Some of you know I have been working on non-profit funding to create an organisation ("IFTAS") to support moderators and admins. This is a non-profit entity that employs moderators and advisors to improve the tools and policies we have access to, and to present a strong voice to platform developers describing the tools and features needed to conduct the work.
@jaz@moderation This is quite vital, as we all know that #mainstream#SocialMedia does have a far more refined tool suite to do so, including #reputation managment of those reporting and pre-sorting options.
I like #Calckey and all, but what will decide if I spend more time here is how American-centric it will be.
One thing I love about #Mastodon is how for the first time since the dawn of social media/networks with have a tool that is not American, where Americans are not the majority of users (at least they were not until recently), and where most conversations do not revolve around American issues.
And... I just don't want to go back to that American-centric internet ever again.
Here? So far, I'm not too sure. Of course, it depends on who I follow, but the public timelines are a bit too on the wrong side of that issue... 🤔
I meant to be finishing a post about books I'm reading but I got distracted and wrote ~2500 words about Mastodon and Bluesky and the related things (welcoming design, insular culture) I've been stewing on for a few months
And also about vegetarian meat substitutes in the 1980s, which were really something
I really enjoy #Mastodon and am leery of #Bluesky for various reasons, but Erin Kissane makes an excellent point. If those who love Mastodon want it to grow & flourish, they must work quickly & constantly to make it easier to use and more pleasant for EVERYONE (except the Nazis, trolls, etc...).
Prestidge Group seeks an experienced F/T mostly remote social media manager who recommends effective social media strategies to build personal brands. You fully understand social analytics, particularly for LinkedIn, use hashtags correctly and interpret and evaluate the success of our social campaigns for individual thought leaders. This is a content strategy & analysis role. Candidates must live in EST time zone and authorized to work in the US. Message me. #hiring#socialmedia#branding
@mastodonmigration Reminder: Shadowbans are not Eloon's invention. They were widely applied, when Jack Dorsey still owned the birdsite.
And AFAIK it's not confirmed, that Dorsey's new corporate medium will not apply the same manipulative practices, that he approved on twitter.
Anyone who wants to stop under 18s from using social media is both naive
and dangerous.
Children do not suddenly become an adult and know how the world works. it’s up to US as parents, guardians, teachers, and family members, to ensure the children in our lives can safely explore what it is to grow up.
Moreover, we are the ones who need to create an environment young people feel safe to explore the world in. That means safely discussing issues of the wider world, not hiding them from it.
Young people who are not given access to anything other than what their school/church/parents think they should are more likely to be abused, taken advantage of, and radicalized.
Per a recent blog post and from online talk (here and elsewhere), I assume the options for replacing Twitter at this point will be one of the following:
Bluesky. Despite flaws, It seems to fit most of what the average person wants, and has caught some mainstream attention.
A "Chromebook" version of Mastodon, i.e. Mastodon but made user-friendly for (and appealing to) the average person. Even if hardcore Mastodon/ActivityPub enthusiasts get annoyed...
Note I've mostly enjoyed being on Mastodon so far, but it doesn't change the fact that a lot of the people I followed on Twitter aren't here, and the above reasons are likely why.
I find this rather interesting. Bl*esky is currently sitting at the 5th spot in the App Store social media category even though still being invite only.
On the other hand, the bird site is no where to be found on that list. And yes, the official Mastodon app is there but at the bottom at 200th.
Jack Dorsey says Elon Musk was the 'only alternative' for Twitter because it would have 'never survived' as a public company #Twitter#Musk#Mastodon#socialmedia#news
"It’s increasingly looking like this may be one of the most hilariously inappropriate applications of AI that we’ve seen yet." I am riveted by the extensive documentation of how ChatGPT-powered Bing is now completely unhinged. @simon has chronicled it beautifully here: https://simonwillison.net/2023/Feb/15/bing/
"...While very primitive, the #AI behind #SocialMedia was sufficient to create a curtain of illusions that increased societal #polarization, undermined our mental health and unraveled democracy. Millions of people have confused these #illusions with reality. [Willingly, and often even fanatically.]
The United States has the best information technology in history, yet U.S. citizens can...