News from fediverse
- heart symboling best things about the fediversePeople who’ve figured out the fediverse understand its power. They’ve read and experimented, and had enough lightbulb moments, to know why it’s worth
!heart symboling best things about the fediversePeople who’ve figured out the fediverse understand its power. They’ve read and experimented, and had enough lightbulb moments, to know why it’s worth investing time and energy in a decentralized landscape.
It’s inspiring to learn about those pivotal moments because it expands our thinking too. We’ve started collecting and sharing these stories — including on a new TikTok channel — so that others can also see the big picture and many mainstream use cases for this technology.
(Why put the videos on “walled garden” channels like TikTok and Instagram, you may ask? Because we want to reach people not currently in the fediverse, to help them see the tremendous possibilities when you join the network. We’ll also put these stories on federated channels, including our own blog, Mastodon, Bluesky and Threads.)
The fediverse streamlines workflows, creates new points of connection, and facilitates cool new realities, like uniting comments from around the internet around a single post. Hear it from early adopters, creators, builders and more, including:
Anuj Ahooja, writer and builder, on how it finally allows us to own our online relationships.
> @fedi.curious The fediverse* is exciting early adopters for so many reasons! They're investing in one of the most exciting things to happen in social media since the birth of social itself. In this video, Anuj Ahooja, writer and builder, shares his lightbulb moment: how it finally allows us to own our online relationships. * New to the fediverse? It’s the next wave in social media — a decentralized ecosystem of independent social networking services that can communicate with each other. So it doesn’t matter what platform you or your friends are on. You can each do your own thing and yet still be connected (thanks to a common protocol). It’s like having your TikTok, Instagram, Flipboard and X feeds all in one place. Plus, if you leave one platform, you don’t have to leave all your content and followers behind. They travel with you! What’s your favorite thing about the fediverse? Tell us so we can feature you in an upcoming video! #fediverse #fedi.love #opensource #socialmedia #decentralization #flipboard #activitypub #mastodon #threads #bluesky ♬ original sound – fedi.curious
Doctor Popular, blogger and host of The Fediverse Files for WordPress, on how it benefits bloggers and brings “the return of comments.”
> @fedi.curious The fediverse* is exciting early adopters — for so many reasons! Here's why they’re investing in one of the most exciting things to happen in social media since the birth of social itself. In this clip, @doctorpopular, blogger and host of "The Fediverse Files" for @wordpresscom, shares his lightbulb moment: how it benefits bloggers and brings “the return of comments.” New to the fediverse? It's the next wave in social media. It’s a decentralized ecosystem of independent social networking services that can communicate with each other. So it doesn’t matter what platform you or your friends are on. You can each do your own thing and yet still be connected (thanks to a common protocol). It’s like having your TikTok, Instagram, Flipboard and X feeds all in one place. Plus, if you leave one platform, you don’t have to leave all your content and followers behind. They travel with you. Isn't that cool? Tell us your lightbulb moment in the fediverse. We want to know for an upcoming video. #fediverse #fedi.love #opensource #socialmedia #decentralization #wordpress #flipboard #activitypub #mastodon ♬ original sound – fedi.curious
Jaz Michael-King, Director of IFTAS, on how it helps the Welsh language to thrive.
> @fedi.curious The fediverse* is exciting early adopters — for so many reasons! In these short videos, they tell us why they’re investing in one of the most exciting things to happen in social media since the birth of social media itself. In this clip, Jaz Michael-King, Director of IFTAS, shares his lightbulb moment — how it helps the Welsh language to thrive. What’s yours?! Tell us so we can feature you in an upcoming video. * The #fediverse is the next wave in social media. It’s a decentralized ecosystem of independent social networking services that can communicate with each other. So it doesn’t matter what platform you or your friends are on. You can each do your own thing and yet still be connected (thanks to a common protocol). It’s like having your TikTok, Instagram, Flipboard and X feeds all in one place. Plus, if you leave one platform, you don’t have to leave all your content and followers behind. They travel with you — or so is the promise of this open-source system. #fediverse#fedi.love#opensource#socialmedia#decentralization#mastodon#threads#bluesky#flipboard ♬ original sound – fedi.curious
Andy Piper, Developer Relations at Mastodon, on how it made a music festival more fun.
> @fedi.curious The #fediverse is the next wave in social media. It’s a decentralized ecosystem of independent social networking services that can communicate with each other. So it doesn’t matter what platform you or your friends are on. You can each do your own thing and yet still be connected (thanks to a common protocol). It’s like having your TikTok, Instagram, Flipboard and X feeds all in one place. Plus, if you leave one platform, you don’t have to leave all your content and followers behind. They travel with you — or so is the promise of this open-source system. The fediverse is exciting early adopters — for so many reasons! In these short videos, they tell us why they’re investing in one of the most exciting things to happen in social media since the birth of social media itself. In this clip, Andy Piper, Developer Relations at Mastodon, shares his lightbulb moment — how it made a music festival more fun. ##fediverse#fedi.love#opensource#socialmedia#decentralization#mastodon#threads#bluesky#flipboard ♬ original sound – fedi.curious
Elena Rossini, filmmaker, photographer and writer, on how it seamlessly syncs comments across platforms.
