Notices by Meadow Whisper (Natasha L.) (lupinia@infosec.exchange)

There has been extensive discussion and debate on the topic of Facebook joining the Fediverse, and what instance admins can or should do about this. And as someone who has been involved in community administration for decades, but who has not yet helmed a Mastodon instance, I will absolutely concede that the topic is complex and nuanced, and there is no perfect "good" or "right" answer.

BUT, as these discussions continue to unfold and admins continue to look for the best way to proceed, one thing is abundantly clear, and must be at the forefront of these discussions: Facebook needs the Fediverse a LOT more than we need them. And Facebook knows this better than we do, because they wouldn't be trying to implement ActivityPub if they didn't see us as having something they *need*.

We can debate all day long about what that "something" is, or whether/how we should give it to them, or what - if anything - we want or need from them. I have opinions on those questions myself, but ultimately, as we have these discussions, we need to remember that we're all on the same side of this situation, and find common ground. And in my personal and professional opinion, I think the common ground we should be able to share is that Facebook does not suddenly care about open protocols or the concept of a federated internet - they want to come here because they want money, and they think we have something they need in order to do that. Even if you think they have something we need in exchange, there is no scenario where Facebook is the only place to get whatever that "something" is. We could never need them as much as they need us, therefore we have the power to set the terms for how (or if) they work with us. Whether you're getting invited to NDA meetings with Facebook, or just a random voice among thousands, never forget that we didn't call them, they called *us*.