Gregory's Server@atomicpoet Does it matter? If the underlying protocols are architected for federation and easy migration then any instances that go bad won't last long.
I do see a model like SMTP e-mail becoming a thing where technically anyone can federate, but it becomes increasingly hard for non well-resourced players to provide the necessary abuse management to play effectively.
|
Top-level
8 comments
@atomicpoet If the actions of the operators cause users any problems then they are two button presses away from migrating to another instance. The Musk problem couldn't arise here, provided acquirers don't do deeply evil things like defeating the migration mechanism. Someone *will* try it and the community response will define how the ecosystem eventually goes.  @rob With all do respect, the Musk problem can not only happen on Mastodon, it has happened. You might want to look into a few more instances. @atomicpoet @rob that part! We often make the mistake of assuming a certain technology or innovation will 'revolutionize' things. But patterns, when true, repeat themselves across all realities. If we apply a growth-based, large-scale, VC framework to the Fedi then the problems on Twitter, Facebook, etc. will repeat themselves here. The solution is smaller, more local, decentralized communities. In the physical world, comparable to plurinationalism vs. nationalism. @rob @atomicpoet They could easily disable the migration/export data button in their instance and literally lock people in? @rob @atomicpoet you're assuming that users are all aware of and invested in decentralization. Many Twitter migrators might even actively prefer a centralized model and be complicit. If that, or even just sheer ignorance from people seeking "the next thing," hits a critical mass, then no one will need to defeat the migration mechanism. It'll become irrelevant. @rob @atomicpoet That's a very naive stance. If you think bad things can't happen here, you probably wont be careful or vigilat and then they WILL happen. Those "two button presses" can just be disabled. The instance can do stuff to attract many users and then just change the protocol step by step. It's not the first time that would happen. And ignoring that threat won't just make it go away. |
@rob The instances that have gone bad have lasted for a very long time.
Technology does not replace human moderation.