@Gargron Very glad to hear this.

@Gargron I think I would be okay with it as long as it is something an individual account can opt out of. a way in settings to opt out of it automatically on all posts and setting on each post that you can opt in and out of or set to only people you follow can quote tweet.

@Gargron it'll be really nice to be compatible with existing implementations and
Fediverse Enhancement Proposal:
https://codeberg.org/fediverse/fep/src/branch/main/feps/fep-e232.md

@Gargron
Some of the worst parts of quote replies could be mitigated by including them in the list of responses, the same as any other reply. That would make them less prone to branching the responses.

@Gargron my single vote against quote posts. This clutters a timeline and encourages a lot of jumping on a specific topic which causes artificial amplification. Journalists, influencers, and people looking for quick fun miss it, yet QTs do not encourage a deep dive. Interaction with topic happens by responding to the poster. Bring in others by boosting. People like QT because they want to be seen quoting a specific post. Let them build their reputation on their own posts.

@Gargron thank you. On balance, I think they're valuable - I personally used them a lot on twitter and not for nefarious purposes.

@Gargron
Since joining Mastodon a couple of months ago, my opinion on quote posts has changed. I'm leaning more towards not having them. I feel that, for a very small percentage of posts, I do want to add something when boosting, but otherwise I'm fine not being able to quote post.

@Gargron no, no, we're good, thanks

@Gargron

I don't feel as strongly about quote posts as I did in 2018. Personally, I am not a fan, but there is clearly a lot of demand for it. We're considering it.
That horse seems to have left the barn, so it would be nice if we could skip the cut and paste step.

@Gargron please hold the line on no quote posts. I strongly believe the lack of quote posts is one of the reasons Mastodon is so much more pleasant and less toxic than other services. https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2022/05/social-media-democracy-trust-babel/629369/

@Gargron From whom though? Folks who have been here a long time and are intentionally working against make this Twitter 2.0? Or those that swarmed here under the promise that's what Mastodon was? I've only ever seen the demand lately and from the latter. When I've seen quote posts in the wild on the Fediverse, it has always taken the form of harassment.

Not only do we have the chance to break from the past and do better, but this decision affects the rest of the Fediverse, too.

@Gargron Do it. Yes, it can be used in a nasty and toxic way like @aral says. But they also can be pretty useful. Shouldn’t you be allowed to say something about the stuff you’re reposting?

@Gargron @Annalee

Should you decide to include such a #feature in a future version of #Mastdon, I’d like to suggest a companion feature to release at the same time: The ability to block #quote toots / quote posts.

Thank you for all your hard work and for your consideration.

@Gargron I think quote tweets are a good reason Twitter is so toxic. Just people commenting on things without actually interacting with the person.

I don't want that Mastodon becomes the new toxic Twitter.

@Gargron at least make an option to turn it off

@Gargron For what it's worth, I'm happy not to have quote posts here.

@Gargron As a recent joiner from Twitter, who used this feature frequently, I vote against.

Most of the time I didn't misuse it. But a few times I did.

You can accomplish the same manually. The tiny additional effort gives enough pause to rethink whether referring to someone's content rather than directly engaging is the best option.

@Gargron I like that they don't have them here. Over on the bird site, they are used for nothing but starting trouble. There's no good reason in my mind, given how much problem people use them to start trouble, to not just boost and then reply to the boost. It does the same thing, but without the ability to start trouble. My two cents.

@Gargron I like them because sometimes I want to explain why I like or dislike the article/post

@Gargron It seems to me the simple solution would be giving the original poster the control over whether or not a post can be quote-boosted. Just a simple toggle when creating the post should be sufficient.

@Gargron We non-journalists all had to learn new things and adapt our existing social media behaviors to successfully use Mastodon. Journalists have been given far too many “Easy buttons” that they haven’t earned over the past several years. They can learn and adapt to use Mastodon too. There’s currently only one major squeaky wheel here right now, and she’s done nothing but complain since she got here, please don’t bend to her celebrity-like demands.

@Gargron there is an entire toxic culture of lazily dunking on other people's posts via trite quote tweets on Twitter that I had to unfollow multiple respected people to get away from. Regardless of what anyone here says, large accounts doing it also leads to pile-ons. It also went meta, with people posting outrageous things specifically to trick people into amplifying them via trite dunks. These things do not currently exist here, but absent a clever implementation, they absolutely will appear.

@Gargron Good to know. I don't see it as a must-have, but it would ease the transition from the bird site for many

@Gargron Fair enough — I'm not a fan either but glad it would be an opt-in if you decided to implement.

@Gargron They are great. They foster engagement

There is a demand to make Mastodon into a clone of twitter.

Is that what we want?

If people want to fork the code or submit a patch then they could do that.

@Gargron

@Gargron Not having quote posts was jarring to me for a bit, but now I've adapted to it and actually really prefer it this way. If it's coming, could it at least be on an instance-by-instance basis?