> @fedi.curious The fediverse* is exciting early adopters — for so many reasons! In these short videos, they tell us why they’re investing in one of the most exciting things to happen in social media since the birth of social itself. In this clip, Elena Rossini, a filmmaker, photographer and writer, shares her lightbulb moment:how it seamlessly syncs comments across platforms. * New to the fediverse? It’s the next wave in social media — a decentralized ecosystem of independent social networking services that can communicate with each other. So it doesn’t matter what platform you or your friends are on. You can each do your own thing and yet still be connected (thanks to a common protocol). It’s like having your TikTok, Instagram, Flipboard and X feeds all in one place. Plus, if you leave one platform, you don’t have to leave all your content and followers behind. They travel with you! #fediverse#fedi.love#opensource#socialmedia#decentralization#flipboard#activitypub#mastodon#threads#bluesky ♬ original sound – fedi.curious
Got a short story to tell us about that moment when it all clicked for you? We’d love to hear it. Please fill out this short form and we’ll send you more details.
Thanks for keeping up with all the Flipboard and fediverse news through our blog. You can download the Flipboard app in the App Store and Google Play Store for free. Personalize it for the stories you’re interested in and curate your favorite articles, videos and podcasts into your own Flipboard Magazines.
<https://about.flipboard.com/fediverse/best-thing-about-the-fediverse-short-videos/>
#ActivityPub #Fediverse #Mastodon #testimonials #tiktok #video
- I think it's going to be more important than ever that #Mastodon and the #fediverse are not centrally operated out of the US like almost every other social media platform out there.
I think it's going to be more important than ever that #Mastodon and the #fediverse are not centrally operated out of the US like almost every other social media platform out there.
- Could this happen anywhere else?
Could this happen anywhere else?
Two social media competitors collaborating, to this degree?
ActivityPub isn't just different, it's the future.
The future where people are prioritized, not profited from.
#fediverse #activityPub
- Looks like we might be experiencing some #fediverse and #Mastodon growth, presumably from another Twitter exodus event.
Looks like we might be experiencing some #fediverse and #Mastodon growth, presumably from another Twitter exodus event.
#FediDB
- I am on #Loops as @darren, the new fedi Tik Tok. A very cool addition to the #fediverse. Check out loops.video website.
I am on #Loops as @darren@c.im, the new fedi Tik Tok. A very cool addition to the #fediverse. Check out loops.video website.
- I do want to remind people that some of us aren't the normal scum and villainy you see on the #Fediverse and would love to help you deploy services that you can host and maintain yourself to help you
I do want to remind people that some of us aren't the normal scum and villainy you see on the #Fediverse and would love to help you deploy services that you can host and maintain yourself to help you remove anything you might not want on centralized infrastructure.
- Morning #fediverse, here's a recent pic I took of a beach sunset today while the tide's low as a sandwich.
Morning #fediverse, here's a recent pic I took of a beach sunset today while the tide's low as a sandwich. #sunrise
- 🌞 Hello #fediverse -- this is GBH #News bringing you the world from Boston. It's 73F at Logan and visibility is 10mi.
🌞 Hello #fediverse -- this is GBH #News bringing you the world from Boston. It's 73F at Logan and visibility is 10mi.
Trump won the US presidential election, only the 2nd candidate to win non-consecutive terms.
In Mass., proposals to allow legislature audits and dropping the MCAS as a HS grad requirement won approval while proposals to eliminate the tipped min. wage and legalize psychedelics did not.
Boston Public Radio will be live from the BPL at 11AM. Livestream: <https://youtube.com/live/HJ4MFHuMMOE?feature=share>
- Needless to say, don’t scan any random QR-codes you get spammed with here.
Needless to say, don’t scan any random QR-codes you get spammed with here.
#fediverse #spam #QRCodes
- Greetings, denizens of the #fediverse and welcome to Election Day.
Greetings, denizens of the #fediverse and welcome to Election Day.
If you are looking for updates on the Massachusetts ballot questions and results from key races, the @gbhnews@mastodon.social liveblog will be active all day and in successive days as the news rolls in.
<https://www.wgbh.org/news/politics/2024-11-05/live-updates-on-the-massachusetts-2024-election> #Election2024 #uspol
- Here I am, two years into this experiment we like to call the fediverse.
Here I am, two years into this experiment we like to call the fediverse.
<https://stefanbohacek.com/blog/my-two-full-years-in-the-fediverse/>
#fediversary #anniversary #fediverse
- New: Last Week in #Fediverse - ep 91
New: Last Week in #Fediverse - ep 91
This week's news:
- @loops@pixelfed.social has launched and is now available for everyone!
- @radiofreefedi@musician.social will shut down early next year
- Bridgy Fed talks about potential governance directions
Read at: <https://fediversereport.com/last-week-in-fediverse-ep-91/>
- There are many big and respectable names in the #Fediverse today. I'm curious though, where were you & what were you up to during the first 10 years of the network (2008–2018)?
There are many big and respectable names in the #Fediverse today. I'm curious though, where were you & what were you up to during the first 10 years of the network (2008–2018)?
Care to share your background & why you jumped into #ActivityPub ?
(feel free to reshare 😁)
- I think @mastometrics is a great #fediverse service and I just donated to their Kofi account. If you use them, I hope you support them as well:
I think @mastometrics@mas.to is a great #fediverse service and I just donated to their Kofi account. If you use them, I hope you support them as well:
<https://ko-fi.com/robertvh>
- Peaceful #SilentSunday, #Fediverse !
