The Agora @sh.itjust.works ruplicant @sh.itjust.works 12mo ago

[Discussion] Pre-emptive Threads defederation

Should sh.itjust.works preemptively defederate from Threads?

Threads is the not-so-new ~~reddit-like~~ twitter-like public forum platform by Meta, the same commercial company behind internet behemoths like Facebook, Instagram and Whatsapp. They're working on ActivityPub integration so that they can bridge (federate?) with the fediverse. As far as I know, the focus is on Mastodon instances, but in the future that could include Lemmy instances too.

Some have raised the question, worried about the future of the fediverse or even claiming that it goes against its definition.

What do you think should be done?

EDIT: correction

EDIT.2: The Vote is on! Go make your voice heard. You have until Friday the 29th.

Fediverse instances' status on federation with Threads

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98 comments

I'm taking off my admin hat and commenting as a user...

One minor correction to OP's post: Threads is a X/Twitter clone, not a Reddit clone.

I'm in the wait-and-see camp. If Threads someday links to Lemmy, and if it becomes problematic for the function or culture of the platform, then I will be in favor of cutting them off.
As @[email protected] mentioned, the real risk is that Meta starts steering Lemmy development in its favor. I don't foresee that happening given that dessalines and nutomic oversee code contributions, and they certainly won't allow it.

As an aside, I'm not convinced Threads will last long to begin with. It isn't looking like the X killer that Meta seemed to be hoping for. Meta has been trying to artificially drive engagement by creating shadow accounts for Facebook/Instagram users, and sticking Threads posts in people's Facebook feeds. Integrating with Mastodon feels like a further attempt to entice Meta users to adopt a microblogging app that nobody asked for. At this rate it may fizzle and die before they ever get around to interacting with Lemmy.
- can threads not just kill all other instances with their huge number of posts that would come through and hide everything else?
  
  Yeah, even if Meta acts with 100% good will, and the Threads users are wonderful and respectful, Threads is about 50x as big as the entire Fediverse, and Lemmy is a fraction of that Fediverse.
  
  https://lemmy.whynotdrs.org/post/494473
  
  Starting out with the floodgates open could lead to Lemmy getting overwhelmed. (Plus, it could cause server costs to skyrocket.)
  
  It makes the most sense to start out with Threads blocked, then (if Meta is behaving) to allow a trickle in to see how that goes.
  
  This is my main concern. The admins and mods are not ready for floodgates to open like this. And people using and enjoying Lemmy despite its imperfections will be soured quickly by the experience.
- This is my exact take as well. Defed if there is an issue, but wait and see first. I hate the kneejwrk reaction to circle the wagons here. I have been hating on Facebook for as long as anyone l, but this place badly needs content and users so I am willing to see where this goes.
- Ask yourself why do they want to join the fediverse if they don't get anything out of it? Also, what would they be contributing to the fediverse besides more people. Every time I see more people, it's not great people, or thoughtful people or even shitty stars, it's just more people. Crowds help the fediverse how? It's like going to your quiet cafe and being overwhelmed by the sound of it.
  
  You've probably seen this analogy because I've posted it way too much, but I think it really holds true:
  
  I've used this analogy before, but threads is like a huge, 5k passenger cruise ship docking in a small town in Alaska. You don't have to know ahead of time that the 2 public bathrooms, one at the general store and the other at McDonalds, aren't going to be enough. You can also forecast the complaining about how everything isn't really tourist ready. It will suck for everyone. The small museum will be overrun and damaged, the people will be treated like dirt. It's an easy forecast.
  
  Here's the important bit, just because they've never been in the cruise line business, doesn't mean you have to give them a chance to ruin your town.

98 comments