@mimsical

I'd try #BlueSky if #Mastodon failed to do what I need it to at some point, but I explicitly want a news feed with reporters and journalism and #Threads seems quite hostile to that.

Also I've heard that Threads doesn't let you follow only the posts of the people you follow, but populates them with random "algorithm" suggestions.

I think I'd rather die. Facebook and Twitter both did a version of that and if it was forced, I would have left. Renders the timeline worthless.

@mimsical Social graph? Explain

@mimsical do both these not allow you to take your social graph with you when you move?

Here they (Meta) explicitly say this is the reason Threads is integrating ActivityPub?

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CuVYS9BgJYN/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

@mimsical

Agreed. This was already always on my mind, but the twitter fallout solidified it for sure.

@mimsical have a BlueSky invite so I can see why it’s all about?

@mimsical yeah. Getting unwanted "suggested for you" posts from accounts I don't follow is not my idea of 'fun'. I want to only read what I want to read, period

@mimsical So we should all run our own Mastodon server? Kinda confused about what "control" really means

@mimsical Although both have (at least the promise of) some sort of decentralized possibilities right? Naturally I will only believe it once I see it since trust in these companies is close to zero, but at least it is a kind of hopeful for the decentralized cause.

@mimsical fool me once

@mimsical Would not be fair to add to that statement insofar as ownership - server instance admins have a stake in that?

@mimsical boom there it is. that's the part no capitalist wants you to control

@mimsical isn't bluesky meant to (once out of beta) allow you to run your own instance/PDS and be decentralized?

@mimsical Funny how long it has taken some people to realise what should have been patently obvious from the very first moment, a decade ago.

@mimsical Yet I still can't move my post backlog with me between instances, which sucks as an artist. 😓

@mimsical Did you find the “mute conversation” button yet?
Just curious. It’s handy.
Went through your mentions and I thought you could use this super important tip.

@mimsical Well, I would start earlier. Create your own domain, post content there and just send the headlines to Mastodon and the evil side.

@mimsical The other lesson is "don't trust any social network where an algorithm controls what you see, rather than a chronological order.

@mimsical However even if I control my own node on that social graph, without other nodes, the graph is not that interesting

@mimsical how is Bluesky fun? I feel jack is ruining it with it's invite code requirement, most people don't mind trying it with all it's flaws.

@mimsical Well it's just the principle of OSS, I suppose, getting to take control not only over your code and your software, but the computing experience that's now so central to our lives. Maybe the PinePhone might end up being the perfect device to use and, of course, install Mastodon onto!

@mimsical This is why I wish there was a way to make Mastodon and other Federation apps more fun.

Part of that is quote posts. But it also needs to be easier to see all the follows of people you follow and to see all the replies to a post.

@mimsical corporate social media are fun like cocaine is fun. You should probably not do it

@mimsical@mastodon.social And that part of your life, is your Sense of Reality

@mimsical

"If there's a business model but they don't charge you, the you are not the customer, you are the merchandise."

@mimsical @MattFerrel And rebuilding takes like 40 person-hours, each time.

@mimsical @michaelcoyote They’re all fun until they monetize you.

@mimsical I'd love to say that #bluesky is fun. Unfortunately, I'm on the waitlist that isn't. Being basically invite only just reminds me of that George Carlin comment "it's their club and you're not invited."

@mimsical in theory, Threads will allow it as they build out the features.

@mimsical The lesson I’ve learned is that doom scrolling is being cultivated as a part of a larger misinformation model. Aside from the obvious troll/bot accounts there are others seeking to overwhelm the consumer.

@mimsical

It simply should not be part of private enterprise…

I hope that is what we learned from the passed few years; shady intransparent algorithms, manipulation, doxing, fake news, propaganda, right wing biased ownership and manipulating elections, collecting personal data, anything else?

Finally regulations are starting to take shape with the EU digital services act.

https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/digital-services-act-package

@mimsical I posted the same thing when I joined mastodon

@mimsical the phrase "using the cloud is just using someone else's computer" and its variations needed a good social media counterpart.

@mimsical Threads is just Instagram with limited interface. The same moderation etc. Those people could have used Instagram instead long ago, and post photos.

@mimsical

https://wheresyoured.at/p/the-last-social-network

@mimsical Honestly, I don't see how Threads or Bluesky can be fun - it's corporate social media skullduggery. The #fediverse is fun!

@mimsical a former boss of mine, who was a seasoned player of poker, once told me - “if you look around the table, and can’t quite work out who has the bad hand ( is the mug ), then it’s probably you”

Similarly, another wise person said “if you can’t see the product, you’re the product” or words to that effect

@mimsical well said. my enthusiasm for threads is 100% based on the hope they follow through with becoming a real instance, including allowing freedom of exit.

@mimsical this is getting the message

@mimsical this is my favourite take so far!

@mimsical

Every time someone signs up at these conspiring platforms, that someone makes identity theft look more convincing. In parallel to living being's blog entries, under scrutiny, we can observe other covert actions. Shadowbanning on YouTube, Twitter, etc. Reddit doesn't even hide it.

@mimsical IOW: If it's free, it isn't free. Choose #noalgorithm, #nodatamining, and support your local Mastodon instance with whatever you can afford.