Peaceful #SilentSunday, #Fediverse !
#Photography #Photo #Picture #Pic #Pictures #Sea #Sunday #Boat #Fisher
- Wir freuen uns über mehr als 200 Follower*innen im #Fediverse. Das sind jetzt sogar mehr, als wir auf #Twitter hatten. ☺️
Wir freuen uns über mehr als 200 Follower*innen im #Fediverse. Das sind jetzt sogar mehr, als wir auf #Twitter hatten. ☺️
Schön, dass ihr da seid. 💜 Lasst uns gerne wissen, wenn ihr Fragen habt oder ihr euch bestimmte Inhalte wünscht.
#Volt #VoltHessen #Hessen #VoteVolt
- Hello #fediverse! This is GBH #News bringing you the world from #Boston. It's 50F at Logan Airport and visibility is 10mi.
Hello #fediverse! This is GBH #News bringing you the world from #Boston. It's 50F at Logan Airport and visibility is 10mi.
Musician and music producer Quincy Jones, who had a far-ranging impact on American music from pop to jazz, has died. He was 91.
Vice President Harris is spending the day campaigning in Pennsylvania, while former President Trump is expected to visit Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Michigan.
Tomorrow is the US election. See a reply to this toot for a coverage note.
- Someone recommended me a #Friendica instance a few weeks ago but I lost it. Can you all recommend some English instances to try? #Fediverse
Someone recommended me a #Friendica instance a few weeks ago but I lost it. Can you all recommend some English instances to try? #Fediverse
- New: A Conceptual Model of ATProto and ActivityPub
New: A Conceptual Model of ATProto and ActivityPub
You might want to know a little bit more about how #Bluesky and #atproto works, without needing to know all the technical details. This is a high level overview of how to think about how atproto works, and how it differs from #ActivityPub.
It is also a reflection on the concepts of decentralisation and federation, and what they bring to both the #fediverse and the #atmosphere
Read at: <https://fediversereport.com/a-conceptual-model-of-atproto-and-activitypub/>
- You have to be crazy to put in this much effort as a single fedi developer.
You have to be crazy to put in this much effort as a single fedi developer.
But it's the crazy ones who change things — those who aren't fond of rules or shortcuts, who push forward against all odds.
Call them foolish, but they're the ones who change the world.
#fediverse #dreamer
- I'll miss the content I get through #BitsInSpace server. Services like @MplsPhotoBot and others add interesting stuff to my feed. I hope these bots all find a new #fediverse server to call home.
I'll miss the content I get through #BitsInSpace server. Services like @MplsPhotoBot@botsin.space and others add interesting stuff to my feed. I hope these bots all find a new #fediverse server to call home.
- Week in Fediverse 2024-11-01
Week in Fediverse 2024-11-01
Servers
Clients
Tools and Plugins
For developers
- Fedify v1.2.0
- pl-api: A JavaScript library for interacting with Mastodon API-compatible servers, focused on support for projects extending the official Mastodon API
- WebFinger Split-Domain Canary
Protocol
Articles
- One year after X: Embracing open science on Mastodon
- Request for Comments: The Fediverse Schema Observatory
- Diving Into the World of Lemmy
- Setting up my federated fleamarket with flohmarkt
- Last Week in Fediverse – ep 90
-----
#WeekInFediverse #Fediverse #ActivityPub
Previous edition: <https://mitra.social/objects/0192c4f8-a18b-911e-3605-83248ab4737b>
- 🌸 Hey #Bloomscrolling #Mastodon!!! 🌼💕
🌸 Hey #Bloomscrolling #Mastodon!!! 🌼💕
On my latest album, Here Comes A Feeling, I wrote a special song just for you bloomscrollers out there: "Bloomscrolling"!
"Our feeds are filled with doom, surround yourself with pretty blooms!"
#Spotify: <https://open.spotify.com/track/4kiMbNinee4wVsyoVDwP3h?si=d806c36b8c0f46dd>
#Apple Music: <https://music.apple.com/us/album/bloomscrolling/1776714658?i=1776714668>
#Bandcamp: <https://fairyeyelashes.bandcamp.com/track/bloomscrolling>
#fediverse #flowers #music #newmusic #song
- Did you know we run a community for Fediverse moderators?
Did you know we run a community for Fediverse moderators?
It was inspired by our Moderator Needs Assessment, especially this powerful quote from one moderator;
“together we are stronger."
We couldn’t agree more, which is why we launched IFTAS Connect, a new community of practice designed specifically for Fediverse moderators.
1/3 🧵 #Fediverse #Moderator
- 🌞 Good morning #fediverse! This is GBH #News bringing you the world from #Boston. It's 65F at Logan Airport and visibility is 10 mi.
🌞 Good morning #fediverse! This is GBH #News bringing you the world from #Boston. It's 65F at Logan Airport and visibility is 10 mi.
WNBA champs the New York Liberty will be featured in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (along with 32 giant balloons).
US Employers added 12,000 jobs; the unemployment rate remains at 4.1%.
3 days remain until the US election.
we're raiding the candy bag:
- Two big #fediverse institutions sunsetting.
