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@Romaq You want to read a very early first draft I have of a solution?
If you are looking at software solutions, here are some ideas:
- have two federated feeds, one lightly moderated (lightly defederated) and one unmoderated
- provide a way to add reasons/notes when a user blocks/mutes an account, the notes attach to the block so that the user can remember why they blocked (in case they revise their block criteria in the future) or attach the offending toot to the block with notes
- allow users to flag an account to watch rather than mute or block right away (for those cases when bad actors use Chinese water torture techniques, or when you want to give someone a chance before axing them)
- (admin tools) I don't know what's already available to an admin, but maybe a way for the admin to see how many users on the instance block a particular instance or account. If an instance gets 95% blocks from users, then maybe it's time to defed. from that instance
- as others have proposed, a list of suggested block lists by category that new users can choose from
"Two federated feeds" with the complaint already "Mastodon is WAY the hell too complex I'll go back to just doing a private blog thank you very much."
The attached image by @MaeGodHaveMercy explains quite well the problem.
"Flag an account" ... If I go to https://qoto.org/web/accounts/483267 I see a spot to add a "note" to an account. You mean like that?
Edumakayshun is always a problem. People want to "use" not "learn." We're not trying to do Dwarf Fortress style onramping of new folks here.
Or maybe they have shit to do and "blah-blah-blah if you don't get it you are obviously the problem" isn't on their list of shit to do.
I mean, to some extent I agree with you but pour on enough condescension and you will NEVER see Mastodon be anything more than a niche Twitter wannabe. And no matter how thick you slap on that superiority, you'll still be a Musk wannabe.
You don't leave Twitter because the platform is becoming unstable (it's shrinking but not collapsing). You are leaving Twitter for ideological reasons: Either you hate Musk, or don't want competing ideas on your social media feed.
Those who just want to have ties with friends and families don't care and won't join the exodus. We are talking about a group of people who just want to find a community of like minded folks without the challenging ideas. Mastodon does exactly that and if your ideas are mainstream enough, the biggest instances are just right for you.
They stumble on a gold mine but refuse to take the pickax and dig the surface.
@Wopu @Pat @freemo @obi I agree with you on that, and it's why I keep using FB Messenger and seeing the stuff there my wife sends that she enjoys despite how I simply don't post there and I'd rather avoid it.
But telling her (or my less-than-technically-inclined family and friends) they just love the simplicity and convenience of the chains enslaving them... That message ain't real high on my list even to the extent I grasp the reasons to be concerned and avoid those.
Mae Dean is about as LGBTQ as it gets. I believe her work just being herself and portraying it in comic form saves LGBTQ lives.
I'll be damned if I'm going to tell her she's just a slave to convenience. She'd block me, and she should for such condescension, lack of compassion, and dearth of understanding.
So yeah, I treat the complexity of Mastodon for new users seriously. I WANT and I INVITE people in that community on Twitter to seek out instances where they would likely feel most at home, treated with compassion and understanding they won't get from most people they deal with.
"Well, you'd just rather be a slave for the sake of simplicity and convenience..."
THAT message? After all Mae and dozens in the list of those I follow and respect who view Mastodon with no lack of side-eye? I can't think of a better message to guarantee Mastodon will end up on the ash heap of open source projects... and SHOULD.
Yeah. It's serious enough. Pouring condescension and contempt on newbs over it? That ain't it for me. Faced with that lack of humanity, I'd stay on Twitter too until it completely crashed or I'd simply use platforms other than Mastodon.
Honestly, if it takes one or two nobodies like me to dissuade people from joining the Fediverse, because I've used mild to harsh words, they are NOT ready for the absolute insanity that the Fediverse can be.
I've seen Lolis, Nazis, Racists, and Tankies alike. They would have been so gone if Elon didn't take over.