EVHaste
The #Bluesky community is on strike, in protest of “free speech” moderation policies and refusal to prevent or remove #racism.
The inciting incident this time: users signing up with the n-word in their usernames. Using the word “cracker”, however, was a bannable offense.
Bluesky has not responded for over 36 hours as of writing. Devs are blocking protestors. Timelines are filled with variations of:
“No more normal posting until my Black friends and family are safe.”
EVHaste
It is beautiful to watch folks organize spontaneously around this. There are some really novel techniques being used that I have not seen before.
Shitposters and sex workers blurring their posts and withholding lewds, if only there was a safe platform to post them. Quote chains of people asking the devs to block them too in solidarity. Users building custom, public mute lists to block out fascists and protect marginalized communities.
The devs are liking nazi callout posts & posting on Twitter
EVHaste
But I would also like to take a second, before you enjoy too much schadenfreude, to point out that by and large PoC communities also are not safe on Mastodon.
A huge amount of the feedback being levied on Bluesky’s lasseiz faire moderation policies also apply to us here.
I have very little faith Bluesky will improve, but we still could.
FinalOverdrive
@Haste I think key to this is understanding what BlueSky is pursuing is not a free speech policy. 1) Nazis are fundamentally opposed to the idea of free speech. 2) Nazis do not adhere to the rules of free speech, which means abjuring the use of violence, threats, and intimidation.
To allow Nazis on a platform or public sphere is to _not_ defend free speech, but to leave it vulnerable.
pollute_my_lungs 🚎🏳️🌈
@Haste I think BlueSky is finished with Threads being recently launched. And if they are going to embrace bigots, then there will be less of a reason for a leftist to use it.
Miranda Gray
@Haste I will miss the parts of Black Twitter I saw (whether I understood or not). I want an intersectional discussion in a safe space. I will also admit I see a great need for private moderated spaces I should be excluded from.
Ministerofimpediments
@Haste there is one critical difference between the two platforms.
Here ignorant racist assholes are simply ignorant racist assholes.
There ignorant racist assholes drive “value-added platform engagement”.
When they make money from your pain it’s not a bug…it’s a feature. Just like Facebook.
Elizabeth Tai | 戴秀铃 🇲🇾
@Haste about what you said about POCs not feeling safe here. I have to say you are right. I get anti-China sentiments sent my way at times. And people not understanding that my values are not typically Western, even if I may sound and behave Western.
EVHaste
@Viss @LinuxAndYarn yeah I choose to read “we prioritize free speech on this platform” as “well let’s not be hasty, the nazis might have a point”. :/
I plan on shutting my account down but I’d like to keep involved with the protest for a bit, it’s improving my hope for humanity
Viss
@Haste @LinuxAndYarn its interesting - i just went to have a look and i dont see any of that sorta boycotting happening. the lewds feed appears to be the sorta typical stream of "here are my parts, internet, now give me validation" as they normally are. im not suggesting it isnt happening, just that i havent seen it yet
Viss
@Haste @LinuxAndYarn its 2023 and we have a brand new social media network that doesnt have a "no racism / no nazis" policy.
we may as well be banging rocks together.
also orgs that intentionally choose to not to have those policies are really saying "we're okay if we become the nazi bar. their money is just as green as anybody elses"
EVHaste
@LinuxAndYarn Oh, that’s the zombie game right? I tried to get into that but the community put me off immediately 😭
Rachel Rawlings
@Haste I quit a 7dtd server because they let a guy with "sambo" in his name and en evern worse picture in his steam profile play while also disciplining me for saying "cracker."
They listed "no racism" in their server rules but they were clearly applying it selectively. People tell on themselves all the time.
fu
Julian Lam
@Haste @pollute_my_lungs hopefully I can help! I'm slowly bringing @nodebb to the Fediverse 🙂 forums never left, they just took a sideline for a bit.
It's high time for a resurgence.
EVHaste
@pollute_my_lungs I miss forums.
fu
Rage Rumbles 🏴☠️🫂 🔞
@Haste The lesson here is very simple (and often repeated): never expect ANY commercial social media to be fair, equatable, just, honest or decent.
Its about making money. And thats all.
fu
fu
EVHaste
I agree with you on this. I will also add that Bluesky does aspire to be as large or larger than Mastodon social, if it isn't already, so if one holds the opinion that users choosing a big instance is the problem you should also find Bluesky unpleasant?
David Megginson
@fu You make a good point about large instances, but the emphasis on "personal choice" risks shifting the blame onto the victims.
Every instance, no matter how large, has a responsibility to try to make itself safer for people who are often the targets of hate and abuse. If Bluesky failed at that, it's all on them — no excuses.
cc @Haste
fu
@david_megginson @Haste personally I disagree with you on every instance having a responsibility to make itself safer. I chose libranet.de because, among other things, I agree with their position of "Everyone with good intentions welcome." but the market has provided many other options that have their particular niche, even within the fediverse.
I have a hard time seeing how anyone voluntarily taking place in internet social media is "a victim" but then again, I'm a straight white Christian male, so I have privilege that may make me blind to such things. That being said, personal responsibility is always necessary. In this case the users of #bluesky are taking the personal responsibility to stand up and protest to correct the situation and if not, they will leave in droves. Sounds like the market working exactly how it's supposed to me.
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