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  3. How (racist/sexist/whatever) harassment on Mastodon works:

How (racist/sexist/whatever) harassment on Mastodon works:

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  • dave@alvarado.socialD dave@alvarado.social

    How (racist/sexist/whatever) harassment on Mastodon works:

    1. Harasser replies to their target's post, with the reply set to "followers only", saying the most vile stuff you can imagine.

    2. All the harasser's followers join in on the harassment, posting more vile stuff.

    3. Nobody but the target and the harassment crew can see the vile stuff that was said.

    4. Target is traumatized. Nobody else can see why.

    5. Everybody says "I don't see it so it's not happening."

    Hachyderm's Introduction to Mastodon Moderation: Part 1

    The first post in a series about Mastodon moderation tooling. This post focuses on context for the upcoming posts.

    favicon

    Hachyderm Community (community.hachyderm.io)

    erickasimone@mastodon.socialE This user is from outside of this forum
    erickasimone@mastodon.socialE This user is from outside of this forum
    erickasimone@mastodon.social
    wrote last edited by
    #28

    @dave doing the woooooooooork

    1 Reply Last reply
    0
    • dalias@hachyderm.ioD dalias@hachyderm.io

      @MxAlba @dave No, it doesn't work like that.

      If their instance was breaking the reply restrictions rule, your instance would detect that when they try to federate the reply to your instance, and would reject it. Then you would not see it, and it also would not get federated to anyone who opens your post looking for the replies.

      Your instance could also use detection of this behavior to automatically place the offending instance on limited federation and add it to a review queue of abusive instances that are candidates for defederation.

      mxalba@blahaj.zoneM This user is from outside of this forum
      mxalba@blahaj.zoneM This user is from outside of this forum
      mxalba@blahaj.zone
      wrote last edited by
      #29

      @dalias@hachyderm.io @dave@alvarado.social

      Thanks for the education! So it does sound like that might be a solution...

      rhube@wandering.shopR 1 Reply Last reply
      0
      • dave@alvarado.socialD dave@alvarado.social

        How (racist/sexist/whatever) harassment on Mastodon works:

        1. Harasser replies to their target's post, with the reply set to "followers only", saying the most vile stuff you can imagine.

        2. All the harasser's followers join in on the harassment, posting more vile stuff.

        3. Nobody but the target and the harassment crew can see the vile stuff that was said.

        4. Target is traumatized. Nobody else can see why.

        5. Everybody says "I don't see it so it's not happening."

        Hachyderm's Introduction to Mastodon Moderation: Part 1

        The first post in a series about Mastodon moderation tooling. This post focuses on context for the upcoming posts.

        favicon

        Hachyderm Community (community.hachyderm.io)

        miclgael@hachyderm.ioM This user is from outside of this forum
        miclgael@hachyderm.ioM This user is from outside of this forum
        miclgael@hachyderm.io
        wrote last edited by
        #30

        @dave this is actually super helpful for me, Dave. makes it super clear. I knew it was happening, never understood how, or why I couldn't see it.

        Thank you!

        1 Reply Last reply
        0
        • dave@alvarado.socialD dave@alvarado.social

          How (racist/sexist/whatever) harassment on Mastodon works:

          1. Harasser replies to their target's post, with the reply set to "followers only", saying the most vile stuff you can imagine.

          2. All the harasser's followers join in on the harassment, posting more vile stuff.

          3. Nobody but the target and the harassment crew can see the vile stuff that was said.

          4. Target is traumatized. Nobody else can see why.

          5. Everybody says "I don't see it so it's not happening."

          Hachyderm's Introduction to Mastodon Moderation: Part 1

          The first post in a series about Mastodon moderation tooling. This post focuses on context for the upcoming posts.

          favicon

          Hachyderm Community (community.hachyderm.io)

          negative12dollarbill@techhub.socialN This user is from outside of this forum
          negative12dollarbill@techhub.socialN This user is from outside of this forum
          negative12dollarbill@techhub.social
          wrote last edited by
          #31

          @dave

          > 5. Everybody says "I don't see it so it's not happening."

          I would never say that. I think multiple times I've said "I don't see it but of course I believe you, what can we do?"

          So what can we do?

          1 Reply Last reply
          0
          • dave@alvarado.socialD dave@alvarado.social

            How (racist/sexist/whatever) harassment on Mastodon works:

            1. Harasser replies to their target's post, with the reply set to "followers only", saying the most vile stuff you can imagine.

