"#TheInternet was supposed to liberate us. Instead, it’s left us feeling #helpless… #BigTech’s takeover of the internet has trained us to beg for scraps from our digital overlords. …voices demanding that [insert tech giant] must “do better” or that [insert gov agency] needs to “crack down” or that [insert billionaire] should swoop in to save us. We’ve become #digitalpeasants, petitioning various lords and kings to please, please fix the internet for us."

Techdirt

Empowering Users, Not Overlords: Overcoming Digital Helplessness

Disclosure: I’m on the board of Bluesky, so feel free to take as many grains of salt as you want in reading it, though all of it applies equally ...

"People think #algorithms can be taught to do things, but in reality #algorithm is abusing the power and subjecting and conditioning its users. Hashtags used to be super useful back in the days on Twittter. The time can be pinpointed to the time before any recommendation algorithms. This is why I'm so elated about #theFediverse and Mastodon. We bring back the free and natural #socialweb." #SocialMedia From: @Roni Laukkarinen

Memento mori

Roni Rolle Laukkarinen (@rolle@mementomori.social)

The problem with the modern commercial social media is that the features that originally made social media powerful are by now completely diluted. ...

"#Bluesky is hot. It's popular. It's got steam. It's got gobs of cursed VC money. It's got some admittedly cool tech behind it. But it just isn't it. If #FreeOurFeeds succeeds, stands up another instance and figures out a way to run it on the cheap, then I'll be the first to say "congrats" and "I was wrong". Until then, I will remain skeptical, and I'll keep saying that this sort of money would be better thrown at building out the proven solution, #theFediverse."

malici.ous.computer

Post by shellsharks, @shellsharks@malici.ous.computer

Okay, so Cory Doctorow published his take on the #freeourfeeds thingy, all about "billionaire-proofing" the Internet (or more accurately, b...

My good friend @npub1706x...6hk6 has a solid case for his rant over #FreeOurFeeds. But given the names involved, I'd slap a question mark on his headline: "$30 million to reinvent the wheel"? That's because I see opportunity for innovative advancements at the protocol level, even dealing with emerging public payment systems like PIX. The wheel is done: #ActivityPub. I am open to hear what those good people can do to help the #opensocial path forward. https://notes.ghed.in/posts/2025/bluesky-free-our-feeds-mastodon/