I’ve been asked on TV hits and interviews lately to explain why decentralized social media is better, especially re: Mastodon.

[bigolewannabe@hachyderm.io]

@taylorlorenz

I'd describe it as tradeoffs.

Would we use email the way we do if only Gmail people could email Gmail people? I think it wouldn't.

So email is better (not without issues like spam) because anybody can email anybody.

Mastodon/Fediverse provides similar benefits (and some problems) that "federated email" provide compared to siloed email.

I would argue the benefits outweigh the negatives.

[benroyce@mastodon.social]

@admin @taylorlorenz @dsc

on centralized #socialMedia, #moderation is just a cost center

why spend the money?

why squash #bigotry and #ignorance? it's a hassle

in fact, such accounts create drama, which drives eyeballs and clicks in outrage, thus increasing engagement, thus selling more ads

so they go "FrEe SpEeCh," a lying dodge

toxic as fuck. completely irresponsible

just another reason why corporate social media is and always will be rat poison and why everyone needs #mastodon

[aaa365a@ohai.social]

@taylorlorenz It’s a more authentic experience on here, they monitor bots and eradicate them, troll like replies trying to influence, steer your original post with a negative connotation just don’t happen. It’s less commercialised. A chair, chat and cup of tea, kinder experience.

[benroyce@mastodon.social]

@davew

have you seen our cat pictures?

no finer cat pictures

[aaa365a@ohai.social]

@luciedigitalni @NMBA @taylorlorenz Followers numbers aren’t as important here doesn’t matter and newbies are welcomed warmly by experts.

[sn@social.josko.org]

@taylorlorenz I own my social media feed and my community. It feels like a local pub with friends where I share rumours and stories. Not attention seeking circus club.

[philpetree@mastodon.social]

@taylorlorenz No corporate overlord mining your data and then using it to dictate what's in your feed.

[peachmcd@union.place]

@taylorlorenz

IMO the 'free speech' trope has been used to flood billionaires' platforms w hate speech & AI-generated deepfake porn that isn't tolerated on my Fediverse server

I'm here less for freedom TO spew whatever I want & more for freedom FROM algorithms, ads, & someone's profit motive determining what I see. I'm here for Solidarity & Movement Building & learning from people all over the world like @pluralistic & @popcornreel & @StillRise1967

Also for #CatsOfMastodon & #HashtagGames ‍️

[varpie@peculiar.florist]

@taylorlorenz Traditional social media is built to drive engagement and be addictive, making them a big part of Gen Z's social difficulties (they are literally being sued for it). Decentralized platforms without such algorithms bring back the feeling of community, providing a more tailored experience (choose your software, Mastodon, GoToSocial, Iceshrimp, etc.) without blocking connections. You can join a server based on your personal preferences (language, geolocation, hobbies...), and if you find a better place, you can freely move, without losing your connections.

[davep@infosec.exchange]

@haubles @taylorlorenz

*BOOSTS HARD FOR MAXIMUM CLOUT*

[meowthias@mastodon.world]

@taylorlorenz Because independent app developers can add features to decentralized social networking that vastly enhance the experience. Both the ability to follow hashtags and timed mutes are absolutely genius and are the reason I'm not on Bluesky. What new, totally kicksss things are going to be created for the Fediverse next week?

[timmy@goblin.camp]

@taylorlorenz I see a lot of good responses. One contextual element is who is asking, and I think there are good answers that fit more for organizations. You can build a media platform that no one can take away from you. If you share a link to your post, no one will see a login wall. If i were an org, news outlet, or something like a very socially engaged regional music collective, i think the robust control of your platform actually means something important.

[markmalowany@mastodon.social]

@taylorlorenz Freedom. Free from algorithms. Free from the whims of an owner. It's people connecting as they see fit.

[cholling@bytes.programming.dev]

@philpetree @taylorlorenz Oh, they're still mining your data. They just use it to train AI instead of dictating what's in your feed.

[futurebird@sauropods.win]

@rancoisse @benroyce @taylorlorenz @midsomerplots

I'm still so upset about that. Imagine if I used YOU as a yogurt starter.

[benroyce@mastodon.social]

@futurebird @rancoisse @taylorlorenz @midsomerplots

formic acid is a cheap industrial product

leave the ants alone

[futurebird@sauropods.win]

@taylorlorenz

There are no ads.
There are no bots*
There is no secret algorithm controlled by strange billionaires and/or creeps trying to push agendas**
It's really fun and interactive and you meet great people, real individual people.

*Ya'll are such nerds you are going to bring up the good bots that we made and like, but you know exactly what I mean by this.
**ant propaganda doesn't count I'm not that rich either

[cstamp@mastodon.social]

@futurebird @benroyce @taylorlorenz

[beckermatic@pleroma.arielbecker.com]

@taylorlorenz «It's humanizing».

[rk@mastodon.well.com]

@benroyce @futurebird @rancoisse @taylorlorenz @midsomerplots

Anteaters (at least some of them) don’t produce stomach acid, they use the formic acid from the ants they eat.

That’s something I learned recently.