            2. All the harasser's followers join in on the harassment, posting more vile stuff.

            3. Nobody but the target and the harassment crew can see the vile stuff that was said.

            4. Target is traumatized. Nobody else can see why.

            5. Everybody says "I don't see it so it's not happening."

            Hachyderm's Introduction to Mastodon Moderation: Part 1

            The first post in a series about Mastodon moderation tooling. This post focuses on context for the upcoming posts.

            favicon

            Hachyderm Community (community.hachyderm.io)

            androcat@toot.catA This user is from outside of this forum
            androcat@toot.catA This user is from outside of this forum
            androcat@toot.cat
            wrote last edited by
            #32

            @dave Would it be possible to add a way to ban "followers only replies"? As a toggle in user preferences, or something, anyone know?

            wintergr33n@lingo.lolW 1 Reply Last reply
            0
            • dave@alvarado.socialD dave@alvarado.social

              If you're a white person on the Fediverse and you've never seen someone called a slur, or threats made against them--congratulations! You don't follow any dirtbags. But, it's happening every day and it's being hidden from you.

              khleedril@cyberplace.socialK This user is from outside of this forum
              khleedril@cyberplace.socialK This user is from outside of this forum
              khleedril@cyberplace.social
              wrote last edited by
              #33

              @dave Sorry to hear this. Do block people you don't like, seek out ones you do. You have to work to make Mastodon the place you want it to be. Sorry that you have to work harder than white people; if I could change that, I would.

              1 Reply Last reply
              0
              • jesstheunstill@infosec.exchangeJ jesstheunstill@infosec.exchange

                @Crissa @dave I limit reply visibility to followers only or mentioned only a lot when it's something that I don't want to show up on random stranger's timelines. Sometimes it's to reduce the amount of replyguys. Sometimes it's sorta personal stuff (not to the level of "move to Signal" but still not the sort of thing everyone needs to read)

                raphaelmorgan@disabled.socialR This user is from outside of this forum
                raphaelmorgan@disabled.socialR This user is from outside of this forum
                raphaelmorgan@disabled.social
                wrote last edited by
                #34

                @JessTheUnstill @Crissa @dave I do it for call-ins. There are a lot of marginalized people in my circles, but we all make mistakes and every once in a while let slip an unexamined bias. So when one of my peers says something harmful, I'm likely to call them on it in a followers only post, because I don't want to leave it unaddressed but also really don't want to cause a dogpile. So it's a tool that's used both for preventing harassment and for harassment ๐Ÿ˜• I'm not sure how to resolve that

                1 Reply Last reply
                0
                • mxalba@blahaj.zoneM mxalba@blahaj.zone

                  @dalias@hachyderm.io @dave@alvarado.social

                  Thanks for the education! So it does sound like that might be a solution...

                  rhube@wandering.shopR This user is from outside of this forum
                  rhube@wandering.shopR This user is from outside of this forum
                  rhube@wandering.shop
                  wrote last edited by
                  #35

                  @MxAlba @dalias @dave That would be enormously disruptive. I have followers who only post followers-only. They would not be able to reply to my public posts unless I also followed them. Several hundred more people follow me than I follow. I can't and shouldn't have to follow them all.

                  1 Reply Last reply
                  0
                  • stuartyeates@cloudisland.nzS stuartyeates@cloudisland.nz

                    @dave couldn't the post be signed including the security options? Then editing them would cause a bad sig and get it dropped?

                    khleedril@cyberplace.socialK This user is from outside of this forum
                    khleedril@cyberplace.socialK This user is from outside of this forum
                    khleedril@cyberplace.social
                    wrote last edited by
                    #36

                    @stuartyeates @dave It could, but that would be a whole new protocol. ActivityPubS ๐Ÿ˜‰

                    1 Reply Last reply
                    0
                    • dave@alvarado.socialD dave@alvarado.social

                      How (racist/sexist/whatever) harassment on Mastodon works:

                      1. Harasser replies to their target's post, with the reply set to "followers only", saying the most vile stuff you can imagine.

                      2. All the harasser's followers join in on the harassment, posting more vile stuff.

                      3. Nobody but the target and the harassment crew can see the vile stuff that was said.

                      4. Target is traumatized. Nobody else can see why.

                      5. Everybody says "I don't see it so it's not happening."

                      Hachyderm's Introduction to Mastodon Moderation: Part 1

                      The first post in a series about Mastodon moderation tooling. This post focuses on context for the upcoming posts.

                      favicon

                      Hachyderm Community (community.hachyderm.io)

                      julesbl@mastodon.me.ukJ This user is from outside of this forum
                      julesbl@mastodon.me.ukJ This user is from outside of this forum
                      julesbl@mastodon.me.uk
                      wrote last edited by
                      #37

                      @dave I think we need to change the way 'followers only' works, perhaps the target has to be a follower of the harasser for it to work?
                      Or maybe the followers only option is disabled by default on all posts?
                      Or, and I rather like this, the target never sees the post, after all they are not a follower ๐Ÿ˜ƒ

                      fishidwardrobe@mastodon.me.ukF 1 Reply Last reply
                      0
                      • dave@alvarado.socialD dave@alvarado.social

                        How (racist/sexist/whatever) harassment on Mastodon works:

                        1. Harasser replies to their target's post, with the reply set to "followers only", saying the most vile stuff you can imagine.

