[Air-L] Migration to Mastodon
William Dutton
william.dutton at gmail.com
Thu Nov 10 08:30:29 PST 2022
Hi Sarah,
I’ll sign off and try to get some work done, but I wonder why so many write about the weaknesses of social media for democratic processes, and no one seems to be writing about how terrible they can be for any serious academic discussion like we are trying to have? This discussion might be good for sort of brainstorming, but heavens, it seems so inadequate in addressing any single issue raised by the participants. I am not arguing for a ban on scholarly debate, but this seems to incentivise conversational points and assertions that can be quickly made and left because we all need to get to work.
You’ve got to love it,
Bill
William H. Dutton
55 Victoria Road
Oxford OX2 7QF
United Kingdom
william.dutton at gmail.com
Twitter @BiIIDutton (II=two capital ii’s)
Phone: +44 (0)1865 423836
Mobile: +44 (0)7757 741670
Blog: https://billdutton.me
> On 10 Nov 2022, at 14:57, Sarah Ann Oates via Air-L <air-l at listserv.aoir.org> wrote:
>
> I am loving this thread and wonder if it will turn up in a dissertation
> somewhere LOL. But more seriously I want to throw an existential log onto
> the fire here. Or maybe a little gasoline ...
>
> Twitter (and other social media platforms) mine their users as the product.
> So we know we are being exploited -- it's the whole business model. If we
> chose to use a commercial platform, we are "willing slaves." A lot of
> people have written about this eloquently and well (including many people
> on this thread).
>
> So it's like smoking I guess -- if I choose to smoke, I accept that there
> is a 50% chance I will die of a tobacco-related disease. I make this choice
> openly. I think if I choose to use Twitter (and I still do, albeit I'm like
> one of those smokers who only smokes when drinking ... and keeps trying to
> vie up) then I accept I have chosen to do something that is toxic for
> society.
>
> Wow, pretty dark and I'd love to be talked out of this attitude. I know
> that social media, unlike smoking, does bring good to society in the form
> of lifting up voices in #BlackLivesMatter and #MeToo. But I grow more and
> more uncomfortable with being a part of the problem by being a 'product'
> for Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, etc.
>
> Sarah
>
>
> Sarah Oates
> Pronoun: she/her
>
> Professor and Senior Scholar
> Philip Merrill College of Journalism
> Distinguished Scholar-Teacher
> University of Maryland
> College Park, MD 20742
> Email: soates at umd.edu
> Phone: 301 455 2332
> www.media-politics.com
> Twitter: @media_politics
>
> *Support the UMD Student Crisis Fund
> <https://giving.umd.edu/giving/showPage.php?name=crisis-funding> today. *
>
>
>
>
> On Thu, Nov 10, 2022 at 9:37 AM Shulman, Stu via Air-L <
> air-l at listserv.aoir.org> wrote:
>
>> I am slowly finding new and interesting people on Mastodon, mostly
>> academics. This ad-free platform has no hard-wired referral system. Some of
>> the worst abuses of Twitter in elections over the last 5-6 years applied
>> "Who to follow" algorithmic targeting to fuel division, hate, and
>> advertising sales on every insurrectionist timeline. When you are not
>> driven daily to find fellow extremists, trending topics, or to buy crypto
>> currency, it feels safer. Bill, I hear you about the smaller size of the
>> user population, but what did over-sized accounts on bloated commercial
>> misinformation-laden weaponized platforms lead to? META + Musky
>> Twitter. People used to say some companies are "too big to fail" however in
>> some cases maybe they are now too big to succeed?
>> https://mastodon.ie/web/@stu
>>
>> On Thu, Nov 10, 2022 at 8:42 AM Elena Razlogova via Air-L <
>> air-l at listserv.aoir.org> wrote:
>>
>>> In re the number of people on Twitter: A number of academics and public
>>> figures already locked their accounts or limited them to their "Twitter
>>> circle," which means they will be only speaking to their current
>> audiences,
>>> not the 330 million of Twitter users. I also remember reading a number of
>>> studies, some by people on this list, arguing that social media
>> algorithms
>>> put users into silos, sending them mostly messages they would already be
>>> interested in. These factors seem to be lost in comparisons favoring
>> "open"
>>> Twitter over "siloed" Mastodon.
