mastodon - Link to source

New people are joining Mastodon. Here is my #mastohelp:

1. Write a meaningful bio text — no one follows the unknown.

2. A profile photo of yourself is helpful — again, no one follows the unknown.

3. Start replying to other people's posts. Eventually you will get noticed.

4. If you get stuck, ask questions — people are really helpful here.

5. Follow at least 200, so you get an interesting feed.

6. Search hashtags of topics you like. If you like politics, try #eupol or #uspol.

Welcome! 🐘

#uspol #MastoHelp #eupol
in reply to Chao-c'

mastodon - Link to source

Randahl Fink

@xChaos in my feed, about half the posts are from people with real faces on their profiles.

Of course, I curated the feed, so that is not a general statistic, but I just want to say that many people use their face in their profile photo.

And I really love that — it feels like we are having a real conversation among real people.

I can certainly understand why some people are not able to share their face. If you hold a position like a school teacher, you likely need anonymity.

@fletch

@Chao-c' @Andrew
in reply to Kate Hildenbrand

mastodon - Link to source

Chao-c'

@rootsandcalluses of course, do not use default icons. But it is worth noting, that using photographies in mass facial recognition era is something like using real names instead of nicknames. Some of us always used pseudonymity in online discussions.

I created one account with real photo, for certain purposes, but I use it rarely.
@randahl @fletch

@Randahl Fink @Andrew @Kate Hildenbrand
in reply to Chao-c'

mastodon - Link to source

Randahl Fink

@xChaos I agree, we should all be aware of AI. But I think I can still tell, when a profile is real. For instance, som people who share their faces also share situational photos of themselves with the same face and being next to other real people in real environments.

The consistency across their posts and photos is also a good indicator. Some AI profiles flunk because of inconsistencies.

Theoretically an elaborate profile could be faked too, but I do not think that is common.

@fletch

@Chao-c' @Andrew
in reply to Randahl Fink

mastodon - Link to source

Chao-c'

well, I definitely don't want to discourage anyone from using their actual face as avatar.

But using real names was norm on Facebook and it was one of the reasons I left. I am on Internet much longer, than Facebook, and the pseudonymity was one of the things, which was amazing about these early online communities.

On the other hand, in the #Fidonet, using real names was compulsory and Mastodon, with it decentralisation, local rules, moderation policy and unencrypted netmail resembles #Fidonet, in a way.

So if #Fidonet had avatars, I can imagine using photos of real faces would be compulsory there.

@fletch

#fidonet @Andrew
in reply to Randahl Fink

friendica (DFRN) - Link to source

Schmaker

Few ideas from me, while we are at it:

A profile photo of yourself is helpful — again, no one follows the unknown


If you want to stay anonymous, that's okay - just put anything related to you into your profile picture. Just don't leave it empty.

Follow at least 200, so you get an interesting feed.


Try following even topics you aren't interested in most of time. You might get suprising result from this.

Search hashtags of topics you like.


(Correct me if I'm wrong) you can save hashtags to make them appear in your timeline even though you don't follow their authors

in reply to Randahl Fink

mastodon - Link to source

Blippy the Wonder Slug 🇩🇪

😜 Addendums to Rule 5:
¹) Try to follow people from a wide variety of timezones, to alleviate "everyone's at work", "everyone's asleep", etc lulls in activity. Even off planet!
🌍🌎🌏 🛰️ 🌕
²) One can follow hashtags, too.
³) It's not a tattoo. One can always unfollow (whatever) if (whatever) is not to one's liking.

#TheArtOfShitposting

#theartofshitposting
in reply to Randahl Fink

mastodon - Link to source

BE (Breathe Easy)

What I believe they're trying to highlight is that there are different circumstances for different people and we should be open to that because we are all in need of connection in some form. For me, while I don't have a high threat model per say, I value privacy. As a human though, I need a voice to others in some form.
Tato položka byla upravena (4 weeks ago)
in reply to Randahl Fink

mastodon - Link to source

C++ Wage Slave

I'm glad that using your face and real name is safe for you, but it isn't for me. One reason I stay anonymous is that I could be disciplined at work, or even lose my job, for posting something that my employer doesn't like. I can also be excluded from working for certain customers if I post something that they don't like — and we've seen how big American companies' attitudes to DEI (for example) have soured since Trump re-entered the White House. Posting anti-racist or pro-trans messages could be fine now but problematic next year.

All in all, everything I post here would be a hostage to fortune if I used my real name. Even though I'm a white cis het man, it's safer for me to stay incognito.