Two big #fediverse institutions sunsetting.
First, the botsin.space server for creators of friendly bots.
<https://stefanbohacek.online/@stefan/113392776797934398>
And now the Radio Free Fedi community internet radio.
<https://musician.social/@radiofreefedi/113406513837978275>
- ⭐️Hello, Fediverse! ⭐️
⭐️Hello, Fediverse! ⭐️
This week, we’re spotlighting incredible artists, creatives, and poets from Mastodon in our Community tab on Flipboard.
@georgetakei@universeodon.com @cstross@wandering.shop @brianbilston@mastodon.online @davidaugust@mastodon.online @warandpeas@mastodon.social @denmanrooke@social.coop
Download the app and give them a follow to see posts from your favorite fediverse folks while catching up on the day’s top headlines.
<https://about.flipboard.com/download-flipboard/>
#Flipboard #Fediverse #Federation #ActivityPub #Mastodon #Books #Poetry #Art #Creative #ConceptArt
- 🌞 Good morning #fediverse! This is GBH #News bringing you the world from #Boston. It's 72F at Logan Airport and visibility is 10mi.
🌞 Good morning #fediverse! This is GBH #News bringing you the world from #Boston. It's 72F at Logan Airport and visibility is 10mi.
Happy #Halloween to all who celebrate #SpookySeason.
Top US officials are headed to the Middle East to try to restart ceasefire talks.
UMass Boston will begin offering free tuition to low-income students starting in 2025.
There are 4 days remaining until the US election.
- I have a long way to go, but slowly starting my #BotsInSpace migration.
I have a long way to go, but slowly starting my #BotsInSpace migration.
#gotosocial #fediverse #ServerMigration
- Thank you for being part of the #Fediverse.
Thank you for being part of the #Fediverse. Thanks for helping build distributed, #billionaire resistant #socialmedia.
I appreciate you.
#Gratitude
- New: Last Week in #Fediverse - ep 90
New: Last Week in #Fediverse - ep 90
This week's news
- The Fediverse Schema Observatory is a new tool to help interoperability
- the botsin.space server will shut down
- Add monetisation to federated WordPress blogs with @subclub@mastodon.social
- You can now set custom handles on fediverse accounts that are bridged to Bluesky
Read at: <https://fediversereport.com/last-week-in-fediverse-ep-90/>
- 🌞 Hello #fediverse! This is GBH #News bringing you the world from #Boston. It's 59F at Logan Airport and visibility is 6 mi.
🌞 Hello #fediverse! This is GBH #News bringing you the world from #Boston. It's 59F at Logan Airport and visibility is 6 mi.
Prosecutors are seeking a 17 year term for Jack Teixeira, a US Airman who leaked classified documents about Ukraine into a Discord chat with video gaming buddies.
In a blow for #Halloween spirit, children in Des Moines, IA will trick or treat on on Hallooween for the first time since checks notes 1938.
5 days remain until the US election.
it's takeout time:
- AURE FREE PRESS
AURE FREE PRESS
Largest Fediverse News Site No Ads 500+ Sources Global Audience Journalist Owned
FOLLOW: Aure Free Press on Mastodon: https://mstdn.social/@Free_Press
SUBSCRIBE FOR FREE EXTRA CONTENT: Aure Free Press Extra: https://patreon.com/@Free_Press_Forever
'News Happens Here First'
Please Support News on #Fediverse
"Thank you for your help in providing this important news service to ALL Fediverse users."
- Aure
#AureFreePress #news #introduction #Politics #BreakingNews #Breaking #press #headline #explore
!Flooding in Spain Kills 51 !Future AG Technologies !Tram goes off its tracks in Oslo, Norway
- Someone joined our Discord to post that @vidzy was a better alternative to Loops.
Someone joined our Discord to post that @vidzy@fosstodon.org was a better alternative to Loops.
It's not a competition on the fediverse, because no matter where you are, everyone wins.
I love supporting fellow #fediverse projects, and look forward to working with the Vidzy team on federation and potentially a universal API so clients will be interoperable with both Loops and Vidzy.
You should follow them, they need more visibility ❤️
- 👋 Hey Fediverse!
👋 Hey Fediverse!
We're Pixelfed. We help run key #fediverse sites you probably use, like <https://fediDB.org> and <https://fediverse.info>.
We're also launching Loops (<https://loops.video>), a new platform for short video sharing.
To keep these services running and build a better Fediverse, we need your support!
❤️ Donate today: <https://pixelfed.org/support-our-project>
- The roadmap a beast
The roadmap a beast 3 apps for Apple Preparing the feast End of year timeline Fedi will eat
🚀
#pixelfed #loops #sup #fediverse
- I have to stop posting active links to our content on Mastodon.
I have to stop posting active links to our content on Mastodon.
Every time I do so now, it brings down our website for up to 5 minutes.
We've tried pretty much every claimed fix, including third party caching (which in turn breaks other elements of our website's dynamic display abilities), code changes and such on our back end code, and more stuff I don't understand at all (but have spent money paying our WP developer to implement). None of it has worked.
The #fediverse powers that be need to fix this growing problem of the #MastoDDos effect on websites. The more followers and more servers your followers are from, the more impact this has on literally bringing a website to its knees with all the DB calls.