>>>
>>> One thing that does not seem to be possible on Mastodon is activism that
>>> aims to jolt people out of their comfort zone--posting graphic pictures
>> of
>>> violence to get support for causes, for example. That will just get you
>>> blocked. But building coalitions through deliberation works much better
>> on
>>> Mastodon. Mastodon also makes it impossible to attack a poster en masse
>> for
>>> an unpopular opinion, the way the right organized mob attacks of leftists
>>> on Twitter.
>>>
>>> Elena
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> On Thu, Nov 10, 2022 at 7:42 AM William Dutton via Air-L <
>>> air-l at listserv.aoir.org> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Great to see academics exploring Mastodon, but just to remind you of
>> the
>>>> blindingly obvious: it has about a million users, which is a
>> surprisingly
>>>> large number given the challenges in using it, but Twitter has about
>> 330
>>>> million. Obama alone has 130 million followers on Twitter. And Twitter
>>>> knows it has to grow its base of users.
>>>>
>>>> Just one pragmatic point in favour of being active on a number of
>> social
>>>> media sites albeit this choice seems quite personal for many. It's a
>>>> (relatively) free internet.
>>>>
>>>> Bill
>>>>
>>>> William H. Dutton
>>>> 55 Victoria Road
>>>> Oxford OX2 7QF
>>>> United Kingdom
>>>>
>>>> william.dutton at gmail.com
>>>> Twitter @BiIIDutton (II=two capital ii’s)
>>>>
>>>> Phone: +44 (0)1865 423836
>>>> Mobile: +44 (0)7757 741670
>>>>
>>>> Blog: https://billdutton.me
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>> On 10 Nov 2022, at 11:42, Stephanie Jo “Learning Resiliency” Kent via
>>>> Air-L <air-l at listserv.aoir.org> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>> Hello all,
>>>>>
>>>>> On the issue of trust, Cory Doctorow just posted a long Twitter
>>>> thread/blog post about Certificates of Authenticity. It reads like a
>>>> Nacirema ritual.
>>>>>
>>>>> Speaking of trust, is antiracism not an open topic of conversation on
>>>> this list serve? I received a couple of private responses to a link
>> about
>>>> the Twitter migration to mastodon being perhaps an indicator of white
>>>> fragility. I don’t know the norms for when one goes private versus
>> public
>>>> but the public silence in light of a couple of private responses was
>>>> noticeable!
>>>>>
>>>>> For any of you interested here’s another tweet thread with links to a
>>>> couple of perspectives from “beyond white, left-leaning accounts” —
>>>>
>>>
>> https://twitter.com/sahdyadarr/status/1590266072627699713?s=46&t=JG_6hvzhr-wyhKV_0O_4Mw
>>>>>
>>>>> respectfully,
>>>>> steph
>>>>>
>>>>>> On Nov 10, 2022, at 5:58 AM, Robert W Gehl via Air-L <
>>>> air-l at listserv.aoir.org> wrote:
>>>>>> Hi, Emma --
>>>>>>
>>>>>> One of the major critiques of the development of ActivityPub (the
>>>> protocol underlying Mastodon, Pixelfed, PeerTube, etc) is that the
>>>> developers did not pay enough attention to security and privacy
>>> questions.
>>>> Those concerns were bracketed off. For example, in terms of connections
>>>> between servers, the developers assumed that other projects, like SSL,
>>>> would solve any security issues. Encryption in general was bracketed
>> off
>>> as
>>>> out of scope for the ActivityPub project. (To be fair, they had a lot
>> on
>>>> their plates).
