Meg

So here's a fun emergent feature on Mastodon 4.2:

- you can search your own posts even if you turn off other people searching you (use `in:library` as a term).
- you can post "DM"s that have no recipient, so only you can see them. These are searchable.

So you can use your Mastodon as a searchable private note repository lol.

Oct 5, 2023 at 12:02amWeb
Show threadMegOct 5, 2023

No, you should not put evidence of crimes in these "private" posts. As with any website, data you put in mastodon can be read by the system administrators who run it and have direct access to the database.

Please also note that if you're worried about this, you should not just be worried about it with mastodon. It's not unique.

Show threadopal 🌙Oct 5, 2023
@megmac this is a galaxy brain use of single-user DMs
Show threadFeralRobotsOct 6, 2023
@opal @megmac
I did something like this on Twitter but you couldn't search them.
Show threadjonny (good kind)Oct 5, 2023
@megmac
Of course this means mastodon is now cloud storage if you b64 encode a file in a recipientless DM thread
Show threadBrook MilesOct 5, 2023
@jonny @megmac plus, while there’s a limit on post length, I don’t think there’s a limit on how many times you can edit a post with full history
Show threadjonny (good kind)Oct 5, 2023
@brook
@megmac
Brilliant. So then a thread tree is a filesystem where each post and its edit history are files
Show threadMegOct 5, 2023
@jonny @brook wow this is so cursed
Show threadEver AftarOct 5, 2023
@megmac @jonny @brook Posts are blocks. And threads are the FAT.
Show threadNot a Spring OnionOct 5, 2023

@ever @megmac @jonny @brook

base64? I just store binaries by prepending a JPEG header.

(Yes, I know. JFIF header would make more sense. ​)

Show threadCalicosineOct 5, 2023

@jonny @megmac @brook

Harder Drive 2

Show threadBob JonkmanOct 5, 2023

@jonny

How long before someone writes a fuse driver for Mastodon?

@brook @megmac

Show threadmiaOct 5, 2023
@jonny @megmac I forget, y'all don't just have a drive ​​
Show threadjonny (good kind)Oct 5, 2023
@moshibar
@megmac
If we did I would encourage ppl not to use it. I dont want to be responsible for that lol
Show threadAdrian Riskin Oct 6, 2023

@jonny @megmac It's like the venerable Gmailfs but for Masto.

https://github.com/hansendc/gmailfs

GitHub - hansendc/gmailfs: FUSE-based filesystem for using an IMAP server (like gmail) as normal storage like a hard disk.

FUSE-based filesystem for using an IMAP server (like gmail) as normal storage like a hard disk. - GitHub - hansendc/gmailfs: FUSE-based filesystem for using an IMAP server (like gmail) as normal st...

GitHub
Show threadFeralRobotsOct 6, 2023
@jonny @megmac
I wonder how hard it would be to detect this as a DOS tactic?
Show threadKevin Bonham 🚽🦠👨🏼‍🔬Oct 5, 2023
@megmac
Is it still the case that DMs are unencrypted? That would mean that they are still readable to admins or anyone that gets read access to the server, no?
Show threadMegOct 5, 2023

@Kbonham you should always assume the person who runs a website(*) can read anything you do through that website if they really want to. Even if it says it's e2e, there are ways. So yes, I wouldn't put anything incriminating in it.

(*) This is less true for things that are purely native apps but even there there are caveats and you have to trust the people making and running the software you're using at least a little.

Show threadEver AftarOct 5, 2023
@megmac @Kbonham Just encrypt your data locally before base64-ing it and don't share your encryption key. And you're golden.
Show threadit's B! Cavello 🐝Oct 5, 2023
@megmac oooh! Searching my own posts is one of my biggest desired capabilities. I hope I’ll have access on my server.
Show threadkira :3Oct 5, 2023
@megmac my instance is on 4.2 and it doesn't look like in:library does anything for me, do you just plop it into any part of the string?
Show threadMegOct 5, 2023

@chrisisgr8 yep, as its own term.

If you're seeing other things they might be things you boosted or favorited? Those are included too.

Show threadkira :3Oct 5, 2023
@megmac hmm, maybe it's not working on my instance then
Show threadAndrew BriscoeOct 5, 2023
@megmac This is insanely helpful, thanks! So hard to find my old posts otherwise.
Show threadOwen NelsonOct 5, 2023
@megmac jesus
Show threadOwen NelsonOct 5, 2023
@megmac I *only* opted in because of the want to search my own shit.
Show threadFruity Mercury Oct 5, 2023
@megmac your server mods and admins will still be able to see them so "private" is a bit of a stretch.
Show threadAnnika BackstromOct 5, 2023
@megmac I wonder, is `in:library` different from `from:me` in this behaviour?
Show threadMegOct 5, 2023
@annika from:me is actually probably better for this specific use case actually. In library will also turn up your boosts and likes.
Show threadRobert ThauOct 5, 2023
@megmac ... to a point; like other posts, these presumably won't move if you change instances.
Show threadKakurady (🔜 NFC, FE)Oct 5, 2023
@megmac if you don't mind your instance admin seeing them, but that's no different from leaving notes to self in Telegram or Google Tasks.
Show threadJoshixOct 5, 2023

@megmac from:me only includes your own toots.

https://mastodon.social/@Gargron/111138590453853715

Show threadElMopoOct 5, 2023
@megmac Eh. With my follower count, that's what it is anyway :)
Show threadFeralRobotsOct 6, 2023
@megmac I'm going to file this under 'really cool things I'm going to desperately try to never do because I think it's probably a horrible idea in many ways but yeah somehow I still keep thinking this is really cool.' <inhale />