For instance, this morning, I posted the lovely article our creative writer Ethan wrote, which ended up only getting 2 boosts and one "favourite" here, but it brought down our website for 4 minutes and 12 seconds.
That's not sustainable.
- Awww, I am sad to see botsin.space shut down... I've got two bots running there and they were fun to make and get me going on using Python with Mastodon.
Awww, I am sad to see botsin.space shut down... I've got two bots running there and they were fun to make and get me going on using Python with Mastodon.
➡️ <https://muffinlabs.com/posts/2024/10/29/10-29-rip-botsin-space/>
#fediverse #mastodon #bots
- THINK before you engage or share
- THINK before you engage or share
- SHARE accurate information about the election
- REPORT disinformation when you see it
- EDUCATE yourself — and your friends and family
- GET INVOLVED – and get your friends and family involved
White supremacists, fascists and their allies are already spewing disinformation to try to steal the US Presidential election. X’s white supremacist, pro-fascist CEO is one of them. Meta’s fascist-friendly CEO is suspending the accounts of people who push back. A civil rights coalition is calling on Musk and Zuckerberg to take action against election disinformation, and maybe they’ll make some token efforts, but I for one am not holding my breath.
Bluesky and the Fediverse are a lot smaller than X, Threads, Instagram, and Facebook, but the good news is that they’re not run by companies that make big bucks from disinfo, white supremacists, and fascists. So as the big networks get overwhelmed by disinfo, we’ve got a fighting chance to use these smaller decentralized networks as clearer channels to get out accurate information.
We’ve already seen digital voter suppression (such as false information about polling place locations and hours), and fake reports of “flipped votes” and “non-citizen voting.” And it’s not always easy to tell what is and isn’t real: last week Russian actors in a fake video falsely claimed ballots were being destroyed, this morning, there was a true report of arson at a ballot drop box in Washington state. Between now and November 5 , expect lots of more all of the above – as well as a mix of real and fake reports of voter intimidation.
Once the polls close, it’s likely to get even messier. The fascist candidate expected to declare victory on election night no matter what the early results say, and there’s likely to be all kinds of chaos on the way to getting the final results. In 2020, election denialism led to a coup attempt. This year … who knows.
Grassroots election protection activism made the difference in 2020, just as it had in 2008. It’s time to do it again. Fighting disinfo is one good way to help – on the Fediverse, and on other social networks.
Here arefive easy and important things to do over the next few weeks.
- THINK before you engage or share
- SHARE accurate information about the election
- REPORT disinformation when you see it – see the Appendix for detailed instructions for Bluesky and Mastodon
- EDUCATE yourself — and your friends and family
- GET INVOLVED – and get your friends and family involved
Thhis information was originally based on work done in 2020 with Shireen Mitchell, Stop Online Violence Against Women, Indivisible Plus Washington, Indivisible Whidbey, Washington Indivisible Network, and Indivisible’s Truth Brigade.
How To Respond to Disinformation and Digital Voter Suppression and Deep Dive goes into more detail (although hasn’t been updated for 2024, so some of it’s a bit out of date). Thanks to all involved!
1. THINK before you engage or share
https://player.vimeo.com/video/471961897?h=df2f4990cf&app_id=122963
As Shireen says, if you have an immediate reaction to share a link without verifying or fact-checking, you need to pause and look at things differently. One of the goals of disinformation is to get you to react emotionally. Even if it’s something you agree with, it’s important to think before you engage.
- Is the information you’re about to share accurate and from a reliable source? If not, be very careful not to give it more visibility when you’re trying to debunk it.
- Even if the information you’re about to share is accurate, look at the headline and any images that you’re sharing to make sure they’ve got the right framing.
- Avoid headlines, images, and videos that include disinfo. Instead, look for headlines and articles that focus on the accurate information, or report that there’s disinfo but don’t repeat it.
- If you can’t find a headline and article that work well, consider just quoting a few lines from an article (or taking a screenshot) rather than linking.
- Only share screenshots of disinfo if you are clearly visually labeling them as disinfo.
That last bullet is something I really wish more people understood. Back in 2020, when I was working with progressives on Twitter and Facebook, I was constantly exasperated with how often people would amplify disinfo to dunk on it. Now, I’m just as exasperated as how often it happens on Bluesky and the Fediverse. Please don’t help white supremacists and fascists by amplifying their propaganda!!!!
Shireen’s Deep Dive on Fighting Back Against Disinfo goes into a lot more detail on this (although is from 2020, so some of it isn’t relevant). ReFrame also has some great infographics on how to not amplify disinfo, and Union of Concerned Scientists covers this and a lot of other valuable topics in Countering Disinformation in Your Community.
How to tell if information is accurate?
!Stop; Investigate the Source; Find better coverage; Trace claims, quotes, and media to the original context. The SIFT method for evaluating information: Image credit: Mike Caulfield, CC BY 4.0How to tell whether or not information is accurate? Mike Caulfield’s SIFT (The Four Moves) is a good short introduction to the SIFT method: stop; investigate the source; find better coverage; and trace claims, quotes, and media to the original context. The five-part Check Please! Starter Course goes into much more detail. IFTAS Library’s Misinformation page has links to additional resources for investigating potential disinformation.