>>>>>>
>>>>>> So, as a result, there are some definite privacy issues. DMs between
>>>> two members are not end-to-end encrypted. An instance admin has a great
>>>> deal of insight into the network, from member profiles to who is
>> talking
>>> to
>>>> whom.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> There are people working on solutions to these problems. Indeed, one
>>> of
>>>> the key developers, Christine Lemmer-Webber, recognized the problem of
>>>> encrypting DMs back in 2017:
>>> https://github.com/w3c/activitypub/issues/225
>>>> and has proposed some solutions in the time since.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> But currently, DMs are not encrypted.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> The key issue, as always, is trust. Admins have to foster trust
>> among
>>>> their members by being good actors. But we also know from hard
>> experience
>>>> that admins can break trust. So, Emma, your questions are BIG ones and
>>> need
>>>> to be pressed.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Note that much of what I am saying is true of the corporate model,
>>>> however. Twitter doesn't encrypt DMs. Yes, FB might have end-to-end
>>>> encryption -- but of course, you have to trust that they haven't been
>>>> compelled by a powerful state to have a backdoor. (And this is a
>> company
>>>> that holds a patent on an automated system to turn user data over to
>> law
>>>> enforcement).
>>>>>>
>>>>>> - Rob
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> On 11/9/22 21:13, Dr. Emma Briant via Air-L wrote:
>>>>>>> I’ll be honest, I’m a little worried about the privacy and security
>>>> issue
>>>>>>> of using these services. I did see Wolfie Christl (who I trust)
>> share
>>>> two
>>>>>>> such sites and say he trusts the people behind them (
>>>>>>> https://mastodon.social/@wchr/109299350293033545), but he also
>>>> doesn’t seem
>>>>>>> to have used them himself as his Mastodon follower count doesn’t
>> seem
>>>> high
>>>>>>> like his Twitter. May I ask the community here whether anyone has
>>>> concerns?
>>>>>>> Many thanks,
>>>>>>> Emma
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> On Wed, 9 Nov 2022 at 16:07, Sarah Ann Oates via Air-L <
>>>>>>> air-l at listserv.aoir.org> wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> This app to help migrate from Twitter to Mastodon was recommended
>>> by a
>>>>>>>> colleague today; I have yet to try it but looks promising:
>>>>>>>> https://pruvisto.org/debirdify/
>>>>>>>> Sarah
>>>>>>>> Sarah Oates
>>>>>>>> Pronoun: she/her
>>>>>>>> Professor and Senior Scholar
>>>>>>>> Philip Merrill College of Journalism
>>>>>>>> Distinguished Scholar-Teacher
>>>>>>>> University of Maryland
>>>>>>>> College Park, MD 20742
>>>>>>>> Email: soates at umd.edu
>>>>>>>> Phone: 301 455 2332
>>>>>>>> www.media-politics.com
>>>>>>>> Twitter: @media_politics
>>>>>>>> *Support the UMD Student Crisis Fund
>>>>>>>> <https://giving.umd.edu/giving/showPage.php?name=crisis-funding>
>>>> today. *
>>>>>>>> On Tue, Nov 8, 2022 at 10:22 AM Steph Kent via Air-L <
>>>>>>>> air-l at listserv.aoir.org> wrote:
>>>>>>>>> Hi all,
>>>>>>>>> Following the Twitter|Mastodon threads with critical interest. I
>>>>>>>> appreciate
>>>>>>>>> the invitation from Michael Ruigrok to members of this group to
>>>> bring
>>>>>>>> your
>>>>>>>>> sophisticated knowledge and experience to the improvement of
>>>> federated,
>>>>>>>>> communal social networks. I'm always interested in access,
>> thinking
>>>> about
>>>>>>>>> outlier groups such as the Deaf, for whom text is frequently not
>> a
>>>>>>>>> sufficient accommodation (despite the convenience of this belief
>>> for
>>>>>>>>> h/Hearing people). *That said, Deaf academics on Twitter are
>>>> formidable!
>>>>>>>>> I'm glad of the resources from Meryl, Joly and Fred Fuchs too, as
>>>> I'm at
>>>>>>>>> the edge of my learning curve learning how to navigate Mastodon.
>>>>>>>>> Wanted to share this political, antiracist perspective from Tim
>>>> Wise, who
>>>>>>>>> argues that it's mainly white liberals who are concerned with
>>>> 'fleeing'
>>>>>>>> the
>>>>>>>>> new Twitter
>>>>>>>>> <
>>>>>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>> https://timjwise.medium.com/fleeing-twitter-the-twexodus-is-about-white-liberal-fragility-3631cb2ac317
>>>>>>>>>> ,
>>>>>>>>> suggesting this is evidence of the pervasiveness of white
>> fragility
>>>> --
>>>>>>>> even
>>>>>>>>> among progressives.
