@phil @dangillmor @BBCRD @BBC5Live @BBCRadio4 @BBCTaster @Connected_Studio @BBC_News_Labs The point made is a good one. There are elements of the BBC which are good. Now if we could find a way to divorce BBC current affairs, news and sports coverage from the rest of their output...🤔

ideaPDish Jul 31, 2023

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

BRILLIANT!

JohnW Jul 31, 2023

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

I see Flipboard as a major organization as well. They set up an instance group back in March, Main, News, Tech, Science, Culture.

El Fotografo Jul 31, 2023

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

Hey @dansinker see this?

@dangillmor I don’t know who to tag or send this to, but we need this for the #CBC here in Canada as well! Built-in verification that the organization controls directly.

Are there many CBC folks on here to reach out to, to advocate for this? @jantafrench @robsonfletcher @Paulatics @chad

Asiny Jul 31, 2023

@chad @jaymerryfield @Paulatics @jantafrench @robsonfletcher @dangillmor @asiny

sheislaurence Jul 31, 2023

@dangillmor @BBCRD @BBC5Live @BBCRadio4 @BBCTaster @Connected_Studio @BBC_News_Labs Never have I meant ⭐ more than now! Landmark moment🎉 , love you❤️ #Beeb!

lady troodle Jul 31, 2023

@dangillmor @BBCRD @BBC5Live @BBCRadio4 @BBCTaster @Connected_Studio @BBC_News_Labs do I need to be on that bbc server to see their posts? Sorry technology just goes over my head! Thnx

Zumbador Aug 1, 2023

You don't need to be on the server, just follow the @ accounts you're interested in, and anything they post will appear in your home stream

lady troodle Aug 1, 2023

@Zumbador thank you!!

Mackaj Aug 1, 2023

Plus there's a bell 🔔 icon next to the follow button. If you select that too you'll get a notification every time they post something new. Though that might get noisy if they're prolific posters.

Another thing you can do is create a BBC list and add all their accounts to it. Then you can browse their posts and replies in one place.

wakest likes your bugs ⁂Aug 1, 2023

@TriciaScott nope you can follow their posts from your current account

Pablo Martini Jul 31, 2023

@dangillmor @BBCRD @BBC5Live @BBCRadio4 @BBCTaster @Connected_Studio @BBC_News_Labs Dan the BBC is ingrained with right wing disruptors called presenters, journalists etc. Some even running political groups from teen years through UNI in one case Oxford, after 70 or 80 years trusted by most of the world! No longer, It's news is suspect and although it's paid by us the users we are sorely let down by them all!

Sad eh?

Jamon Bull Jul 31, 2023

@dangillmor Here we go! This is a big moment for Mastodon and the Fediverse.

Rob Jul 31, 2023

@dangillmor @BBCRD @BBC5Live @BBCRadio4 @BBCTaster @Connected_Studio @BBC_News_Labs 🍆

Calum Andrew Morrell Jul 31, 2023

@dangillmor @BBCRD @BBC5Live @BBCRadio4 @BBCTaster @Connected_Studio @BBC_News_Labs Here's hoping BBC Radio 3 finds its way onto Mastodon as well. That would please me immensely.

Julia Harvey Jul 31, 2023

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

this is a great move. Hoping lots of other media come here too.

)}]Jul 31, 2023

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

"Instance shall speak peace unto Instance"