Kevin BeaumontDec 5

Mastodon isn't perfect.

But the fact a social network exists that is completely free to use

has no venture capital investors

has no shareholders to answer to

has no growth targets

with a web interface with zero tracking cookies

and mobile apps with zero trackers at all

with ten thousand server administrators who donate their time for user safety

is - in my opinion - mindbogglingly cool, given the state of the world we live in. Not everything has to be shit. People make things better.

Show threadDJGummikuhDec 5

@GossiTheDog
with no ads, even without ad blockers!
With no engagement-reinforcing force-feeding of content
with no arbitrary rules that only exist to keep the platform "advertisable" (there are still arbitrary rules, though šŸ˜…)

just wanted to extend your list by some additional noteworthy selling points

Show threadMarty FoutsDec 6

@DJGummikuh @GossiTheDog It would be nice if we could come up with language that captures the difference between ads and ā€œposts that someone paid to place on timelineā€.

There are ads on Mastodon, such as the artists who post to promote their work or services for sale. They are generally a good thing because you only see them under the same circumstances that you see any post.

But there are no posts that are forced onto your timeline.

Show threadPapa Maccus PrimusDec 6
@MartyFouts @DJGummikuh @GossiTheDog What should we call them? Organic ads? Homegrown ads? I've seen plenty of those on Mastodon, even from companies, but the corporate ones have so far only popped up in the federated feed and are easy to block so they don't bother me that much.
Show threadSiobhƔn Sarelle

@macberg @MartyFouts @DJGummikuh @GossiTheDog

If I'm in a room full of people, and tell everyone I talk to about a gig I've got coming up, am I advertising? Is that an ad?

Jan 16 at 5:04pmWeb
Show threadDJGummikuhJan 16
@siobhansarelle @macberg @MartyFouts @GossiTheDog I honestly don't care. That kind of ad I have no problem with, because it is a person talking to persons about a thing a person does, as opposed to manipulative posts rolled out by an intansparent algorithm inheritly and knowingly against my will without any human invervention
Show threadMarty FoutsJan 16

@siobhansarelle @macberg @DJGummikuh @GossiTheDog Yes, you would be advertising, if you were talking in a way meant to encourage people to attend. Thereā€™s nothing wrong with that and self promotion is a necessity.

ā€œAn adā€ implies that there is a record of what you said that you meant to publish more widely, possibly repeatedly, but broadly speaking such encouragement is an ad.