Mastodon Migration3d ago

Ken White, aka Popehat, a lawyer and popular poster on #Bluesky was recently suspended (https://www.popehat.com/p/a-bit-of-tedious-drama-at-bluesky). Suspension now over, Ken writes:

"...I believe that returning after a suspension carries with it an implicit promise that I won’t post that, or something like it, again. I won’t make that promise, so I won’t return to Bluesky."

Indeed, Bluesky is demonstrating they can extort censorship with the ban hammer. Other users are put on notice it's not you this time, toe the line.

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A Bit of Tedious Drama At Bluesky

Bluesky Can Ban Whoever They Want! But They Won’t Stop Me From Saying What I Think. I Think The World Would Be A Better Place Without Elon Musk.

The Popehat Report
Show threadMastodon Migration3d ago

We've seen this movie before. In 2023 journalist Taylor Lorenz @taylorlorenz was suspended from Twitter ironically also for posting about Elon Musk, initiating a regime of increasing censorship and control over user content, mostly self enforced to avoid the same fate.

Bluesky users take note, this is about freedom of expression and the chilling effect of knowing you may be banned for stepping over arbitrary lines set by the owners of your centralized platform.

https://mastodon.online/@mastodonmigration/109533315401943335

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Show threadMastodon Migration3d ago

Why is it different here? The answer is obvious, but bears repeating. The Fedi is truly a #decentralized network.

If the owners of your instance suspend your account, you actually do have the option to set up shop on another instance and continue to interact on the network. You are not banned from the network. No one has that power.

And, importantly here it is the owners who must be careful not to alienate users with capricious rules. The dynamic is reversed. Here the users have the power.

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Show threadThad3d ago

@mastodonmigration All that may be true, but Ken White doesn't post on Mastodon anymore either, and cited the constant "HOA" scolding as his reason for leaving. He's got a point.

I like Mastodon. I'm using Mastodon right now. But for all that it's decentralized, Mastodon's got its own cultural problems that put people off. Including Ken White.

Hell, even now I'm half-expecting some reply-guy to scold me for saying "Mastodon" when they think I should have said "Fedi".

https://mastodon.social/@Popehat/111427290962583386

Show threadAria <3 3d ago
@Thad @mastodonmigration ""HOA" scolding"?
Show threadThad
@ariarhythmic Homeowner's Association. Organizations that are generally regarded as nuisances that annoy their neighbors over trivial matters that are none of their business.
Jun 25 at 8:17pmWeb