Pat @Pat_H@qoto.org

@jentaub If it helps - the web interface here on mas.to has a "CW" button between the globe icon and the language button ("EN" for me). Still learning this fediverse myself, so hopefully I can help others.

🙏🏽 WELCOME!

Here is an important tip. If you are planning to share a screenshot or example of someone that you blocked or reported. Or of something that is offensive to you. Don’t infect the rest of us with this. Instead, be sure to use the proper content warning.

on my application, it’s that shield with it! That appears below this window. It’s between the smiley face emoji and the world icon.

This will open a window to either write the words “content warning“ or something more specific.

Like so many people on here, I'm an unpaid volunteer.

If you appreciate this account, or my site https://fedi.tips, or my other sites https://fedi.directory and https://growyourown.services, or my accounts at @FediFollows and @FediVideos and @homegrown ...

You can buy me a coffee at:

➡️ https://ko-fi.com/fedithing

You don't need to register, all currencies work.

Alternatively you can become a patron at:

➡️ https://liberapay.com/fedithing

Thank you!

The Increasingly Less-Brief Guide to Mastodon has been updated:

* I just attached a picture to my toot. How can I add a caption to it? (More information added.)

http://guidetomastodon.com

@southofamerica @Maybellromero @jentaub If you use the "Exclamation mark" by the compose window you can set up a "Content Warning" (and the reason for it) so people can decide if they wish to view it.

So it seems that trolls of the Trumpist frozen peach variety, mostly those who set up their own Pleroma instances when Parler got taken down, are undertaking a semi-coordinated effort to target journalists who sign up on Mastodon for a couple of reasons...

* Trump has taught them that professional journalism and critical thinking are elitist and bad so lets harass them until they go away

* they are trying to prove some sort of point that this place can be just as toxic as their beloved Frozen Peach in Chief's microblogging site

If you are a journo and you get dogpiled by trolls DO NOT ENGAGE with them at all! Immediately:

1. REPORT them to your instance mods, THEN
2. Block them

Step 1 is very important! This isn't twitter or facebook...mods will take swift action, and if they don't you can migrate instances to better moderated ones...

One adjustment. You have to be patient with the slower servers when you make a change. We typically expect things to be instant. Chill.

You guys, @WalterShaub is posting list after list of cool people that came from Twitter over here with their new Mastodon handles! Ck him out. 🔥

Please make sure you are doing something to GOTV today (in addition to your learning curve in the #Fediverse).

www.mobilize.us

Good morning! I like the way hashtags work on here. #StandupComedy #voteblue #TwitterMigration

At least on the web interface, you can filter your notifications by type!

Just toggle "Display all categories" in the Settings pane and it's done!

(I am introducing this hashtag #HowToMast to reference all toots related to advices and tips on how Mastodon works)

You cannot run an arbitrary search on Mastodon — in plain English: you cannot search for a specific expression in toots

Why? It's because allowing it would open the gate of harassment. It's not a bug, it's a conscious design decision.

How to find content then? Use hashtags instead! Including in your own toots — to make them easily discoverable. You can also browse the local and federated timelines.

#HowToMast

Tiny Handy Newbie Mastodon Vocabulary List 🐘:

INSTANCE 🖥️​
The server/place where your account is hosted. They are independent and managed by different people. They have different rules. The name of it is what is following your handle/username here.

TOOT ​
This is just a post. Like a post on Twitter is called a tweet. On #Mastodon it is called a toot.

CW ⚠️​
Content Warning. This is an important feature here. You can get more details on it on this toot: https://infosec.exchange/@Em0nM4stodon/109282181601490676

FEDIVERSE 🌍​
This is the WHOLE UNIVERSE from which Mastodon is a small part of. Mastodon is one of the social media that connects to the Fediverse, but there are also others like Friendica and Pixelfed. It is also sometimes called simply Fedi.

You can read some great #FediTips and explanations on here 👉 https://fedi.tips/mastodon-and-the-fediverse-beginners-start-here/

Some advise for new peeps on Mastodon:

The people you're following would generally *love* to follow you back IF you:
* Post an #Introduction toot and pin it
* Fill out your profile's bio
* Put in a profile picture

Whenever I get a follow request and there's no profile pic, no bio, no intro, and no toots posted yet in general, I don't follow back, because I don't know anything about that person. It's like being introduced to a person wearing a bag over their head. ;)

#Boost please :D

For everyone here: I read there is a shortage of instances run by women admins. I know a few already, but I love to know more. I am one for one, but
https://vis.social/about/more and I thought https://mastodon.art/about/more is one too.
Mine i https://socialserver.science/about/more and is mainly aimed at scientists and scientific visualizers.
Please boost!

Can someone explain best practices here for blocking accounts or instances, and how to flag for your #admin #fediblock so that your instance is protected?

Happy to boost.

It’s also easy to account spoof: I’m @PeteStrzok, but that doesn’t prevent someone from creating (on existing or new severs they make) @petestrzok@mastadan.social, @petestrzok@mstdn.social, etc.

Make sure you verify the account you’re following is in fact the person you think it is. An old article (would welcome an updated version):
https://www.malwarebytes.com/blog/news/2017/04/mastodon-risks/amp

None of this is meant to disparage Mastodon - just noting things to keep in mind.

Remember just like anywhere else without end to end encryption, your DMs here are not private.

https://github.com/mastodon/mastodon/issues/18079

Distributed servers (/instances) can make for interesting times (eg, potentially no more record of your toots/followings/followers) should your server go down. Server resilience against hostile actors is case-by-case.