Elizabeth Tai’s Post

Bridging the Divide: Developer Connects Social Silos, Sparks Debate Software developer Ryan Barrett has sparked both innovation and controversy with his creation: a bridge connecting decentralized social networks #Bluesky and #Mastodon. While some celebrate this unification, factions simmer, highlighting the complex landscape of online communities. One crucial detail: users retain control, with an opt-out feature ensuring their posts stay confined to their preferred platform. #SocialMediaBridges #DecentralizedDilemmas #UserChoiceWins https://lnkd.in/e9ZQ-s93

Great introductory post to the phenomenon that is the #Fediverse - the federated, distributed alternative to centralised social media platforms from Haje Kamps, covering Threads, Mastodon, #PixelFed and others. After locking my X/Twitter account, and deleting Instagram, you can now find me: Mastodon on aus.social @KathyReid: https://lnkd.in/g4SzX62u PixelFed on pixelfed.au @KathyReid: https://lnkd.in/gCYEMHc7 I also #MastoAdmin the #FediverseAU #Mastodon server which is exclusively for academic and research groups who don't have a home on existing servers: https://fediverse.au Federation is the future. https://lnkd.in/g5A3K_ZE

Threads Users Can Now Enable Fediverse Sharing https://lnkd.in/gYghFuEV

Reddit: The front page of the internet. If you have never heard of the name: Reddit is a social media platform and online community where users can post text, images, and links, and engage in discussions on various topics. If you are a user but don’t know anything beyond that: Reddit is a beast with over 70 million daily active users (the number shoots to 850 million monthly). This makes it one of the most visited websites globally. It has become a go-to destination for timely news, insightful advice, and entertaining content enabling users to connect and share their passions in over 2 million specialized communities known as "subreddits." The niche and depth of the topics are mind-boggling. If you don’t care about any of that, here is the cool story of its origin: It's 2005, 2 university students, Steve Huffman and Alexis Ohanian, had an idea to sell sandwiches via mobile phone. Heck, the only idea I had in my Univ days was how many times a week I afford to eat sandwiches outside. Anyway, Steve and Alexis are Gung-ho To make this work. There is just one BIG problem. There are still no smartphones and no apps in the world. You may find it hard to believe but the iPhone only came out in 2007 and it took a few more years for the app ecosystem to take over the world. So these guys were way ahead of their time. But they didn’t know that yet and were looking for some investors who would fund their idea. It’s when they hear that Paul Graham (Short story: He is the Yoda of the Investment world) is going deliver a lecture at Harvard. They find a way to say ‘Hi’ to Paul and to hear about their idea. He likes their energy but not the idea. And suggested something which he thought may be a better idea. Build the front page of the internet. A page that curates the most interesting things on the internet. They took 3 weeks to write the code and get it up and running. Then all sorts of shit happen in the last 19 years. It got acquired, heavily moderated, spitted out and brought back to life by its founders. And they just got listed on NYSE 2 days back at a $9 billion valuation. The takeaway? Be crazy enough to build impossible businesses. Wise enough to look for mentors to help you out. Sane enough to take their advice and course correct. Patient enough to wait for your moment of glory for decades. #reddit #businessstories #shashoo

Threads Users Can Now Enable Fediverse Sharing https://lnkd.in/gEvKP86c

#Google confirming what we all already know, if you want traffic, find a domain that will accept submissions for your content, either a social media app like Reddit or Linkedin Pulse, A major blogging platform like Substack or Medium, or become a guest contributor on a popular domain in your niche While Reddit-biased searches helped some query results, now that you're going to push it more aggressively, you're only pushing Reddit mods to do the curation and vetting of content, and we all have heard about the horror stories and gatekeeping by #reddit mods Oh well, I'll keep using Qwant search SERPs instead, rant over https://lnkd.in/d8GqTh-k

