The Nexus of Privacy (@thenexusofprivacy@infosec.exchange)
infosec.exchange
For those of you on Fosstodon (UPDATED) UPDATE, April 30: [there are some encouraging changes happening at Fosstodon](https://hub.fosstodon.org/update-from-gina). That's good! So, I've updated this post accordingly -- and added a new reply about [the Nazi bar analogy](https://infosec.exchange/@thenexusofprivacy/114428582929221897) Still, even though things are much more hopeful now than a week ago, it's still too early to know how things will work out. So here's a few thoughts for people who are on Fosstodon ... 1) let your new admins know what direction you want to see the instance moving in -- and, if you've got the time, consider offering to help! 2) if you're still considering potentially moving, now's a good time to start exploring. It really is hard to pick a compatible instance, and you'll want to take the time to scope things out. Don't feel like your next choice is necessarily your permanent new home -- you can always treat it as an interim and move again if necessary. Asking friends for recommendations is a great place to start but not bulletproof (would you have recommended fosstodon if somebody had asked you about it a month ago?) ...[Resources for choosing the right fediverse instances](https://privacy.thenexus.today/resources-for-choosing-instances/) has links to directories and instance catalogs that can help you find out more 3) You can set up new accounts on other instances without moving -- so this is a good way to explore. One option is to export the list of people you're following (on the Preferences / Import and Export tab ), and import it on your new account. Or, if you feel like you're following too many people, this can also be a good time to experiment -- either start from scratch, or edit the CSV file before importing. You'll probably also want to export-and-import your blocklists, mutelists, domain blocks, and lists if you have any. Unfortunately there isn't any way to export and import your filters, so you'll need to recreate those manually. 4) If you're planning on "migrating" your account, make sure to read [Cutie City's guide to Migrating Servers](https://guide.cutie.city/the-fediverse/migrating-servers/?ref=privacy.thenexus.today) and Erin Kissane's [Notes From a Mastodon Migration](https://erinkissane.com/notes-from-a-mastodon-migration?ref=privacy.thenexus.today) first to avoid unpleaant surprises. It really sucks that Mastodon migration doesn't let you move your posts, but things are getting better. Check out [Posty](https://writer.oliphant.social/oliphant/posty-this-is-how-you-take-your-posts-with-you) and [Slurp](https://github.com/VyrCossont/slurp) 5) if you're up for having your own instance, it's really worth checking out GoToSocial. My experience with gotosocial.thenexus.today: setup and configuration were straightforward and well-documented, and upgrades have been smooth. There are also hosted options available. And, Slurp works really well with GoToSocial! If you decide to stay on Fosstodon, you can either keep it around as a secondary account ... or just view it as an interesting experiment and delete it. #fosstodon #fediverse
  • PhilipTheBucket@ponder.catEnglish
    77·
    10 days ago

    Yeah. The instant I read “racist, anti-immigrant and anti-LGBTQ+ views in a position of power” I strongly suspected that this is some bullshit.

    IDK man. I’ve heard bad things about carrotcypher before, I have not looked into them one way or another. It’s sort of dicey both ways: I’m paranoid enough to be wary of a moderator who seems right-wing or pro-corporate who seems to be abusing their position, and also paranoid enough to be wary of a sudden hue and cry that a particular moderator needs to be removed because they are “problematic” in poorly-specified ways.

    Just taking a cursory look at it: Mike’s defense of carrotcypher seems pretty credible. He looked at all carrotcypher’s past moderation actions and decided that it all looked fine and explained why with details. The criticism seemed a little unhinged. The one link that I saw at a quick glance was a link to a single one-line reddit comment, saying that it called CNN propaganda when it didn’t, and saying he favored deporting Mahmoud Khalil when he didn’t.

    Then there was a bunch of stuff like:

    this is a wildly disgusting person that you welcome into your space. i know that as a trans woman i cannot trust any fosstodon user while knowing what kind of person you happily let on your staff, whether theyre acting on those beliefs or not. it’s not safe for our mostly queer userbase to talk to your fascist-harboring userbase.

    It would have been much easier to just link to some of the messed-up things, instead of asserting them and getting all upset and using the “I’m queer so don’t you DARE argue with me or you will be a ‘problematic’ person too” card.

    IDK, I’m not decided on carrotcypher specifically and he might be a big POS and I just haven’t seen it yet. I have seen arguments that he removed particular reddit posts that there was no legitimate reason to remove. I just wish there was more light and less heat about why exactly he is a problem. Basing it on “this is stuff he removed that he shouldn’t have, look, links” is way better, in my opinion, than just being loudly upset about it.

    • mosiacmango@lemm.eeEnglish
      5·
      10 days ago

      I think you misread my post. Im not defending fosstodon or carrotcypher, I was asking for more clarity about the issues.

      Reading up on him in the linked posts, he looks like a big piece of shit that shouldn’t be moderating a large mastodon instance. It’s clear he abuses his power there and on the 50 communities here on lemmy he mods to silence discussion that doesn’t align with his views.

      You opting to “not look into them” is the same stance as the Fosstodon admins, and honestly, not a good choice.

      • PhilipTheBucket@ponder.catEnglish
        4·
        10 days ago

        on the 50 communities here on lemmy he mods to silence discussion that doesn’t align with his views.

        Who is he on Lemmy? I didn’t know he was here too. Do you have some examples of silencing discussion that doesn’t align with his views?

        I’m aware of reports of him doing messed-up moderation on Reddit, which is sus. If it sounded like I was in his corner I am not. I’m just saying like you were that more clarity would be better.

        Edit: There’s also this and this

        • mosiacmango@lemm.eeEnglish
          1·
          10 days ago

          Im all fucked up about the lemmy communities. I misread the subreddit list in a powertripping mods thread as a lemmy community list. Ill edit the above comments.

        • mosiacmango@lemm.eeEnglish
          1·
          10 days ago

          Im all fucked up on the lemmy mod comment. I misread his subreddits as lemmy communities in the power tripping mod thread I linked above. I’ve removed that now.