Interesting bit to watch. Gab head techies considering saying screw-it to Fediverse content.
That could improve the climate in the rest of the Fediverse, avoid nastiness by association like some instances suffer (not by supporting Gab, but simply by defending open network connection unless there's a reason for limiting or denying it)
a post by @isolategab
@freemo @arteteco @realcaseyrollins
QT: https://todon.nl/@isolategab/104254977308985846
@isolategab@todon.nl
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the only reason they are in the fediverse at all was to hijack the fediverse apps int he app store to circumvent censorship.
Now they got smart enough to realize they could keep the API the same so those apps still work for them and just ditch the federation part.
I dont think they ever really cared about decentralization in the first place.
@freemo @design_RG @arteteco @realcaseyrollins
But then every app maker of any following blocked them at the app level, so.... ยฏ\_(ใ)_/ยฏ
@isolategab
Some of the app makers have since removed those blocks
@design_RG @arteteco @realcaseyrollins
> Some of the app makers have since removed those blocks
I am glad to know that -- as that should be at the user's discretion. Otherwise it's Censorship.
To be absolutely clear -- I personally BLOCK all content from gab and affiliates, a personal user decision which is open to ANY fediverse user (depending on their platform, slightly different ways to implement).
I am not a flag bearer for free speech, considering an inherent human right, but the limiting of user options in the clients is wrong headed, imo. You opinion is probably different, but no offense meant or taken.
We could just ignore these fringes, blocking individual users or instances as needed in case of conflict.
Says me, a free thinker, opinionated and #FediReporter via my blog.
#QotoJournal worthy theme and mention.
Why woudl you think my opinion is different on if censorship should be in the client level. I certainly agree.
I think it should be at the user discretion largely because a user wanting to view immoral content is not the same as the user being immoral.
I do not block GAB personally. The reason is two fold 1) as a moderator I need a complete view as to what my users need to deal with but, more imporantly 2) I dont want to hide racist or nazi content. I want to see it, know its there, and know what im up against in the battle to end it. Information is the most important weapon I have.
That said I have yet to come across a single gab accoutn worth following or sharing content from. I usually just see their racist crap, roll my eyes, maybe tell them to fuck off, and go about my day.
@freemo @design_RG @arteteco @realcaseyrollins - for folks who do not want to block Gab entirely (our preference) our advice is at least silencing them helps. Then they are still there for admins who want to allow their instance to support that but at least uses not following it are not shown it.
@isolategab
But to what end? It woukd still impede our LGBT community from their purpose (to watch for risks to their community). They woukd be unable to see responses in threads or watch the overall gab timeline for threats against their community if we silenced it.
On the other hand, what good would it do that woukd be worth that cost? None of our members are allowed to share hateful content so its not like a generalist instance where there is a fear gabs voice might be amplified.
@freemo - to the end of not amplifying speech that instances do not wish to play any role in helping gain larger social reach. And everyone still free to be on alert for risks to their communities directly on such instances.
@isolategab
If the purpose is not to amplify hatefuk speech from gab then we already already serve that purpose as our users do not promote hateful speech from gab in the first place. In fact i have never witnessed one of our users ever sharing a post from a gab account of any kind, and i doubt our users would.
@isolategab
How do you figure? Since their content is not shared by anyone on our server how is their reache extended?
@freemo You are giving a larger potential social audience to the content. Giving them a bigger potential platform to speak to, regardless if people retoot it or not.
You created it to isolate Gab, they are gone now and it's time that you also go and have fun.
Stop this and Get some help.
@freemo
What do you mean by "they are gone now" ?
Has gab stopped federating with all other instances?
@isolategab @freemo
Yes, They broke the federation saying Activity Pub is restricting in many ways.
The Main reason was they were not able to fix some issue and there site went down for around 4 days.
As You can see this can be big loss for them so they must have given priority to up there site first and federation didn't really helped them to get that extra reach so breaking it just to get rid of issues.
This is worth investigating. Especially if one has activist level feelings about them one way or other.
@freemo @isolategab
@isolategab
If by that you simply mean that qoto users themselves are capable of viewing gab content, then yes i agree.
But as i said given the wishes of our LGBT community and the reasons thry felt gab federation was necessary i ultimately decided that was acceptable.
Consider this if you personally happened to see the gab timeline for some reason, as someone who is presumably not one to agree with hate speach, by having viewed that (and increased their audience by 1) how has that action strengthened the position of gab? Or would your mere viewing of their timeline have no effect since you reject hate speech? Id woukd imagine the latter no?
@freemo: "If by that you simply mean that qoto users themselves are capable of viewing gab content, then yes i agree."
Cool it was.
I'd say to your question Gab (like other exremist networks) is strengthened by it's potential reach socially. Frankly - even more for Gab is a private business, and it lives or dies by it's recruitment and it's advertising deals benfit it by it's potential audience.
@isolategab Can you link me to an example of an advertisement gab makes money off of that is a federated toot? This is new info to me.
@freemo They had multiple deals where in exchange for tooting out VPN posts, they got money from VPN providers, and other products. https://twitter.com/isolategab/status/1174140218313719810
@isolategab These deals coe from the @gab account? I will discuss with moderators silencing that account. Thank you for the info.
To me this looks like a two-way street : federation with gab also amplifies fediverse content to gab audience - potentially countering some of their propaganda.
@freemo
@freemo Federation alone amplifies the social reach of the speech of what you choose to federate....you offer it a bigger audience.