Decentered S1E4: Shawn Grigson and the Oliphant in the Room
Feb 16, 2024
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Shawn Grigson, shared blocklists community standard-bearer, discusses the Elephant project, cultural shift in the Fediverse, Meta's collaborations, challenges of moderation in online communities, unpaid open source work, FETI Check, the importance of human review in block list services, and trust and safety efforts in the decentralized space.
Moderation, content labeling, and user empowerment are areas that need improvement in the Fediverse.
The decentralized nature of the Fediverse and innovative projects like Bonfire set it apart from other social media platforms.
Collaboration and funding are crucial to support the development of tools and infrastructure for the future of the Fediverse.
Deep dives
The Challenges of Growth and the Need for Better Tools
The Fediverse is facing the challenge of growth with the influx of new users from platforms like Flipboard and Tumblr. However, one major concern is the lack of adequate tools to handle this growth. Moderation, content labeling, and user empowerment are all areas that need improvement to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for all users. Collaboration among different trust and safety efforts is emerging, but there is still isolation among projects. More funding and resources are needed to support the development of tools and infrastructure for the future of the Fediverse.
The Future of the Fediverse
Despite the challenges and the need for improvement, the future of the Fediverse looks promising. Its decentralized nature and the ability for anyone to set up their own server sets it apart from other social media platforms. Projects like Bonfire are also bringing innovative ideas and frameworks for the next generation of Fediverse apps. The community is committed to building a more inclusive and user-centric platform, and with continued development and collaboration, the Fediverse has the potential to thrive and shape the future of the internet.
Sean's Contributions to Trust and Safety and Future Plans
Sean is passionate about contributing to the trust and safety space in the Fediverse. He believes there is room for improvement in managing block lists, giving more power to users to control their experience, and furthering the conversation on building safer online spaces. He plans to continue his work and develop more cool projects in the future.
Connect with Sean and We Distribute
You can connect with Sean at olefin.social. For more updates and content, you can follow We Distribute via ActivityPub on the website news.wedistribute.org or on Mastodon at @wedistribute@mastodon.social. We Distribute is also present on other platforms such as Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook, and you can find the links on their website. To support their work, you can contribute via Open Collective or Patreon.
Conclusion
The podcast episode discussed the challenges and future prospects of the Fediverse. While there are obstacles to overcome, the community is committed to improving tools and infrastructure to ensure safety and inclusivity. Collaboration and funding are crucial to support development efforts. With its decentralized nature and innovative projects, the Fediverse has the potential to shape the future of the internet.
Oliphant is often seen as the community standard-bearer when it comes to shared blocklists. But how did it start, what is the goal, and where is it going?
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