(2017-04-20) Holtz Mastodon Here To Stay Or Doa

Shel Holtz: Mastodon: Here to stay or DOA?

I’m not ready to proclaim Mastodon a keeper

There’s something tugging at the back of my mind, though, insisting that Mastodon might, just maybe, find its place in the constellation of social networks

Of course, Mastodon isn’t exactly like either email or FidoNet

Rochko created it to limit trolling, avoid blatant commercialism, provide a true chronological timeline, and promote privacy. None of that will make it thrive or even keep it alive. That will happen (if it happens) because of the federated model

You could create one account on one instance and use it like Twitter in an effort to engage with people on instances everywhere. More compelling, though, is to have accounts on each of the instances that revolve around your specific interests, engaging heavily on the local scene and using the federation for related conversations

This would also present an opportunity for organizations. Not to hawk their products like they do on Facebook or Twitter, but to create a place for people with relevant interests to hang out.

What could possibly go wrong? Well, lots of shit.

the federation could fracture. It’s already happening

The first thing Curry noticed is that much of the “we are all humans living on the same planet” social justice warriors have already blacklisted the No Agenda server and other non-PC communities. He joked to me on a recent show that those who advocate “No Borders, No Nations” are the first to put up borders and lock out those who don’t abide by their anti-Trump, anti-Republican, anti-Brexit, anti-capitalism, safe-space philosophy.