I wrote a follow-up post about #Ghost's entry into the #Fediverse on augment! I believe Ghost's Fediverse integration will have larger implications for the newsletter landscape, eventually bringing the slow death of another social silo: #Substack. The network effects of the Fediverse are in play and will skyrocket Ghost's discoverability past Substack. It's time to make the switch. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/grFVvscD

💤 Ouch... #longpost but feel free to help me understand better! ⛖ From the intricate workings of cities that Jack Dorsey cites years ago in interview to the transformative power of open-source philosophy, my journey through understanding complex systems has been nothing short of fascinating. Complex environment is something that continue to keep my attention. 🪜This exploration has cemented my belief in the power of collaboration, much like Bernard of Chartres' notion of standing on the shoulders of giants ("Dicebat Bernardus Carnotensis nos esse quasi nanos gigantium humeris insidentes"), rather than just the transparent development process commonly associated with open source. 📟 Open protocols, a cornerstone of what can help us communicate together, play a pivotal role in fostering decentralization, offering a path toward a more equitable and accessible digital landscape. The recent debates around bridging platforms like Bluesky and Mastodon underscore the critical nature of these protocols. As highlighted in this article https://lnkd.in/dPwNGNEG on TechCrunch, the interaction between decentralized social networks could very well dictate the future trajectory of the internet. "Already, the most ardent Mastodon and Bluesky evangelists are finding themselves acting like rival factions in a war for the open web. But as decentralized social networks become more popular, the way that these ecosystems on different protocols interact with one another could set the stage for the next era of the internet." 🧠 These conversations reveal a deeper truth: the interplay between human communication and technology is not just about connectivity; it's about how we build and understand our societies. 🤹🏼 Amidst the enthusiasm for decentralization, the emergence of rivalries over collaboration points to an underlying challenge – the need for a balance between open innovation and cohesive community building. The financial motivations driving some stakeholders add another layer of complexity to this dynamic. This evolving landscape ignites my curiosity to delve deeper into how technological advancements shape our interactions and, by extension, our societies. 🛄 The journey through understanding complex systems, open-source philosophy, and the potential of decentralized networks offers invaluable insights into the future of digital communication and community building. #opensource #socialnetwork #notonlyAI #digitalcommunication #decentralized #communities #politics #fediverse

fediverse: Your guide to Mastodon, Threads, Bluesky and more From tiny acorns to a digital forest, here’s everything you need to know about the fediverse https://lnkd.in/gU9sM_yx internet rebels decided that they were tired of the corporate overlords controlling their online lives. Thus, the fediverse was born — an attempt to wrest control of microblogging services, such as Twitter and its ilk, away from centralized powers and into the hands of the people. The term “fediverse” combines “federation” and “universe.” In a nutshell, it’s a collection of social networking services that can communicate with each other (formally known as federation)….

So Reddit thinks it’s the wise wizard of the internet now, blocking all search engines except for Google 🚫. Who knew they held such power? It's like they pulled a "you can't sit with us" move in the digital cafeteria! This change is bound to shake things up in the industry. By effectively putting a leash on how search engines can access its content, Reddit is prioritizing its value by limiting where and how it's seen. It’s a strategic play to protect its data—especially with AI training becoming a hot topic. Now, search engines like Bing and DuckDuckGo are left scrambling, while Google gets the golden ticket at a cool $60 million deal. But here’s the kicker: this could drastically reduce exposure for Reddit's communities. Smaller platforms could struggle to showcase fresh Reddit content, impacting user engagement and the broader ecosystem of information sharing. Will we see a surge in users flocking to Google for their daily Reddit fix? Or is this just Reddit saying, "Thanks, but no thanks," to anyone who isn’t part of the elite club? In my opinion, while this initiative may raise short-term profits for Reddit, it’s a double-edged sword. Isolation can lead to stagnation. Limiting visibility on a global scale might frustrate users, pushing them to alternative forums and platforms. As startups and innovators, we should take note of this transition. Value your data, protect it fiercely, but don’t forget to stay open to the community that helped you grow. What do you think? Will this "exclusive" approach pay off in the long run? 🤔