An evidence-based and critical analysis of the Fediverse decentralization promises
An evidence-based and critical analysis of the Fediverse decentralization promises
Abstract
This paper examines the potential of the Fediverse, a federated network of social media and content platforms, to counter the centralization and dominance of commercial platforms on the social Web. We gather evidence from the technology powering the Fediverse (especially the ActivityPub protocol), current statistical data regarding Fediverse user distribution over instances, and the status of two older, similar, decentralized technologies: e-mail and the Web. Our findings suggest that Fediverse will face significant challenges in fulfilling its decentralization promises, potentially hindering its ability to positively impact the social Web on a large scale.
Some challenges mentioned in the paper:
- Discoverability as there is no central or unified index
- Complicated moderation efforts due to its decentralized nature
- Interoperability between instances of different types (e.g., Lemmy and Funkwhale)
- Concentration on a small number of large instances
- The risk of commercial capture by Big Tech
What are your thoughts on this? And how could we make the Fediverse a better place for all to stay?
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Re Concentration I'm not concerned that it is as of yet a problem. However I do think it is also a larger problem for Mastodon and other user-centric platforms than it is to Lemmy and other community-cetric platforms.
If a Mastodon user wants to leave their server there are migration pains. If your server makes a controversial change, you may have to migrate. As a follower if something goes wrong I have to remember that I was following Ada & Bob, but maybe Bob now goes by Bobby.
However as a Lemmy user I can just abandon my server and be done with it. If my server makes a controversial change, I can just leave. As a community follower can watch as Star Trek Memes becomes Risa, or Risa becomes Ten Forward. The names changed completely but it's easy to find my community again.
If the server goes bust, the community is gone.
Remember lemmy.film 😔
So the community (users) can move, but I just realized that when an instance shuts down the community (posts) limps on, preventing the community (posts) from actually dying and the community (users) from moving on.
For instance, if you asked me, a lemmy.world user about moviesandtv@lemmy.film I would see, https://lemmy.world/c/moviesandtv@lemmy.film
But if you ask a sh.itjust.works user they see, https://sh.itjust.works/c/moviesandtv@lemmy.film
And lemmy.ml users see, https://lemmy.ml/c/moviesandtv@lemmy.film
We all see different versions of the same community (posts).
I think https://github.com/LemmyNet/lemmy/issues/4619 would fix this.
So the community (users) can move, but I just realized that when an instance shuts down the community (posts) limps on, preventing the community (posts) from actually dying and the community (users) from moving on.
Indeed. And it becomes a pain to contact the members of the now dead community as federation is broken. I've been there, it's really a pain.