Eubie Drew (QOTO 🦣) @EubieDrew@qoto.org

# United Federation of Instances Proposal

https://gitlab.com/ufoi/constitution

I tagged below everyone who asked me to tag them. I have now started a gitlab group and project where we can discuss the #UFoI proposal transparently and with a good recorded history.

Please start discussions by creating issues, and any edits you have to the proposal please edit on gitlab and submit as a merge request, which can then be discussed.

I will write the CI code to make sure the document gets compiled.

I will try to leave the mass-message like here just to the major developments as it feels a bit spammy. I will only send out one more notification once the by laws draft is up. Of course if anyone does not want to get notified let me know and ill leave you off from future discussions.

@timezoneless @floppy @ufi @ufoi @skanman @john @stevenclyman @robryk @ejg @dashrandom @Romaq @ichoran @AlanOutback @tsomof @aebrockwell @Ryle @tatzelbrumm @Gaythia @realcaseyrollins @stux@mstdn.social @stux@masto.ai @trinsec @khird @darnell @jq

@ejg

1) First, was this sufficiently proofread so people don't totally freak out about a word of place and use it as a quote forever as "true intentions?"

2) Are there unnecessary and superfluous embellishments that could and must be trimmed to concisely and succinctly make the intended idea come across?

3) Are the fundamental ideas really sound? Is this really going to solve the problem, or just move the issue around for a while? Is this really workable in the opinion of interested parties who have had to actually deal with social systems for a while? Is this idea as "tight" as it can be made?

For the purpose of expediency to present something that offers better and doesn't look like a half eaten chicken sandwich offered to a vegetarian, a few days of eyeballs on it privately won't harms the larger public discussion of it. It isn't being done in secret and it isn't skulldugery to be dropped without discussion or consent unlike the actions it is trying to address.

So yeah... It'll be public, just give people a chance to scrape the ugly off before it's presented.

@freemo

@freemo

*The existing problem* that I see, was JoinMastodon unilaterally and non transparently turfing QOTO from its list despite QOTO at all times meeting its publicly stated requirements. On top of that, not having any receipts on how and why when questioned. Really is a violation of trust.
And that drastically effects new signup if JoinMastodon is represented as an authoritative list of where new people could go. When it is seemingly more just some guys friends list and is not actually done on its owns stated & advertised criteria.
There are all the public criteria for being on Join Matstadon then there are the double secret reasons
(some servers, in this case QOTO are excluded because :P<blows raspberry>. )

What is thus needed is a replacement for Joinmastodon, or an improvement in JoinMastodon.
One of the improvements might be that each server must tell us (potential new signups) what other servers on that list they block and why. other UI improvements is how to find server that suits the new user would also be possible.

===========================
As for mandating that servers don't block others. NOPE.
It is perfectly true that I have strong expectation that any @member@QOTO is likely basically immune to radicalization. (we've all met stupid a lot of times before, even stupid dressed up in academic clothes.) And given that QOTO so clearly says it doesn't block instances and has csv files to make it easy for individuals to make their own garden walled.
Then yes we, the members of QOTO are just fine with no blocks and we knew that coming in.

I don't agree that generalises to all servers and people. If someone wants to be on a server that clearly defines itself as a walled garden ... then that is not a second class server, its just one delivering things/features that I don't personally want or need. I do however respect that some people may well want or even need that.

I am even more than happy to make sure all new signups that want such a thing know where to find it.

As of the moment it appears 111 **known** instances have defederated to some degree from Mastodon.social. Most likely unknown instance count is much higher.

People are claiming this is a result on the article I wrote, which largely cited facts with photo evidence and effectively accused Eugen of caving to a Nazi's agenda.

I do **not** want to see anyone defederating from mastodon.social. However, my article presented the facts, made no suggestion to anyone to defederate. If those those facts cause people to get mad with Eugen and defederate, so be it, thats his fault for not being a better person, for not having a discussion about his decisions. I wont take blame simply for exposing truths, the reprocusions are on him not me.

The irony is what is happening to him is the same thing happening to me as explained in that article. The difference is what is happening to me is largely fueled by lies which Ive disproven. Cant say the same about Eugen

Anyway, I do hope all of you will stop defederating and start talking. I'd much rather see people try to talk to Eugen and tell him why he is wrong and get him to be better than anything else. Perhaps stand up to the misinformation you hear as well and do some fact checking so #QOTO doesnt get wrongly accused of lies while your at it.

#mastoadmin #fediblock #Eugen

@Michele @kathygriffin @jeffjarvis

I disagree. An algorithm is not intrinsically bad. As long as we understand that it represents the interests of whoever paid to have it constructed. I think an algorithm with human values that simply wanted to enrich experience is perfectly possible.

I haven't seen one, probably because nobody has ever had a financial incentive to construct it.

Mastodon would be a good place to try to make one.

I wrote an article diving into the statistics on far-right extremist violence compared to far-left extremist violence, and to say the least, it’s not a “both sides” problem. An estimated 75% of extremist killings in the US over the past decade are attributed to far-right extremists, compared to 4% attributed to far-left extremists — and that’s on the high end of the estimates for far-left extremist violence.
https://weaponizedspaces.substack.com/p/violent-extremism-in-america-is-a

The New America Foundation, which breaks down the categories of extremist violence a bit more than ADL, found that only one extremist killing since 9/11 is attributable to left-wing extremism, compared to 122 deaths attributed to far-right extremism. Here’s what that looks like visualized:

Completely unconfirmed rumors suggest the Belarusian dictator is changing his chefs and bodyguards after the strange, abrupt death of his (previously healthy) foreign minister.
Here's an article I wrote about the Belarusians who want Lukashenko out:
https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2022/10/belarus-volunteers-fighting-ukraine-invasion/671242/?s=09

As #activitypub and the #fediverse is more than just Mastodon, please tell me what other things you're doing? I'd really like to get more involved with the wider #federated universe but have no idea what's out there.

Please Boost so I can hear from everyone!

55% of the world's population lives in this circle, within 2,500 miles of Yuxi, China
http://www.statsmapsnpix.com/2022/02/the-yuxi-circle.html

There are domestic reasons for the protests in Iran and China right now. But I can't help but wonder if the spirit of the Ukrainian resistance helps explain them too. Some people in both countries do have access to the real story of the war, through VPNs if nothing else, and have watched what can be achieved by solidarity and bravery

Seasonal reminder: Alcohol is a completely legal drug that destroys lives, relationships and families. Don't make it hard for people who are trying to stay sober to enjoy festivities and functions.

#MastodonTip If you are more of a reply human than you are a post human, you may be unused to the "shoutyness" of Mastodon.

I like to reply to things, but I don't like to broadcast my replies out of context into the Federated feed, so I recommend setting the default to "Unlisted," if you're one of those reply people.

At times (like this) where you intend to notify everyone, you can just change it to Public.

@undefined Does this emoji show up for everyone?