@creatrixtiara @tcql It's shocking because being safer is one of the core goals of the project. And also because we confuse software, and who is currently using the software. For example, Mastodon would allow a group of activists to create an instance dedicated to the BLM movement, and you wouldn't depend on some white CEO's approval and tolerance, it'd be entirely within your hands and control. Given this potential I do consider it shocking that folks would want to go back to Twitter... but!
@Gargron @creatrixtiara I feel like the gamut of things a platform allows is different from what it -supports-. We know PoC, particularly black people, are likely to be under-represented, under-resourced, less trusted & worse treated (including by people who wholeheartedly want to be allies) in software & social media arenas.
A BLM instance CAN exist, so that it DOESN'T maybe indicates failures of the mastodon community to go beyond a negative peace+put $£€+time where we say our principles are.
@paralithode @creatrixtiara I have reached out to Deray about this, he didn't respond beyond DM'ing me "hi" back. I was ready to do the whole technical side of it.
And I'm pretty sure it's not my place to setup a BLM instance on my own.
@Gargron @paralithode That is...Wow. "Tokenistic" doesn't even begin to cover it. This sounds like "well I just did the bare minimum and it didn't work so you can't tell me I didn't try!!"
Deray isn't the founder of BLM, and even then he's not the most prominent part of it. You can't just plug any old tech tool to communities you haven't built relationships with. You haven't given them reason to trust you or Mastodon yet.
@creatrixtiara @Gargron @paralithode +1. Well, +1000.
You need to build actual relationships with people first. You need to have tangible investment (not the money kind) in each other's communities to build trust.
You also need to anticipate the unique needs of the groups you're hoping to attract, and have features in place to meet those needs, or be willing to prioritize them.
I have more thoughts on this but am tired
Some general challenges to getting a very wide demographic of people adopt Mastodon:
- literal social networks. Why should someone go where none of their friends are, if their goal is to communicate with friends?
- homogeneity. Right now it's very white and tech dude-y and most people who aren't do not want to be that one person in the room.
- tech literacy. Most ppl aren't particularly tech literate and don't have to be in their daily life, don't care about F/LOSS, decentralization etc.
- features/development. At this point FB, Twitter, etc., are very fully-featured, to the point of bloat. Mastodon, OTOH, is still missing key features that users accustomed to major social networks rely on and expect.
I can think of several ways to make Masto more friendly to new ppl or to do outreach to various communities but have work stuff to do, sorry
Anyway this all is to say I completely understand why ppl go back to Twitter, despite its faults. There are considerable challenges to address, both technical and social, before Mastodon is ready for widespread adoption.