Mastodon still has a major profile deficiency among social media users (particularly those on X).
-
@ChrisMayLA6 I have typed with several people who 'tried' the fediverse.
Their main 'problem': you have to select a server.
No way that it's possible to explain that all servers are connected; their brain are monolith platform based. "Network" doesn't click with them.
Also: change is scary. New is scary. And "all my friends are on <insert platform>."
@paulk @ChrisMayLA6 I agree that having to find a server is probably the biggest blocker - I was "lucky" in that being a Vivaldi user I was gifted an account when they created a Mastodon instance.
My dad actually came to me asking about Mastodon one day, so I helped him to join and all the questions and frustrations about where and how came up during those days.
Ironically, I hadn't really got into it before then but that kicked me into being more active. On the other hand, he joined but never committed.
-
@ChrisMayLA6 it is not just the federation which enabled this, to be clear.
There was a lack of interest in the development of suitable moderation tools at the time, a lack of black voices as part of the development and leadership of Mastodon.
A culture of telling people "they were doing it wrong" even though they were the victims of racism. There's a lot.. federation was a part of it, but a solvable part of it. In other words, to be clear, it was not a technology problem at it's heart
yes, I can see that....
-
@ChrisMayLA6 since Mastodon/the #Fediverse are not even featured in the survey results even at a minimal level I wonder if we were even included as an option in the survey questionnaire?
Of course anyone with any sense or awareness that we exist would have already switched long ago.
Yes this was raised a bit back in the thread; was Mastodon included in the menu of survey options... likely not, and without a 'write in' option even those who had heard of us, would not be able to register that
-
@paulk @ChrisMayLA6 I agree that having to find a server is probably the biggest blocker - I was "lucky" in that being a Vivaldi user I was gifted an account when they created a Mastodon instance.
My dad actually came to me asking about Mastodon one day, so I helped him to join and all the questions and frustrations about where and how came up during those days.
Ironically, I hadn't really got into it before then but that kicked me into being more active. On the other hand, he joined but never committed.
Yes, but as is often pointed out, given the guidance easily on offer actually this is more perceived barrier than *actual* barrier, although I accept the perception doesn't make it any less real for the individual
-
@ChrisMayLA6 I have actually written several extensive 'manuals' in webpages for people, pointing them at the pages, and for some reason it remains a scary thing. It's easier to complain about the 'current place' and stick with it than going to a good place where things are new...
️ -
@ChrisMayLA6 @paulk @FediTips I think a big part for many is if any friends and family are there. My dad was trying to de-Meta and I think if my sister had come to Mastodon he would have stuck around. She went (briefly) to Bluesky (boo!), and despite me working out the Bridgy path neither of them were interested.
Me, I am happy to return to the original early 1990s days of bumping into random strangers on here and just picking up what's on the breeze.
-
@ChrisMayLA6 I have actually written several extensive 'manuals' in webpages for people, pointing them at the pages, and for some reason it remains a scary thing. It's easier to complain about the 'current place' and stick with it than going to a good place where things are new...
️ -
Mastodon still has a major profile deficiency among social media users (particularly those on X).
For many of us this might not be seen as disadvantageous (who wants people still on X to come here?), but Mastodon's absence remains notable.
The Q.is: is this because people are unaware of the fediverse or is to part of a deliberate (perhaps implicit) move to obscure a non-commercial alternative?
Or perhaps Mastodon & its values is always going to be niche social media?
I've asked my local council, and several other organisations, to join Mastodon when the list of ways to get updates from them is just all the ones I deleted.
Exclusionary politics.
-
Mastodon still has a major profile deficiency among social media users (particularly those on X).
For many of us this might not be seen as disadvantageous (who wants people still on X to come here?), but Mastodon's absence remains notable.
The Q.is: is this because people are unaware of the fediverse or is to part of a deliberate (perhaps implicit) move to obscure a non-commercial alternative?
Or perhaps Mastodon & its values is always going to be niche social media?
@ChrisMayLA6 The fediverse as is couldn't become a big deal, too many things keeping it from expanding in that way. Even if it was to happen there'd be enough smaller enclaves to keep an independent energy, it's patently non-commercial in the direction of anti-capitalist and more anarchist in nature than the regular models of social media. Saying that though there are two fediverses out there, this one and the very right-wing one so if we're limiting it to purely Mastodon only then I think in either case it'll be self-selecting by pushing out the middle as both are pretty polarised.