>>>>>>>>> best regards,
>>>>>>>>> steph
>>>>>>>>> On Tue, Nov 8, 2022 at 1:30 AM Fred Fuchs via Air-L <
>>>>>>>>> air-l at listserv.aoir.org>
>>>>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>> Here's a TechRadar article on Mastodon.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>> https://www.techradar.com/news/mastodon-is-a-great-twitter-alternative-but-it-needs-to-be-easier-to-sign-up
>>>>>>>>>> Fred
>>>>>>>>>> --
>>>>>>>>>> Fred Fuchs - Founder, CEO, & Producer
>>>>>>>>>> FireSabre Consulting LLC
>>>>>>>>>> ---
>>>>>>>>>> On 11/7/2022 8:26 AM, Fred Fuchs wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>> On 11/7/2022 6:51 AM, Richard Forno via Air-L wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>> I have a hard time *relying* on a communications platform
>>>>>>>>>>>> run by a company now fully engaged in the proverbial
>>>>>>>>>>>> "move fast, break things" mentality based on whatever
>>>>>>>>>>>> singular whims or rage cycle its owner is in at the time
>>>>>>>>>>>> a decision is made. To wit: They are now asking people
>>>>>>>>>>>> just fired to come back, b/c nobody knew they were
>>>>>>>>>>>> integral to the features Musk wanted to develop. (Were
>>>>>>>>>>>> it me, I'd say sure, but double my salary.)
>>>>>>>>>>> Sadly this is not uncommon during "regime changes" at
>>>>>>>>>>> Internet tech companies. The new leadership fires far more
>>>>>>>>>>> people than they should've, and then often has to hire
>>>>>>>>>>> some or even many back at a significant salary increase.
>>>>>>>>>>> On top of that, some of those with good employment
>>>>>>>>>>> prospects may decide to seek better opportunities. So
>>>>>>>>>>> their possibly irreplaceable tech and business practices
>>>>>>>>>>> knowledge is lost forever.
>>>>>>>>>>> Fred
>>>>>>>>>>> ---
>>>>>>>>>>> On 11/7/2022 6:51 AM, Richard Forno via Air-L wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>> It's not Musk's views per se that's driven me from
>>>>>>>>>>>> Twitter, but that's a major reason, sure.
>>>>>>>>>>>> I have a hard time *relying* on a communications platform
>>>>>>>>>>>> run by a company now fully engaged in the proverbial
>>>>>>>>>>>> "move fast, break things" mentality based on whatever
>>>>>>>>>>>> singular whims or rage cycle its owner is in at the time
>>>>>>>>>>>> a decision is made. To wit: They are now asking people
>>>>>>>>>>>> just fired to come back, b/c nobody knew they were
>>>>>>>>>>>> integral to the features Musk wanted to develop. (Were it
>>>>>>>>>>>> me, I'd say sure, but double my salary.) He's also
>>>>>>>>>>>> reversed other polices and views that he preached -- he
>>>>>>>>>>>> was against permabans until Kathy Gifford parodied him
>>>>>>>>>>>> over the weekend, so she's banned. He's also said other
>>>>>>>>>>>> people not 'clearly identifying' as parody accounts would
>>>>>>>>>>>> be perma-banned. That's a far cry from his views about
>>>>>>>>>>>> how the company handled other perma-bans in recent
>>>>>>>>>>>> years. The entire company -- and platform -- now feels
>>>>>>>>>>>> rather unstable in many ways, and I feel sorry for the
>>>>>>>>>>>> many serfs still there who will endure such chaos ....
>>>>>>>>>>>> and it's only been a week!
>>>>>>>>>>>> Heck, if I wanted to interact on a platform conducting a
>>>>>>>>>>>> perpetual beta test[1], I'd use something from Google.
>>>>>>>>>>>> -- rick
>>>>>>>>>>>> [1] either technical or managerial
>>>>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>
>> --
>> Dr. Stuart W. Shulman
>> Founder and CEO, Texifter
>> Editor Emeritus, *Journal of Information Technology & Politics*
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