                        2. All the harasser's followers join in on the harassment, posting more vile stuff.

                        3. Nobody but the target and the harassment crew can see the vile stuff that was said.

                        4. Target is traumatized. Nobody else can see why.

                        5. Everybody says "I don't see it so it's not happening."

                        Hachyderm's Introduction to Mastodon Moderation: Part 1

                        The first post in a series about Mastodon moderation tooling. This post focuses on context for the upcoming posts.

                        favicon

                        Hachyderm Community (community.hachyderm.io)

                        pencilears@mastodon.eternalaugust.comP This user is from outside of this forum
                        pencilears@mastodon.eternalaugust.comP This user is from outside of this forum
                        pencilears@mastodon.eternalaugust.com
                        wrote last edited by
                        #38

                        @dave I don't think sharing receipts is super necessary. It just smears the shit, so to speak.

                        And like, I've gotten this kind of harassment. usually on my pinned wedding photo because if one of my posts gets shared into an asshole instance, all the pinned posts come with it.

                        I report it to my admin, and she mashes the block/defederate button and takes care of it.

                        1 Reply Last reply
                        0
                        • dave@alvarado.socialD dave@alvarado.social

                          How (racist/sexist/whatever) harassment on Mastodon works:

                          1. Harasser replies to their target's post, with the reply set to "followers only", saying the most vile stuff you can imagine.

                          2. All the harasser's followers join in on the harassment, posting more vile stuff.

                          3. Nobody but the target and the harassment crew can see the vile stuff that was said.

                          4. Target is traumatized. Nobody else can see why.

                          5. Everybody says "I don't see it so it's not happening."

                          Hachyderm's Introduction to Mastodon Moderation: Part 1

                          The first post in a series about Mastodon moderation tooling. This post focuses on context for the upcoming posts.

                          favicon

                          Hachyderm Community (community.hachyderm.io)

                          waitworry@sakurajima.moeW This user is from outside of this forum
                          waitworry@sakurajima.moeW This user is from outside of this forum
                          waitworry@sakurajima.moe
                          wrote last edited by
                          #39

                          @dave @skinnylatte that explains a lot

                          1 Reply Last reply
                          0
                          • androcat@toot.catA androcat@toot.cat

                            @dave Would it be possible to add a way to ban "followers only replies"? As a toggle in user preferences, or something, anyone know?

                            wintergr33n@lingo.lolW This user is from outside of this forum
                            wintergr33n@lingo.lolW This user is from outside of this forum
                            wintergr33n@lingo.lol
                            wrote last edited by
                            #40

                            @androcat @dave

                            This seems reasonable.

                            I didn't even know there was a followers only reply option.

                            A way to report harassing (racism, bigotry, gender-based) as a priority flag for mods might also be a thing that would separate it from reporting other things like bots.

                            1 Reply Last reply
                            0
                            • fragarach@social.vivaldi.netF This user is from outside of this forum
                              fragarach@social.vivaldi.netF This user is from outside of this forum
                              fragarach@social.vivaldi.net
                              wrote last edited by
                              #41

                              @shlee @dave @StingrayBadger
                              That would make a lot of sense, don't know who's in a position to work towards making it happen.

                              1 Reply Last reply
                              0
                              • dave@alvarado.socialD dave@alvarado.social

                                How (racist/sexist/whatever) harassment on Mastodon works:

                                1. Harasser replies to their target's post, with the reply set to "followers only", saying the most vile stuff you can imagine.

                                2. All the harasser's followers join in on the harassment, posting more vile stuff.

                                3. Nobody but the target and the harassment crew can see the vile stuff that was said.

                                4. Target is traumatized. Nobody else can see why.

                                5. Everybody says "I don't see it so it's not happening."

                                Hachyderm's Introduction to Mastodon Moderation: Part 1

                                The first post in a series about Mastodon moderation tooling. This post focuses on context for the upcoming posts.

