Meta/Instagram launched a new product called Threads today (working title project92). It adds a new interface for creating text posts and replying to them, using your Instagram account. Of note, Meta has stated that Threads plans to support ActivityPub in the future, and allow federation with ActivityPub services. If you actually look at your Threads profile page in the app your username has a threads.net tag next to it - presumably to support future federation.
Per the link, a number of fediverse communities are pledging to block any Meta-directed instances that should exist in the future. Thus instance content would not be federated to Meta instances, and Meta users would not be able to interact with instance content.
I’m curious what the opinions on this here are. I personally feel like Meta has shown time and time again that they are not very good citizens of the Internet; beyond concerns of an Eternal September triggered by federated Instagram, I worry that bringing their massive userbase to the fediverse would allow them to influence it to negative effect.
I also understand how that could be seen to go against the point of federated social media in the first place, and I’m eager to hear more opinions. What do you think?
Defederation is a bigger deal than just a block. It’s like a state not recognizing another state’s drivers license. There needs to be a reason that’s actively harmful to the system, like letting anyone get a license with any name or birth date they want.
Not liking the content isn’t a reason. The content being illegal or bot spam is justifiable.
You make it sound as if those are all nice people who just have different opinions. Most of the people arguing strongly against defederation on the fediverse are just upset that the bigotry they got banned for spouting on all the traditional social networks isn’t welcome here either. They thought they had found a clever workaround for the problem of being called out as assholes when they say hateful things online or spread conspiracy theories and now it turns out people aren’t buying what they are selling here either.
The tools exist to block content you don’t wish to see without defederation.
Defederation is the tool to block content admins and instance communities do not want on their instance. It is really not that hard to understand.
It is not just about me personally not wanting to see vile bigotry and hatred or misinformation. It is also that it shouldn’t be a part of any community I want to be a part of because it will drive people away I would want to be a part of that community and/or victimize them.