Even credible sources sometimes get it wrong – especially when there’s fast-breaking news and rumors are flying. WNYC On The Media’s Breaking News Consumer’s Handbook has some good recommendations for these fast-moving situations. Here’s their infographic summary – if you want to print it out, they’ve got a handy PDF file.
!Breaking News Consumer's Handbook. 1. In the immediate aftermath, news outlets will get it wrong. 2. Don't trust anonymous sources. 3. Don't trust stories that cite another news outlet as the source of the information. 4. There's almost never a second shooter. 5. Pay attention to the language the media uses. 6. Look for news outlets close to the incident. 7. Compare multiple sources. 8. Big news brings out the fakers. And Photoshoppers. 9. Beware reflexive retweeting. Some of this is on you.Recommendations from WNYC’s On The Media – good advice for all of us! #### On Bluesky and the Fediverse, the algorithm is you
!Image: somebody typing the words "OMG DID YOU SEE THIS". Text: How to not amplify disinfo. Don't feed the algorithm. When you see something that makes you mad: 1. DON’T repost on social media 2. DON’T comment trying to outsmart them, this attracts more attention to the post 3. ONLY IF the post is already popular, DO comment with vetted debugging info. 4. DO take a screenshot if you must share, and share only through email, messenger, etc. 5. DO educate your community to exercise the same discipline. Reframe.ReFrame’s infographics on How to NOT amplify disinfoOn Bluesky and the Fediverse, the algorithm is people boosting and reskeeting posts. So (just like on Facebook and Twitter with their different approach to algorithms) it’s vital to think before you post. Whenever you get share a link (even if you’re saying “OMG look at this fake information!”) or involved in a discussion in the comments debunking or debating a post that’s disinformation, you’re calling more attention to it.
When you do decide to engage with disinformation, here’s the approach that ReFrame and other disinfo experts suggest this four-step process.
- Lead with shared values to connect with your audience.
- Discredit the falsehood by naming the motivations driving the disinformation.
- State the falsehood you intend to inoculate against.
- Deliver factual information to combat the falsehood.
Reframe’s Signals in the Noise: Election Edition | 10.22.2024 is a good summary of the current hot-button disinformation tropes. Just as importantly, it’s got counter-narratives. For example, here’s their counter to false narratives circulating about Democrats and Black voters.
> “Polling data only gives us a small slice of the story, and the numbers don’t align with what we know about Black men, who vote second only to Black women. Black men are voting aligned with their interests, their communities and their loved ones. Elevate stories and messages that accentuate people power and how Black men have historically shown up electorally.”
2. SHARE accurate information about the election
> “What is your plan to promote accurate, aspirational and actionable information about the solutions needed to protect your/our freedoms regarding the 2022 midterm election?” > > – Shireen Mitchell in Disinformation: A Racist Tactic, from Slave Revolts to Elections
Shireen’s question is just as relevant in 2024.
The last few days of voting are always somewhat chaotic: with ballot box and polling place closures, long lines and broken machines, and reports of voter intimidation. This year, we’ve already had at least four reports of arson affecting ballots – three true, one was fake. One common (and illegal) digital voter suppression tactic is to share wrong addresses or inaccurate hours for polling places via texts and social media. Last minute announcements of poll closures add to the confusion … sometimes they’re real, sometimes they’re not. And it always takes time to count the ballots, and election denialists use that to reply that there are shenanigans happening so they can cast doubt on the final results.
One good way to counter disinformation about the election process is to share accurate information about the election. Take the time to verify that the information you’re sharing is accurate before you share updates!
Voting rights organizations, official state and county election sites, and reputable local media (including online-only sources) are usually the most reliable sources. I Will Vote makes it easy to find your voting or drop-off information, for example, and Common Cause lets you find your polling place or find your local election office. Share these links widely!
Voting rights organizations, official election sites, and reputable local and national media (including bloggers and newsletter writers) are also good sources sto cut through the disinfo fog during the ballot counting. The non-partisan Election Law Blog, run by Professor Richard L. Hasen, and Democracy Docket are great sources of information about the lawfare (although Democracy Docket’s Marc Elias frequently works with the Democratic party; I find that their information is consistently accurate, but it’s still a good thing to keep in mind). We’ve already seen dozens of lawsuits, and we’re likely to see hundreds more.
What about partisan sources? In 2020, the Democratic party and Democratic politicians generally provided accurate information; many Republicans didn’t. Obviously, though, neither party is completely objective! So it’s important to look for independent confirmation rather than taking their word for it. That said, it’s a good assumption is that anybody who’s still lying about the 2020 results (or has a habit of sharing disinformation on other topics) is likely to lie about the 2024 results … so especially don’t take their word for it.
X (despite all its problems) is still a good source for this information. Lists like Election Protection coalition’s national and state partners are good starting points. So is The Leadership Conference’s coalition list, and the League of Women Voters’ Vote411. You can check all of these even if you don’t have a Twitter account.
Some of these organizations, and other election protection experts, are also active on Bluesky. Edward Perez (former Director for Civic Integrity at Twitter) has a useful “starter pack” with a list of accounts; you can click on “Follow All” or just choose specific ones to follow. Vanderbilt University professor Lisa Fazio’s Creating a trustworthy information ecosystem starter pack is useful as well.
