I’ve been asked on TV hits and interviews lately to explain why decentralized social media is better, especially re: Mastodon.

[elettrona@poliversity.it]

@taylorlorenz @tchambers You're not forced to use a specific website or a specific software to look at it, and then use it. Explaining what's federation and what's decentralization is very complex, especially to someone who uses internet passively - without knowing how it really works.
I always say that Fediverse is very difficult to be communicated, rather than used. You can't avoid explaining what "decentralization" really means. Despite blackout and similar stuff are more frequent, they don't see it as an immediate concern.
I always say that communicating Fediverse is like talking about U=U (Undetectable Untransmittable) referred to HIV prevention.
It's a very important concept for everyone's sex life. As it means that if you live with HIV and are in constant effective treatment, even without condom you can NEVER transmit virus to anyone. This destroys all 40 years old stigma we have, theoretically.
But you can't really explain this concept of UNDETECTABLE without explaining (at least the basis) of what VIRAL LOAD is. A concept that you can't give for granted.

[quatermasstools@infosec.exchange]

@taylorlorenz “your words”. Not “your words as long as they conform to this week’s ketamine fuelled fetished cravings of the owning billionaires”

[steve_zeke@freeradical.zone]

@taylorlorenz
Non-profit, no algorithm, no ads. Decentralized means that you control how and where (mobility) you interact with the network, and there is not a single point of failure as there is within centralized social media.

[sibshops@mastodon.online]

@taylorlorenz It's the only social where you aren't the product. You aren't being force-fed content to promote someone else's interests.

[wiredfire@mstdn.social]

RE: https://mastodon.social/@cmconseils/116025699004483072

Their name is Robert Paulson..

[dacig@mastodon.social]

@taylorlorenz Imagine a world without politicians, billionaires and bosses running everything, abusing everyone.
No ads and no algorithm.
Add a high signal to noise ratio.
On arrivsl you can move into the neighborhood you like best, and pay the rent you can.
Now take that world online, make it a social network, better, a social community.
You get Mastodon

[futurebird@sauropods.win]

@benroyce @taylorlorenz

All the cool kids are already doing it and you are missing out.

[futurebird@sauropods.win]

@benroyce @taylorlorenz

Depending on the audience you could also mention the ants? Or don't it's fine.

[gbargoud@masto.nyc]

@taylorlorenz

A lot of people complained when Instagram first switched from a chronological feed to an algorithmic one.

But I think the way forward for the fediverse is communities moving here wholesale like the forkiverse server did.

I don't think people will make accounts here otherwise unless they're the kind of nerd who's interested in this (in which case selling it is easy) or they have network effects which take a long time to build up.

[ben@social.ben.ie]

@taylorlorenz as a platform it is not and can never be adversarial or extractive to you as a user, the way twitter, Facebook, instagram, TikTok and others are or will be.

[lyle@cville.online]

@taylorlorenz I like Jefferson’s phrasing: “it neither picks my pocket nor breaks my arm” Technology that is not working actively to harm me and my loved ones is very appealing to me.

[benroyce@mastodon.social]

@futurebird @taylorlorenz

ANT PROPAGANDA IS RUINING THE FEDIVERSE

[aimeemaroux@mastodon.social]

@taylorlorenz I would mention the ridiculous censoring that is going on on YouTube right now and how centralised platforms will, eventually, be hostile towards themes that advertisers don't like, which is obviously adult content but also mental health, LGBTQ, and lots of other topics an advertiser doesn't want to be associated with. Instead of saying "unalived" to appease the platform, you can just say "murdered" on a decentralised platform that doesn't have to cater to advertisers.

[rk@mastodon.well.com]

@benroyce @futurebird @taylorlorenz

Propaganta

[benroyce@mastodon.social]

@rk @futurebird @taylorlorenz

[weezmgk@mastodon.social]

@NMBA can you do that now? I have moved servers twice, each time, my followers disappeared. Although, I haven't had to do that terribly recently. YMMV. 🫲🫱 @taylorlorenz

[landelare@mastodon.gamedev.place]

@taylorlorenz The most important part for me is that this is not yet another "cloud app" where one entity controls everything: your account, what you see, the client applications, etc., but a protocol, where you can use whatever compatible software you want, even multiple.

It makes feature rollout difficult, but it's a massive safety feature in my opinion. If Mastodon gGmbH did something highly unpopular, all this software can feasibly choose to ignore it. They *cannot* force it on everyone.

[vfrmedia@social.tchncs.de]

@benroyce @rk @futurebird @taylorlorenz there's not only ants but literally every creature in the World (Fedi is particularly good for those interested in nature)

I've seen folk send pictures of lions etc that are sleeping in the main road (so everyone has to slow down and stop for them) as they live in countries where these are native, as well as just about every type of bug / snake / spider (folk do at least generally use CWs for those so others aren't scared if they have phobias), and nature scientists often post free links to whole full colour books of various creatures (I got one of all the snakes in Malaysia a few months back)

[benroyce@mastodon.social]

@vfrmedia @rk @futurebird @taylorlorenz

you just hit upon *the* one, absolutely compelling selling point for mastodon:

"we have cat pictures"

boom, 1 million new sign ups

[dialektgefahr@friendica.opensocial.space]

@taylorlorenz Decentralised social networks such as Mastodon (and the Fediverse as a whole) are superior because they distribute power rather than concentrating it.
There is no single corporation dictating rules, algorithms or visibility. Instead, they consist of many independent servers (instances) that are connected to each other – similar to email.

Specifically, this means:
• More genuine freedom of expression:
On Mastodon, Friendica, Pixelfed or Akkoma, it is not a tech corporation with business interests that decides what is allowed or what remains "high-reach". Each instance sets its own rules, and users can switch or run their own – without losing their social network.
• No algorithmic manipulation:
Content is displayed chronologically, not according to advertising or engagement optimisation. This reduces polarisation, clickbait and artificial outrage.
• Control lies with the users:
Communities moderate themselves, transparently and comprehensibly. If rules become unfair, you simply go elsewhere – something that is practically impossible with centralised platforms.

There is no compulsion to monetise through tracking, advertising or profiling. This fundamentally changes whose interests are at the centre.

In short:
Centralised platforms "grant" freedom of expression as long as it is profitable or PR-compatible.
The Fediverse enables freedom of expression structurally – because no one can centrally revoke it.