@trabex

@Winter Trabex
in reply to C++ Wage Slave

mastodon - Link to source

Randahl Fink

@CppGuy I completely respect that. As I just wrote in another thread: Both minorities, people in sensitive jobs, and people living in oppressive regimes could have very good reasons for being anonymous.

My only point is: Anonymity being necessary for some, does not mean anonymity is necessary for all.

On the contrary, I think real faces and real person names on profiles that are able, help build trust between users. If we were all anonymous, harassers and bots could hide among us too easily.

@C++ Wage Slave
in reply to Randahl Fink

mastodon - Link to source

panu

For me personally it is precisely the fact that there's no pressure to reveal your true identity why I like it here in the fediverse. As opposed to, for example FB, which I never signed up to precisely because I don't fancy putting my face out there for all the world to see.

Also, I don't follow people because I like their faces. I follow people because I like their ideas, because I'm interested in hearing what they have to say. I could not care the slightest what they look like.

in reply to Randahl Fink

mastodon - Link to source

Mr. Lance E Sloan (IRL) 👤

7. Always include meaningful #altText when posting images or videos. Media without it will not get boosted or liked.

8. If you enjoy a post very much, boost it. Then people who follow you will see it. They will not see your likes. Mastodon does not have an algorithm to show you posts you might enjoy. You only see everything or what they people you follow post or boost.

9. When you post, be sure to mark it with the language it's written in.

#AltText
Tato položka byla upravena (4 weeks ago)
in reply to Randahl Fink

mastodon - Link to source

Alex@rtnVFRmedia Suffolk UK

@juancho_me

we often have to adopt different levels of personal security depending where we live and potential threats - stalking and doxxing people is equally illegal in Denmark, Spain and UK, but the level of protection you can count on from domestic authorities varies wildly - for instance my antifa friend from Denmark was protected by PET following a right wing terrorist attack in a neighbouring country (PET considered he might be at danger), which I can't see UK NCA or the Guardia Civil being so eager to do..

I keep (some of) my personal details (eg the registration mark of my car) confidential for more mundane reasons, in UK there are low emission zones which are contentious and those who disagree with their fees sometimes clone the reg mark of another persons car..

@Juancho
in reply to Alex@rtnVFRmedia Suffolk UK

mastodon - Link to source

Randahl Fink

@vfrmedia help from the police is often quite good in Denmark, but not always. During the years I was a columnist, I had an insane amount of really hard threats, because I called out racism against our Muslim minority. Examples:

One time, a guy threatened to beat me senseless. He was stopped and explained that he would go to jail if he contacted me again. He then apologized.

Another time, an extremist wrote to me on Twitter that he would decapitate me. They did not investigate.

@juancho_me

@Alex@rtnVFRmedia Suffolk UK @Juancho
in reply to Randahl Fink

mastodon - Link to source

Gustavo

about 5, it depends: if someone is coming from an algorithmic driven social network and wants lots of things to check, sure.

As for me, I don't want that at all! I only follow people and hashtags I truly want to follow. But I also check my instance's trending tab, if I find someone interesting there I follow them.

BTW the trending tab is heavily instance dependent, so if you are in an instance where people like the same things as you, you will get good things to check, otherwise, mostly if you are in a general popular instance (like mastodon.social) it will be bland and not as interesting. Probably will be mostly US politics.

in reply to Randahl Fink

mastodon - Link to source

Tom Bortels

I would add: you are the one who controls your feed - you will only see who you follow, and who they boost.

The flip-side of that is when you start seeing things you don't like - *you* must take action. Unfollow, or block, or report for particularly egregious posts. When someone picks an argument with you - block. Your superpower on Mastodon is your ability to say "nope" and not need to justify it. Your attention is yours to spend as you see fit.

A well-curated mastodon feed is fantastic. But you need to curate it.

in reply to jan Ki | 奇

mastodon - Link to source

Randahl Fink

@ki many people need anonymity online, and I respect that. You mention marginalised groups, which is an important example. I would like to add people in sensitive jobs like teachers, doctors, judges, etc., as well as people who live in oppressive regimes.

But this does not mean that for every person on the planet it is "dangerous to share photos of yourself online".

And the fact that you and I have not discussed every nuance of this complex issue in just two posts, does not make me "ignorant".

@jan Ki | 奇
in reply to Randahl Fink

mastodon - Link to source

jan Ki | 奇

with crawlers and biometric scans for mass surveillance during the current rise of fascism, everyone can become a victim of oppression and prosecution, which does make it dangerous for everyone. My state with a far-right is currently investing into Palantir, something that was improbable only a year ago. Rather than telling people to use traceable facial images, you should tell them to be careful when posting tips like that. It's not about nuance.
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