As you're considering the other new Twitter alternatives, ask yourself if you really want to go to another corporate entity that could end up being just as bad as Twitter and Facebook. Algorithmic sites, by design, reward hate and outrage. You're jumping into another fire.
We have a rare and fleeting chance to build something different right now.
I'm choosing to spend my time trying to make this place succeed — helping new users and saving my best content for here.
@grammargirl I agree in principle and I've been trying to mostly post here and not on twitter (haven't tried Post yet) but ultimately people will go where there is better user experience and where there is more content. There are big issues that Mastodon can't easily solve because of how it's set up but competing commercial platforms can. to name just one: verification. News orgs, government entities etc will absolutely want it and will be very reluctant to join Mastodon without it. then there is money (of course), moderation, compliance with various legal thing etc.
@herid I hear what you're saying. I am hopeful that news orgs and governments can solve the verification problem by hosting their own servers, but it will be hard for small news orgs.
And by dedicating ourselves to being here, we can help solve the "more content" problem. :)
@grammargirl I don't think that approach can solve the verification issue. first, many who need verification will not have resources or desire to set up their own servers: small news orgs and local governments for example. Also, may individuals who really need verification. More to the point, the chief issue with verification is impersonation and various entities running their own servers won't solve that as it will still be hard for the users to say who is who.
@herid I totally see what you're saying. I guess I'm hopeful that someone more tech savvy than I am will think of a solution. It seems like a solvable problem. (Although when I understood the concept of multiple instances, one of my first thoughts was about impersonation and how hard it would be to fight.)
@grammargirl yes, I am also hoping some smart people can figure it out. I think it should be one of the priorities for Mastodon but I have no idea if it actually is.