-
Mastodon still has a major profile deficiency among social media users (particularly those on X).
For many of us this might not be seen as disadvantageous (who wants people still on X to come here?), but Mastodon's absence remains notable.
The Q.is: is this because people are unaware of the fediverse or is to part of a deliberate (perhaps implicit) move to obscure a non-commercial alternative?
Or perhaps Mastodon & its values is always going to be niche social media?
@ChrisMayLA6 this is why I try and say the Fediverse on mainstream media to try and get the word out. Except even some people in tech have thought I was referring to some fetish dating site which was awkward. But yeah, I thought Mastadon was just some average nerdy version of the same thing until I find out about the Fediverse.
-
@kauer @ChrisMayLA6 I was surprised to find that I have still got an unused Twitter account featuring the Mastodon handle and so far it seems to have survived.
Probably because I am too small to be of interest -
@kauer @ChrisMayLA6 My X profile is literally 0 posts with the title 'moved to mastodon' and it has survived.. but basically nobody would ever have noticed it.
-
Mastodon still has a major profile deficiency among social media users (particularly those on X).
For many of us this might not be seen as disadvantageous (who wants people still on X to come here?), but Mastodon's absence remains notable.
The Q.is: is this because people are unaware of the fediverse or is to part of a deliberate (perhaps implicit) move to obscure a non-commercial alternative?
Or perhaps Mastodon & its values is always going to be niche social media?
@ChrisMayLA6 Most people probably haven't even heard of Mastodon, just like they've not heard of Linux or free software generally. Being free (no cost) means little or no marketing outside the Fedi/FOSS bubble. Growth via personal recommendations is always going to be slow.
-
@kauer @ChrisMayLA6
I'm amazed folk on the fediverse are on X -
@ChrisMayLA6 The fediverse as is couldn't become a big deal, too many things keeping it from expanding in that way. Even if it was to happen there'd be enough smaller enclaves to keep an independent energy, it's patently non-commercial in the direction of anti-capitalist and more anarchist in nature than the regular models of social media. Saying that though there are two fediverses out there, this one and the very right-wing one so if we're limiting it to purely Mastodon only then I think in either case it'll be self-selecting by pushing out the middle as both are pretty polarised.
Yes, I'm only vaguely aware of that other wing.... which is both comfortable but also concerning
-
Mastodon still has a major profile deficiency among social media users (particularly those on X).
For many of us this might not be seen as disadvantageous (who wants people still on X to come here?), but Mastodon's absence remains notable.
The Q.is: is this because people are unaware of the fediverse or is to part of a deliberate (perhaps implicit) move to obscure a non-commercial alternative?
Or perhaps Mastodon & its values is always going to be niche social media?
@ChrisMayLA6 I guess, many have a problem with decentralized social media. Maybe it still isn't easy enough to find the right place. And then, media in general isn't eager to add a
link to their pages and join the fediverse with their own accouts or even instances. Perhaps more advertising for the wonderful 
would help? -
Mastodon still has a major profile deficiency among social media users (particularly those on X).
For many of us this might not be seen as disadvantageous (who wants people still on X to come here?), but Mastodon's absence remains notable.
The Q.is: is this because people are unaware of the fediverse or is to part of a deliberate (perhaps implicit) move to obscure a non-commercial alternative?
Or perhaps Mastodon & its values is always going to be niche social media?
@ChrisMayLA6 I have tried to get people in my life to switch from WhatsApp to signal. To me, the two applications look largely the same. Nonetheless, I have converted very few people who aren’t tech adjacent. I think the fedi is similar. It’s not actually any harder to sign up for than X/twitter, but there is some other friction
-
Even if someone doesn't immediately switch when you suggest it, the suggestion remains valuable.
Most people don't immediately switch based on one recommendation, but if they get two or three separate recommendations that tends to put something firmly on their radar.
So, it's always worth recommending something even if it doesn't seem to immediately lead to any changes, as it forms one of the multiple recommendations that many people need to hear.
