Very interesting. I have heard of hubzilla, but never really checked it out. I will be looking into it now, thanks!

I don’t know about that app specifically, but I know some fediverse apps do not have all instances in their directory. For example, fedilab doesn’t have friendica.world. I would suggest hunting around for an app that supports your instance, but I agree, it is a dumb problem. What is the point of being able to join whatever instance you want if it is not listed on the app?

I fully acknowledge that it is not universally good for everyone, and for those who do not find it good, there is plenty of other options out there. However, for the billions who use it daily to keep up with friends, it is good for them, and there are basically zero good alternatives. I agree that we should not invalidate others experiences. Just because something is not good for you does not mean it is not good for others.

Totally agree on the private company seeing everything you do and using it to train AI and monetize your data. That is why I am here after all. Wouldn’t it be better if we got as many people out of that system as possible, and into more democratically controlled systems?

How is it creepy to see what your friends post? I would also argue that you do have a middle man involved in any communication, even ones that are not on social media. Unless you are visiting them physically in person, you have some phone/internet providers mediating the communication. Social media is just another form of communication provider.

I would argue on the loneliness side of things, that having quit Facebook for a number of years, and then returned to it, I felt infinitely more isolated and lonely when I was off Facebook than when I was on it. Returning to it reconnected me with so many friends I had not talked to in forever, and I quickly realized how valuable social media is for social connection. It’s kind of sad that you view it as performative, because that is not how I view it at all. I now have a healthy social circle that is there for me if I am going through a hard time in my life, help me find a new place to live if I’m moving, etc, and who I can be there in a similar manner. That is real value that is a lot harder to maintain by texting people directly.

I’m gonna have to disagree. Today, I am able to keep up with the goings on of my friends and family on Facebook. This is not a ten years ago thing. Nowhere else on the web can I log in and see my friend from high school posting a funny meme, a colleague post a picture of his family, or my mom wishing my brother and his wife happy anniversary. You may not use it for that, but many people do, and I don’t know how you could call that a bad thing. Isn’t social connection what social media is all about? Why would we want to not accommodate that as much as possible?

I think an option on login for “personal account” vs “anonymous account” would be great. Personal accounts could require a phone number and allow import of contacts to help find personal accounts you know. There is a so much untapped potential here, we just need to make it a thing.

I mean, that’s good if you don’t want that, but I think a lot of people do. I abandoned facebook in 2017, but returned in 2022, and realized how out of touch I had become with everyone. I have friends, aunts, uncles, siblings, etc all added, and it is always nice to see what they’re up to. If you don’t want to keep in touch with people, then I guess I can see why you would not value that functionality and be fine with Friendica as is, but I think it is something a lot of people are looking for, and I would argue one of the primary values that social media provides to society.

I’m so confused, why is that there.

So let me get this straight. Are you really saying “we the developers are going to build this however we see fit, and you the user can go fuck yourself, or else learn how to code and build it yourself”? Is that really the dynamic you’re trying to cultivate here? Seems very welcoming and productive.

I’m not complaining as much as I am giving constructive feedback. Don’t like the feedback? Great, feel free to ignore it, or tell me why I’m wrong. Nothing I am proposing will impact how you use the fediverse. I’m not saying we need to cater to everyone or be exactly like big social media sites, but I am saying that a lot of people are dissatisfied with mainstream social media and are looking for alternatives. This alternative has existed for a long time, but still has a fraction of the users as other alternatives out there. Aren’t you at least curious as to why that is? Should we really be satisfied to be relegated to some niche technology that no one really uses, when there is the potential for it to become something more? For me, I just want a platform not controlled by corporations hell bent on monetizing every click and view, where I can keep up with my family and friends and enable people to make content for others to enjoy. Not sure why that is such a repulsive concept to some people.

I would argue that the fediverse is doing just fine enshitifying itself. From apps that have started to integrate ads, to platforms that are still barely functional a decade and a half after they started development, to the stubborn refusal to cater the overall experience to anyone but tech minded users. We need to do better. I do plan to get involved, but even if I didn’t I think my points would still be valid.