@Gargron my first reaction was to quote post.

In my short time on Mastodon vs twitter, NOT having quote posts has led to more direct interactions with the OP, and less knee-jerk reactions to posts.

Maybe quote posts could be a *type of reply*? A button that says “include original post”? Might be some benefits to that as well, i.e. in a reply to a megathread, you could quote a specific status. Or even another reply. All while in the original context.

@Gargron as a refugee from the other place, I’m strongly against it. I think it’s one of the things that lead to such negativity over there. People would constantly use it to lash poorly thought out criticisms. Boosts are boosts: simple positive. Why on earth boost something you hate? If people have a problem with the OP, why not debate with them directly via a thread of responses?

@Gargron I love it! And I think if it's possible to make it an opt-in feature per post, that would be ideal. Think of it like #Tiktok and how you can allow stitches, duets, per each of your video posts. If we could choose to allow #qt, it would likely appease most users, as those that don't want it would simply never turn it on for their posts

@Gargron It's a standard cost/benefit analysis Popularity aside as witnessed of American society that endorsed much of the hellscape we're all NOW eyebrow deep in

@Gargron every possibility, every tool is used for bad as good. Unfortunately more for bad. I hope you decide against it.

@Gargron
Reading through the replies there are several that express how I feel about QTs.
Mastodon has a unique feel. I sincerely hope you don't add them.

@Gargron With quote posts I can provide image descriptions that the original poster did not. I can say *why* I'm boosting something. I get the reasoning behind not having it here, but I also see advantages.

@Gargron One of my favorite aspects of moving to Mastodon is that this is *not* a feature. Please don't reinvent this particular mistake, it will absolutely change behavior for the worse.

@Gargron The idea of making it an editable per post option looks like a good compromise.

@Gargron

Perhaps, dare I say it ... a poll?

@Gargron Thank you for considering it. It's a strong need for those of us that are in community-facing and educational roles. Reposting things with additional commentary for our own followers is an important feature.

@Gargron Actually, I think the premisse of the argument against it is not correct. Sure, quote posts have been misused for bad behaviour. But that does not neccesarily mean that quote posts are inherently bad.

When I look at my current twitter timeline, most quote tweets I see are not used to attack persons. Mostly, they are used to give something context, to give some extra information, or to explain why it would be interesting. There are some personal attacks, but not much ...

@Gargron I think a way to opt-out of quote posts would be solid. If folks want to avoid the "dunk culture" quote posting can result in, they could be free to do it.

@Gargron could it be something each instance decides if it wants to support or not?

@Gargron Thanks for listening, regardless of your decision. My two cents: it's useful for a lot of people. I do miss it. I think it can be implemented better here.

@Gargron thanks

Haste gesehen, @DJGummikuh, oder?

@Gargron

love quote posts! no one is forced to use it. make it optional

@Gargron It should be opt-in, not opt-out!

@Gargron I would guess most who want that function have come from Twitter. Over there quote tweets are a huge part of that site's negativity. Also, it's a lot easier to grab someone else's content and repost it than coming up with one's own good content. By not having quote posts here, I would argue, has elevated the content and engagement here over what we see on Twitter.

@Gargron I don't want them but if you do implement, please make sure they can be disabled per-instance, blocked per user, and that filters apply both to the post and the rt'd content.

@Gargron I think we should have it. It facilitates dialogue. People who abuse it can be blocked.

@Gargron I’ve used them before without having to resort to abuse! It seems a valid way to add to content but it would be nicer if the quote-toot is together with comments, since it is just another form of comment.

@Gargron

Please don't

@Gargron Yes please. It would just make it easier and neater rather than copy the share link to the toot and the quote it.

@Gargron Happy New Year! First of all, thank you very much for the great platform, which I have enjoyed a lot since moving from the bird site a couple of months ago. But if the quote-posts are introduced here, I am afraid it will change the culture to Twitter-like and may destroy the main arguments of why I have moved to here in the first place

@Gargron As long as there's the option to not allow your toots to be QT'd.

@Gargron thank you

@Gargron What about a "captioned boost" where the boosters content is below the original? Might discourage the more "look at me and how much better I am than this person" style of quote post while letting people add context to why they are boosting?

@Gargron It's a fantastic feature & one I fully support 👍🏼

@Gargron Twitter already exists? Tell them to pound sand or go back if they want QTs. This idea is awful.

@Gargron I like the idea of being able to opt out if at all possible.

@Gargron I personally feel this would be a net negative experience, but it's not a hill I would die on. If we do add it, can we have a button to see all the people who quote tooted a specific toot? Was annoying how twitter didn't make that easy.

@Gargron please do it!

@Gargron
Best compromise is to have a "make my toot shareable" button.
If that would work, technically?

@Gargron it adds an extra social dynamic, I can quote repost a journalist or publication’s post linking to their article rather than just a URL that leads elsewhere

@Gargron 🥳🥰😎🎉🎉🎉🎉

@Gargron
I don't like them. Please don't do them. Mastodon is great BECAUSE we don't have quoted posts.