Non-partisan Election Protection: 1-866-OUR-VOTE
!Election protection hotlines are available in multiple languages. Protect your vote. Protect the election.It’s also good to highlight the non-partisan Election Protection hotlines, useful for anybody experience voter intimidation or having other challenges voting. Trained volunteers are available in multiple languages:
English: 866-OUR-VOTE (866 687 8683)
Spanish/English: 888-Ve-Y-Vota (888 839 8682)
Arabic/English: 844-Yalla-US (844 925 5287)
English, Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, Vietnamese, Tagalog, Urdu, Hindi, and Bengali: 888-API-VOTE (888 274 8683)
You can also contact Election Protection via WhatsApp, chat with them on their site 866ourvote.org or text MYVOTE to 866–687–8683.
3. REPORT disinformation when you see it
!If you see disinfo, report it here. reportdisinfo.orgBluesky’s community guidelines specifically prohibit engaging in voter suppression, sharing misleading content about election processes, or encouraging real-world disruption of the election processes. Many Fediverse instances (aka servers), although not all, also have rules prohibiting misinformation or disinformation; even if there isn’t an explicit rule, disinformation often violates other server rules, so they may well take action.
So when you see election disinformation, the first step is report it to the moderators. If this isn’t something you’ve done before, I’ve got detailed instructions – with screenshots – in the appendix.
> Terminology note: Misinformation is information that’s false or misleading, but not necessarily intentionally. Disinformation, on the other hand, is information that’s intentionally false or misleading. Kate Starbird’s What’s the difference between misinformation and disinformation? has more.
And that’s just the first step. Disinformation on Bluesky and the Fediverse is also likely to be on other social networks, so it’s worth reporting it to ReportDisinfo.org (an easy-to-use site to report disinformation), run by Common Cause Election Fund. You can include a link – either the post or an article that it’s linking to – or upload an image.
If you run into disinfo on most other social networks, it’s worth reporting it there as well. The more people who report a post, the more likely it is that companies will fact-check it and potentially take it down. There’s no guarantee – it’s incredibly frustrating, but social network platforms will often let blatant disinformation go even after it’s been reported – but it’s still worth doing.
4.EDUCATE yourselves — and your friends and family — about disinformation
<https://www.youtube.com/embed/dub1zEV24BE?feature=oembed>
PEN America has a lot of great resources on disinformation, including the.How to Vote and Combat Political Disinformation: A Tip Sheet for Election 2024 (which lists many of the common disinformation narratives), a primer for news consumers on spotting and combating disinformation when news breaks, the two-minute video above (originally produced for the 2020 election, but still relevant), and the hour-long video below.
https://www.youtube.com/embed/lq6XH_simqs?feature=oembed
And you’re not the only person who needs to recognize disinformation, avoid amplifying it, and respond. Your friends, family, and colleagues do as well. So as well as educating yourself, please share the knowledge. Union of Concerned Scientists’ Countering Disinformation in Your Community and PEN America’s How to Talk to Friends and Family Who Share Misinformation are also excellent resources; so is this video from Sabrina Joy Stevens.
<https://www.youtube.com/embed/AsEi5hRQ6Vw?feature=oembed>
And I know I already mentioned it, but it’s worth repeating …
!Stop; Investigate the Source; Find better coverage; Trace claims, quotes, and media to the original context. The SIFT method for evaluating information: Image credit: Mike Caulfield, CC BY 4.0SIFT (The Four Moves) is a good short introduction to the SIFT method: stop; investigate the source; find better coverage; and trace claims, quotes, and media to the original context. The five-part Check Please! Starter Course goes into much more detail. IFTAS Library’s Misinformation page has links to additional resources for investigating potential disinformation.
Even credible sources sometimes get it wrong – especially when there’s fast-breaking news and rumors are flying. WNYC On The Media’s Breaking News Consumer’s Handbook has some good recommendations for these fast-moving situations. Here’s their infographic summary – if you want to print it out, they’ve got a handy PDF file.
!Breaking News Consumer's Handbook. 1. In the immediate aftermath, news outlets will get it wrong. 2. Don't trust anonymous sources. 3. Don't trust stories that cite another news outlet as the source of the information. 4. There's almost never a second shooter. 5. Pay attention to the language the media uses. 6. Look for news outlets close to the incident. 7. Compare multiple sources. 8. Big news brings out the fakers. And Photoshoppers. 9. Beware reflexive retweeting. Some of this is on you.Recommendations from WNYC’s On The Media – good advice for all of us! There’s a lot of great information about disinformation out there … here’s one moer, a very detailed discussion from the University of Washington Center for the Informed Public’s Mini Misinfo Day
<https://www.youtube.com/embed/QaefRdRxTvM?feature=oembed>
5. GET INVOLVED – and get your friends involved!
Getting out accurate voting and election protection information, or reporting disinfo when you see it, may seem mundane … but if enough people are involved, it can make a big difference. The more people who reduce the amount of disinfo they’re unintionally amplifying the better. A lot of people still don’t know how to deal with disinfo, so helping educate friends and family has a huge impact as well.
