Dear Fediverse, FediBlocking Facebook Is Futile. Enlightened Engagement Of Instagram Is Our Best Option
I have witnessed vigorous debate within the Fediverse about how to engage with Meta’s pending arrival into our sacred digital spaces.
Some have argued that servers within the Fediverse should pledge to preemptively block Instagram’s proxy, who is a very clear present danger to the Fediverse overall.
The timing of the news and my original thread was quite serendipitous, as it allowed me to recall that Facebook played a role in killing of RSS, through strategies better known from Microsoft’s fight against open protocols and FLOSS: Embrace, Extend, Extinguish (EEE). Luckily, the memory is still fresh enough for some of us to realize that Meta’s actions represent a threat for the Fedivers. [sic]
The obvious recommendation here is to defederate with extreme prejudice any and all Facebook-associated instance. We know how it will play out, we’ve seen it happen again and again. It doesn’t matter how nice and cooperative they will be in the beginning, this is a power move against the Fediverse, a move against which it has no chance of resisting if even an inch is given.
@vantablack@beach.city has already compiled a list called FediPact which displays instances that have already pledged to unceremoniously block Instagram’s Proxy as soon as it enters the Fediverse (note: this list can also be viewed upon FediDB).
The urge to block Meta is understandable as Zuckerberg has a history of using his clout in an attempt to destroy rivals. However, blocking at this point in time is pointless as Facebook can (if they are not already doing this currently) catalog your content via RSS feeds (this feat was easily demonstrated previously by @freemo@qoto.org geek eons ago).
Meta can also use hidden methods to crawl sites or receive pings whenever you create content on your account. So hiding away in a corner somewhere, waiting for the Zuckerverse to take over is a bad defensive option at best. Instead of hiding away from the beast, why not lure it out & entrap it instead‽
Note: Content warning (lots of cussing) for the video below.
The Best Defense Is A Good Offense (Operation Neo)
If you have loved ones (friends, family neighbors, etcetera) who are on social networks, you should encourage them to join Instagram’s Thread when it launches, but only if prior attempts of convincing them to join the greater Fediverse have failed.
No, I am not embracing the Zuck. However, the best way to display the superiority of the greater Fediverse is to have our loved ones actively appear on the Fediverse, & using Instagram’s ActivityPub powered proxy as a stepping stone will be key.
To quote Neo from The Matrix:
Once your friend, neighbor, loved one, relative, best frenemy, etcetera, are on Instagram’s Proxy (which I will refer to at Threads from now on), follow & interact with them from your Fediverse proper accounts on Misskey, Mastodon, Pixelfed, WriteFreely, WordPress, etcetera.
The purpose is to expose them to the greater Fediverse, & show them “a world without boundaries,” with the ultimate goal of them leaving the Zuckerverse in favor of the greater Fediverse.
If you are successful with friends, family, frenemies, etcetera, then repeat this with:
- businesses in your local community (who will look favorably on the idea of controlling their own social account)
- local not-for-profits in your area (both secular & religious)
- local politicians (mayors, legislators, congressional representatives, senators, governors, etcetera)
If enough people experience the greater Fediverse (say 10% when compared to Threads population), Meta will be entrapped to maintain good relations with ActivityPub enabled services, lest they risk a backlash from numerous localities, businesses (whose money Meta desires) & political leaders (the latter who enjoy using Meta as a punching bag).
Conclusion: We Are The Fediverse, & We Are Not Afraid
I will be honest here, the odds of the greater Fediverse succeeding against the Zuckerverse is slim. Of the top 30 Fediverse instances in the Fediverse right now, I would honestly say only one instance is defensively prepared against Meta, & that honor goes to Counter Social by @th3j35t3r@counter.social (I am @darnell@counter.social over there for what it is worth).
However, engaging the masses upon an ActivityPub enabled platform is a better strategy than hiding away & blocking Threads. Doing the latter would cede the future of decentralizing away from the masses & into the hands of a few, a mistake we already made with email, phone OS software, desktop computing & potentially Virtual Reality.
We should not fear Zack’s entrance into the Fediverse, but we also should not allow Threads debut into the Fediverse to go unchallenged. Regardless of our political perspectives, platform preferences & social backgrounds, we should unite in an effort to enlighten the masses about the greater Fediverse.
After all, if we do not tell the people about the real Fediverse, then who will‽
👨🏾💻 by @darnell@darnellclayton.com 🔛 @darnell@darnell.day 📧 darnell@darnell.day
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