@Gargron thanks for this update, and kudos to the team for taking this into consideration.

@Gargron whatever you do, definitely make it an option users can turn off. I don't want internet assholes QTing me all day long.

@Gargron would love to see quote toots as long as you can disable people from quoting you if you want

@Gargron normally, I'd want to quote this and express to my followers that I'm happy it's being reconsidered and hope that people's concerns about the feature can also be addressed somehow.

Feels weird to have to address you directly.

@Gargron Quote posts are basically the same thing as outside links, except that the link is to elsewhere in the Fediverse. Sometimes it isn't obvious why you've boosted/linked to it, and you want to explain. There are lots of uses for the basic function besides being mean to people. I suspect it was the algorithms that caused the problems, not the function itself.

@Gargron A 'tootquote' can serve many different positive purposes. You should put it in play.

@Gargron oh no! 😬

@Gargron great!

@gargron "there is clearly a lot of demand for it"

In that case, bear in mind that voices for change are usually louder and more vociferous than voices that support the status quo. People from the UK will know what I mean.

@gargron
I thought I was an advocate for QTs when I first started using Mastodon properly. I've come to realise that their downsides outweigh the upsides.
Maybe consider that a supermajority should be required to support any decision to change.

@Gargron Quote posts aren't always about snarky attacks, they often are used to piggyback someone's point or to add another perspective in context with the post that is being quoted. Or simply a reaction. I don't mind the occasional snark now and then either if I'm being totally honest 😁 Greta's clapback on Andrew Tate for instance lol.

@Gargron No thank you.

@Gargron thank you. I think it would be a powerful addition to Mastodon.

@Gargron
Please don't.
And if you do, make it opt-in.

@Gargron I'm glad. I think that, without an algorithmic timeline, the use of quote posts would be significantly less likely to be weaponized. The ability to opt-out would be prudent. I continue to wonder if there isn't something in the UX design that could add a little friction to the process to encourage more thoughtful, intentional use...but I'm not a UX person, so not sure what that might be, if there is.

@Gargron with approval of original poster, maybe.

@Gargron

> I don’t feel as strongly about quote posts as I did in 2018.

tbf, your harassment inpipe may have peaked; some of the little ppl still just want a place that isn’t being lit on fire every five minutes as opposed to every ten

just saying, Eugen. there’s a lot of ppl willing to tell you whatever just to make money

but I suspect you’ve noticed that, too 🤷‍♀️

@Gargron
What about allowing a quote post, but only as a response to the original post. That is, the original post first and indicating if it is itself an original toot or a response, and then the quotor’s comment underneath. It would still appear in the original posts regular flow, but appear with the instigating post in the general timeline.

@Gargron Give me quotes.

@Gargron
I think your original 2018 intuition was good and that it would be better not to do it: on Twitter it is mostly only used for insulting, ridiculing or as an egocentric substitute for the Reply option. I just hope that if finally implemented, the opt out will allow us to prevent our toots from being quoted.

@Gargron I would be quote posting this with some derisive words as garnish. Alas, I can't.

@Gargron consider it quickly please so I can know whether to start looking for another social network as soon as possible. I didn’t come here to be on Twitter again.

@Gargron here are my ignorant thoughts… 🤣 https://social.europlus.zone/@europlus/109579702316542524

@Gargron Is there a way to add the feature and through implementation make it useful for those that wish to use it without negative effects that would not otherwise be on Mastodon? Anybody can take a screenshot of a post and attach it to a message if they wanted to, it's just cumbersome for those who want to to do so. #MastodonUpdate #QuoteTweet

@Gargron I don't miss quote posts.

@Gargron for what it’s worth, I was a HUGE quote tweeter at the other place. Was truly startled by lack of it when I moved over here 3 weeks ago. Now? I’m fine without it. I understand the rationale for not having it. (Mastodon: the place that twists your brain into new configurations.)

@Gargron I vote for.

@Gargron
In my opinion, qrt is pure laziness.
And has the enormous probability of becoming extremely toxic, rapidly.
I am, and always will be, for creating original content, not leeching on others' for fame.
IMO, the main reason for qrt is that people come from twitter, are used to it and cannot handle change, but Mastodon must pave its own way. Next? Algo?
Instagram put "stories" copying tiktok, and now is an endless shitstorm of videos, far from the elegant photo posting it once was.

@Gargron if it's lightweight, okay - otherwise, don't knock yourself out :) It's not essential.

@Gargron I'm skeptical but I've seen more legit arguments in favor as other niches and subcultures have come forward to make their cases.

@Gargron Now that I'm here, I see the upsides to NOT having quote posts. Don't feel pressured into it.

@Gargron thank you

@Gargron This environment is different then musketwitter and I like that. QT is not a feature I cared about there really. And frankly made stuff feel disconnected when I think about it.