If you’re in the Fediverse, and you’ve got a bit of time, another good thing to do is to ask your instance’s admins and moderators if they need help. Unlike sites like X and Facebook that rely on racist, ineffective AI algorithms for moderation the Fediverse relies on people – which is great, but is also a lot of work! So they may well appreciate the offer …
If you want to do more, consider joining a grassroots disinfo fighting campaign. Two good non-partisan options: Common Cause’s Digital Democracy Activists and Indivisible’s Truth Brigade. And some candidates, or state and local party organizations, also have disinfo-fighting teams (or might interested in starting one if they don’t exist yet – remember, the election doesn’t end when the polls close), so check with the ones you support.
It’s crunch time for democracy in the United States, so if that’s something you care about, now’s a good time to get involved.
!5 Ways to Fight Disinformation. THINK before you engage or share. SHARE accurate information about the election REPORT disinformation when you see it EDUCATE yourself — and your friends and family GET INVOLVED – and get your friends and family involved### Appendix: how to report disinformation
Bluesky
You can report any post by clicking on the three-dot menu and selecting “Report post”.
!A menu item labeled "Report post"Since Bluesky allows multiple moderation services, the first step after that is to select the official Bluesky moderation service (which should be the first and perhaps only one on your list).
!Select moderator To whom would you like to send this report? Below: Bluesky Moderation Service, @moderation.bsky.appNext, you need to say why you’re reporting this post. “Misleading post” is the first option on the list.
!Report this post. Why should this post be reviewed? Below, a button with the label "Create report for misleading post". This wll take you to the screen where you can once again choose different moderation services to report it to. Bluesky Moderation Service should already be checked (and it might be the only one there). There’s also a text box where you can optionally give more information about the post, so you can provide an explanation (or link to one) about why it’s disinfo.
<https://www.youtube.com/embed/yv9Z1tXEGOQ?feature=oembed>
Things are more complicated in the Fediverse. Almost all Fediverse software provides the ability to report posts, but the details are different depending on what app you’re using. Most Fediverse instances have community guidelines or “server rules” prohibiting disinformation, but the wording is different on different instances. (If your instance doesn’t specifically prohibit disinformation, much election disinformation is illegal content, so you can still report it, you just have to check a different box.)
Hachyderm’s video above has the basics, and should work for most Mastodon instances if you’re using the web UI or the official mobile apps.
Other apps may have some variations but are generally along these lines. If you (like me) prefer screenshots and text to videos, read on!
!How do I report posts or accounts on Mastodon? To report a post click the three-dot "More" menu on the bottom of the post and select Report. To report an account, go to its profile and click the three-dot "More" menu, then select Report. In both cases, this will start a reporting wizard that narrows down specifically what kind of problem you’re reporting.From Fedi.Tips Reporting problematic content to moderators on the Fediverse pageOn Mastodon, you start the reporting process by clicking the three-dot “More” menu on a post (or an account profile). (If you’re using a screenreader, the dots are hidden – you’ll only hear the “More” label.)
Once you do that, you’ll get taken to a screen that lets you specify what’s wrong with the post.
!Tell us what's going on with this post . Choose the best match. Below, five choices. The fourth, with a checked button, says "It violates server rules". At the bottom, a button labeled NextCheck “It violates server rules” (or “It’s illegal” if you’re on an instance that doesn’t prohibit disinformation), and then the Next button at the bottom of the screen. That takes you to a screen where you can specify just which rules are being violated.
!Tell us what's going on with this post . Choose the best match. Below, five choices. The fourth, with a checked button, says "It violates server rules". At the bottom, a button labeled NextClick on the appropriate rule, and then click Next. The specifics will be different depending on what your server rules are. This screenshot is from mastodon.social, which has a rule “Do not share information widely-known to be false and misleading”.
Next, you’ll get a screen asking you to select posts to back up the report. The post you’re reporting should be selected by default; if there are other disinfo posts from this account, this helps establish a pattern.
Click Next again and you’re almost done.
!Is there anything else you think we should know? A text box for Additional comments. The account is from anothe rserver. Send an anonymized copy of the report there as well?The next screen has a text box where you can provide additional information. You can help the moderators by being specific about why the post is disinfo; if you’ve got a link to accurate information, include that to make it easy for them to check for themselves.
If the post you’re reporting is from another instance, you can also send a report to the moderators there. Usually, you want to do this (although if the other instance is something like pravda.me, where the admins and moderators are intentionally spreading disinfo, it’s better not to).
Click Submit and the report will be sent to the moderators. Once you’ve submitted the report, you also have the option to unfollow, mute, or block the account.
!5 Ways to Fight Disinformation. THINK before you engage or share. SHARE accurate information about the election REPORT disinformation when you see it EDUCATE yourself — and your friends and family GET INVOLVED – and get your friends and family involved<https://about.iftas.org/2024/10/29/5-ways-to-fight-election-disinformation-on-bluesky-and-the-fediverse/>
#Bluesky #Disinformation #Fediverse
!Stop; Investigate the Source; Find better coverage; Trace claims, quotes, and media to the original context. !Breaking News Consumer's Handbook. 1. In the immediate aftermath, news outlets will get it wrong. 2. Don't trust anonymous sources. 3. Don't trust stories that cite another news outlet as the source of the information. 4. There's almost never a second shooter. 5. Pay attention to the language the media uses. 6. Look for news outlets close to the incident. 7. Compare multiple sources. 8. Big news brings out the fakers. And Photoshoppers. 9. Beware reflexive retweeting. Some of this is on you.
