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isol

@palllyyy

Why do you repeatedly say that Mastodon is "alternative" ?

It's just social media, like all other social media.

Sure, it's an alternative to other social media, but TikTok is an alternative to Facebook, which is an alternative to Reddit, etc., etc.

The wording makes it seem like all other social media is normal and standard, but Mastodon is somehow strange and different.

31 October at 11:36 | Wall-to-wall | Open on mastodon.au
2 comments
Paula

@isol In my thesis I look at theories of alternative media, which can be applied to Mastodon. That is why I speak of Mastodon as alternative social network.

31 October at 12:39 | Open on mastodon.social
isol

@palllyyy

That seems circular to me:

you say Mastodon is "alternative" media.
And that's why you call it "alternative" media.

If the usage was, say
"… an alternative to centralised social media"
or
"… an alternative to FB/X/TikTok"

I could understand, but I read the usage as being just like the phrase "alternative medicine", which has connotations of being weird, and not based on proven scientific facts.

31 October at 12:50 | Open on mastodon.au
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