When someone says "We are going to block instance A, you too should defederate them and dissociate. If you are a user on that instance, leave immediately or else you too will be isolated", please remember to ask for reasons, evidence and factual substantiation. Also make sure you search the fediverse using your own search facility and other tools and see if you can find the chain of events that lead to the present situation. This will take time. But make sure you do this. This is specially important if you are an admin of an instance; if you are in charge of other people's accounts. In that case you are taking decisions that will impact on other people's freedoms and experience.
+bonifartius 𒂼𒄄
🇳🇱
@tetrislife @bonifartius @lohang
I have literally gotten a personal block (and on rare occasions an instance block) specifically for politely requesting evidence.. The toxicity can at times really be out of control.
@tetrislife @lohang @freemo i think it's fine that instances block others, the problem is if it's done based on made up accusations (like with fosstodon) to generate outrage and pressure others to do alike. often under threat to be blocked as well, guilt by association.
the only way to deal with this is to not play the outrage game. let the blockers create their bubble, don't try to apologize or reason.
@bonifartius @tetrislife @lohang
I agree, the issue isnt the blocking, its the lies and gossip and rumors without evidence that perpetuate that this blocking is used to fuel.
@bonifartius @lohang most of us freeload on our instance's generosity, and actually have no standing to question such decisions. Those who contribute to their instance have some standing, and I think should be questioning instance-level blocks on principle. Maybe if individual accounts could be whitelisted by users, it would be workable.
CC'ing @freemo