1. We're about to see LOTS of new users on Mastodon.
Before that happens, it's time for me to talk about my own journey on the Fediverse -- at this point, I'm a veteran user. 🧵
2. First thing to understand about me is that, while I never worked for Twitter, I worked at a company that was instrumental to their growth.
Twitter's fortune is tied to my fortune.
3. I've never wanted Twitter to fail. It's against my self interest.
Nevertheless, I can't ignore how Twitter has failed to serve its users, the public square, and democracy.
They've profited directly from the rise of modern Fascism.
4. In 2018, I discovered the emergence of the ActivityPub protocol. I've long felt that Twitter should have open sourced its API a long time ago. Until 2010, Twitter was a somewhat "open" platform.
Instead, they went the other direction.
5. I joined Mastodon in 2018. It was a much different place back then. The majority of the Fediverse was what the mainstream would term "fringe": folks who had been harassed off of the big social networks.
6. During the past 5 years, Mastodon (and the Fediverse) has gradually shifted towards four core groups:
1. Programmers & tech enthusiasts
2. LGBTQIA+
3. Furries
4. Neurodivergent
Each group has become protective of their space.
7. Every time there's a crisis on Twitter (Birdsite) or Facebook (Booksite), there's a new wave of sign-ups to Mastodon and the Fediverse.
Most of these users don't stay because Mastodon is not a clone of those services. But some stay.
8. Six months ago, I decided to make the Fediverse my social media home. While I stay on mastodon.social for quick status updates, I've also set up my own Pixelfed instance at peerverse.social -- which I update every day.
9. As a frequent user of Mastodon and Pixelfed, I make monthly monetary donations to both those projects. Since I plan on building my instance(s), I've been thinking of increasing these donations.
10. It's important to remember that the bulk of the Fediverse is not made by multi-billion dollar corporations.
Mastodon is a non-profit.
Pixelfed is made by @dansup, and he does it part-time.
And there are many other projects.
11. Right now, there are only 1.5 million active users on the Fediverse. This is minuscule compared to Twitter. Nevertheless, I get more social interaction on the Fediverse than I do on Twitter.
12. The Fediverse needs investment. Not everyone agrees with this notion because some prefer that it be a hobbyist enclave. For its own long term survival, it needs infrastructure that scales. Not even Mastodon can handle growth.
13. Over the past year, I've developed enough working knowledge to run a Fediverse instance. The best way to grow the Fediverse is to setup an instance. I'm by no means a sysadmin, but I've learn how to do it.
14. With Elon Musk's purchase of Twitter, government and media SHOULD adopt the Fediverse.
But WILL they?
Not until there's a crisis that forces their hand. Which there will be -- it's just a matter of when.
15. Yesterday, Elon Musk sent out a pro-Russian tweet.
Do you think the Ukraine government wants to be on Twitter right now?
What about the EU? What about NATO?
I guarantee they're looking at the Fediverse as an alternative.
16. Right now is the calm before the storm. People won't leave Twitter until they have to. Eventually, they will.
So how do we all prepare for this eventuality.
17. Recommendations for building the Fediverse prior to the next mass migration:
1. BUILD instances -- lots of them
2. DONATE to Fediverse projects
3. If you must use Twitter, automatically cross-post FROM the Fediverse
18. Building the Fediverse isn't just a matter of finding a Twitter or Facebook alternative.
It's about building a ROBUST social media infrastructure that is protected from the whims of shareholders and governments.
19. Am I going to be sad about the "old" Fediverse? Yes I am.
No one likes change but change to social media is coming.
The great thing about ActivityPub is that we are not a slave to opaque algorithms. We can build better social media.
20. It's time ⏱️
Elon Musk's takeover of Twitter is imminent. It's costing him $44 billion.
For the fraction of the cost, you can build the alternative. And it already works.
/end thread