                                favicon

                                Hachyderm Community (community.hachyderm.io)

                                emmaf_77@piaille.frE This user is from outside of this forum
                                emmaf_77@piaille.frE This user is from outside of this forum
                                emmaf_77@piaille.fr
                                wrote last edited by
                                #42

                                @dave #antiracism

                                1 Reply Last reply
                                0
                                • dave@alvarado.socialD dave@alvarado.social

                                  How (racist/sexist/whatever) harassment on Mastodon works:

                                  1. Harasser replies to their target's post, with the reply set to "followers only", saying the most vile stuff you can imagine.

                                  2. All the harasser's followers join in on the harassment, posting more vile stuff.

                                  3. Nobody but the target and the harassment crew can see the vile stuff that was said.

                                  4. Target is traumatized. Nobody else can see why.

                                  5. Everybody says "I don't see it so it's not happening."

                                  Hachyderm's Introduction to Mastodon Moderation: Part 1

                                  The first post in a series about Mastodon moderation tooling. This post focuses on context for the upcoming posts.

                                  favicon

                                  Hachyderm Community (community.hachyderm.io)

                                  thejen@beige.partyT This user is from outside of this forum
                                  thejen@beige.partyT This user is from outside of this forum
                                  thejen@beige.party
                                  wrote last edited by
                                  #43

                                  @dave While I am aware thay technology cannot solve social issues, it seems to me that it would be a fairly simple thing to code in a "harassment" feature that once triggered by the victim, exposes the entire thread publicly. Then the abusers couldn't hide behind the audience settings in order to victimize people. I know this puts the work on the victim, but it's a better solution than forcing them to screenshot the whole thing and publish it.

                                  Idk. A thought.

                                  1 Reply Last reply
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                                  • julesbl@mastodon.me.ukJ julesbl@mastodon.me.uk

                                    @dave I think we need to change the way 'followers only' works, perhaps the target has to be a follower of the harasser for it to work?
                                    Or maybe the followers only option is disabled by default on all posts?
                                    Or, and I rather like this, the target never sees the post, after all they are not a follower ๐Ÿ˜ƒ

                                    fishidwardrobe@mastodon.me.ukF This user is from outside of this forum
                                    fishidwardrobe@mastodon.me.ukF This user is from outside of this forum
                                    fishidwardrobe@mastodon.me.uk
                                    wrote last edited by
                                    #44

                                    @julesbl @dave who is "we" here?

                                    it's for the Mastodon development team to do that. various solutions have been suggested. they've said no to all of them, as far as i know.

                                    1 Reply Last reply
                                    0
                                    • fishidwardrobe@mastodon.me.ukF This user is from outside of this forum
                                      fishidwardrobe@mastodon.me.ukF This user is from outside of this forum
                                      fishidwardrobe@mastodon.me.uk
                                      wrote last edited by
                                      #45

                                      @shlee @dave wouldn't they still be able to do (1) in that case?

                                      1 Reply Last reply
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                                      • semitones@tiny.tilde.websiteS semitones@tiny.tilde.website

                                        @dave Is there a shit mastodon says account yet? Maybe people could anonymously shame the harassers by messaging screenshots and posting them that way.

                                        azurekingfisher@mastodon.artA This user is from outside of this forum
                                        azurekingfisher@mastodon.artA This user is from outside of this forum
                                        azurekingfisher@mastodon.art
                                        wrote last edited by
                                        #46

                                        @semitones @dave the harassers know where the Screenshots come from. They were part of the "interaction".

                                        1 Reply Last reply
                                        0
                                        • dave@alvarado.socialD dave@alvarado.social

                                          How (racist/sexist/whatever) harassment on Mastodon works:

                                          1. Harasser replies to their target's post, with the reply set to "followers only", saying the most vile stuff you can imagine.

                                          2. All the harasser's followers join in on the harassment, posting more vile stuff.

                                          3. Nobody but the target and the harassment crew can see the vile stuff that was said.

                                          4. Target is traumatized. Nobody else can see why.

                                          5. Everybody says "I don't see it so it's not happening."

                                          Hachyderm's Introduction to Mastodon Moderation: Part 1

                                          The first post in a series about Mastodon moderation tooling. This post focuses on context for the upcoming posts.

                                          favicon

                                          Hachyderm Community (community.hachyderm.io)

                                          kkarhan@infosec.spaceK This user is from outside of this forum
                                          kkarhan@infosec.spaceK This user is from outside of this forum
                                          kkarhan@infosec.space
                                          wrote last edited by
                                          #47

                                          @dave bonus points when the victim is blocked and not able to report report said harrassmentโ€ฆ

                                          • They can even prevent admins from seeing the posts in question
                                            • This is a serious issue that #Mastodin developers refuse to address, alongside the unwillingness to address basic features that every other internet-facing application has, like blocklist feed supportโ€ฆ
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