A panel discussion on decentralized and federated social media, exploring the need for open protocols and moving away from walled gardens. Highlights include the potential of AI tools for safer social media, the challenges of open source software, and the importance of clear communication and proactive actions during development. Also discussed are the challenges of internet governance and the future of user mobility and account portability.
Decentralized and federated social media networks offer better user-focused services, privacy control, and innovation.
Protocols that enable seamless shifting between services and composable moderation can enhance the decentralization of social media.
Open-source collaboration, government oversight, and financial sustainability play crucial roles in governing decentralized platforms.
Deep dives
Protocols, Not Platforms: The Promise and Peril of Federated Social Media Networks
The podcast episode explores the concept of protocols, not platforms, in the context of decentralized social media networks. The panelists discuss the importance of moving away from the current centralized model of social media platforms and towards a more open and interoperable system built on protocols. They highlight the benefits of this approach, such as better user-focused services, privacy control, and innovation. The panel also emphasizes the significance of trust, safety, and content moderation in a decentralized social media landscape. They discuss the challenges and opportunities that arise in ensuring user safety and managing content in a more distributed and federated model. Overall, the episode delves into the potential of federated social media networks to reshape the logic, structure, and rules of social media, while acknowledging the complexities and trade-offs involved in building and governing such a system.
The Vision for Blue Sky: Building a Decentralized Social Web
The podcast episode features a conversation with Jay Grayber, CEO of Blue Sky, discussing the vision and goals of Blue Sky in creating a decentralized social web. They explore the concept of protocols and the need for decentralization to counteract the present reliance on centralized platforms. Jay Grayber explains the importance of developing protocols that allow users to seamlessly shift between different services and control their own experiences. The episode also touches upon the role of moderation in a decentralized social network and the idea of composable moderation, where third-party labelers and service providers contribute to moderating content. Additionally, the episode addresses the sustainability of decentralized platforms and the potential for financial viability through ecosystem contributions and open-source collaboration.
Navigating Challenges in Decentralization and Governance
The podcast episode delves into the challenges of decentralization and governance in the context of building a decentralized social network. The conversation touches upon the question of who watches the watchers and the need for open-source collaboration in enabling community-driven content moderation. There is a discussion on the role of government oversight and the balance between centralized regulations and community-driven norms. The episode also explores the concept of interconnection and how consensus among users and service providers can shape the norms and guidelines of decentralized platforms. Furthermore, the episode highlights the importance of financial sustainability for decentralized platforms and the potential role of marketplaces and third-party service providers in supporting the ecosystem.
Opportunity for Open Source and Experimentation
The podcast episode explores the potential of open source protocols and experimentation in creating more effective and safer social media platforms. It emphasizes the importance of allowing different entities and service providers to offer moderation and user choice options. This approach enables users to customize their social media experience and encourages innovation in addressing global harmful content. The focus is on building an open ecosystem where new entrants can bring fresh perspectives and solutions. While challenges persist, the podcast highlights the benefits of open experimentation and collaboration.
Account Portability and Checks and Balances
The episode discusses the significance of account portability in decentralized social networks. It emphasizes the value of allowing users to seamlessly move between different platforms while retaining their social connections and data. This portability promotes user choice and competition among social apps, providing checks and balances to the power of centralized platforms. The podcast acknowledges the challenges of moderation and highlights the importance of transparency and communication in building user trust. It highlights the need for shared knowledge and open-source solutions to improve moderation capacities and user experiences across the social media landscape.
We've got a nice fresh live recording for you today! Just yesterday, Mike was at the Knight Foundation's INFORMED Conference to participate in a panel discussion with Bluesky CEO Jay Graber, moderated by former Twitter Trust & Safety head Yoel Roth. The subject was decentralized and federated social media, especially its implications for content moderation, and you can listen to the whole panel here on this week's episode.
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