Spacedragon Apr 17, 2017

Fascinating dynamic unfolding across Mastodon: instances are dividing into two ideological factions: safe speech, and free speech.

The safe speech instances are likely to start sharing domain-level blocklists (like Adblock but for speech) in the near future, to "curb harassment".

The free speech instances legitimately don't seem to care, and so far, have held much more interesting, substantive and intellectual conversations than the safe speech zones.

What can you expect from me? Free speech.

Show threadMatthew SkalaApr 17, 2017
@wogan I see this as an internal dispute of the steadily shrinking English-language minority of Mastodon. Neither side of it has yet really processed the fact that they aren't still the majority, but anyone who wants a clear view of the situation *must* be aware of that fact.
Show threadSpacedragon Apr 17, 2017

@mattskala That's a good point, though there's a lot more to it than that.

The fediverse has been around sine Laconica (10-ish years), and it's only recently that there's a clash between the safe-space culture from the US, meeting the existing global free-speech culture, in the context of a foreign culture now dominating in user size.

Essentially, this is the new Wild West right now.

Show threadFrankie SaxxApr 17, 2017

@wogan @mattskala @yahananxie I'm kind of glad that I'm not the only one who sees the US cultural influence in what's essentially a culture war over speech norms.

Something the Americans fail to realize is that much of the European segment already has hate speech laws that apply where our servers are operating and don't actually need the Americans to come tell us what we're allowed to say.

Show threadFox in the shellApr 17, 2017

@frankiesaxx Yes, ethnocentrism is a thing.

So is the freeze peach fallacy (believing “free speech” means freedom from consequences, freedom to make people listen to you, freedom to say anything in any place, ...).

Unfortunately, it seems most of that is a front for “we want to be able to engage in the same abusive behaviours as on Reddit or birbsite”...

Show threadFrankie Saxx

@kellerfuchs I've noticed those tack-on freedoms often include freedom from criticism and contradiction.

I can't say I've had any exchanges here where people have been less than conversationally civil with me, even though I'm pretty sure in some cases our politics and social ideas are very different.

There's a level of get what you give too; my affinity may be more in some camps than others, but I'd be a liar if I said 'my side' never started the poo flinging.

Apr 17, 2017 at 7:26pmWeb