#Fediblock, a Tiny History
I have been trying to write about this history for over a month. It has been difficult to say the least. It's by no means exhaustive.
Fediblock is a constant point of contention on the fediverse. And the tag has taken a life of its own. I want to provide readers with a brief history of the tag, and discuss how it is being used at the present.
Years ago, during my PV days, was getting spammed harassment from a user on dot social. Because of course it was on dot social. However, I noticed that I wasn’t the only one. There were a few other femmes receiving the misogynistic harassment. And of course, we reported the user, but he was able to spin up another account each time he was suspended. It would always be the same profile picture, and the same handle, but he would add a number to it. Change it only slightly. And the game continued. The wack a mole of dealing with accounts has been something that we have talked about may times on the fedi with users who choose to be consistently acting in bad faith, or targeting certain users. And because of the nature of the fediverse, all one really has to do is continuously hop around instances and go from there. If you have a bit of an imagination, you can easily just start a new account, and then change up some of the identifying markers that you may have used in the past, and go undetected after you have caused hell for other users. I don't see how we can work around that behavior with code, if you have an idea, leave a comment and let us know.
I noticed that I was not the only femme user who was being targeted. This was a fucking nuisance. So I decided to create a tag,and the thing is that tags kind of feel old school, annoying, not another tag, but then again, what other tools do I have to warn other users besides a tag. I couldn’t even protect myself from this user. He would continuously make accounts on the same server. And because it is an open server, he could. I asked Ginger to help get the word out, since she was the other person I saw suffering with the misogynistic troll. Together, we started shouting. #fediblock. And it didn't really take long for the tag to take off, and start getting used by many people.
I started the tag so that bad actors doing quite obvious trolling or isms could just easily posted about to other people with whom I didn't share a server with could see. Like a serial misogynistic harasser. There were no set rules put in place. I didn’t suggest that only admins could use, i didn't particularly set any rules about how as individuals use. I think that it should be a tool used by the community. That said, the way it was interpreted and then molded by the community, for a time, was…low-key wild to me. And if I write LOL at this moment, you may think it is a millennial LOL but Really. Sometimes I just..lol.
I have created many tags on the fedi. But one day, I wanted to hustle out some of my work, I wanted to see if I could get some new people into my audience, because I am an artist, a creator, and there is joy when I can share it with people. And as one does, I reminded readers what I have created on the fedi. I listed all the tags I created. And a woman scolded me, with her finger, to let me know that the fediblock tag is for admin and moderators, and not for me to use to advertise myself by clogging up the tag. There was a bit of an exchange, she didn’t know she was talking to the creator. And the thing is, she clearly didn’t read my post, she just went straight to accusing me. The ways in which white women have a tendency to decide how other people use things that they feel they are entitled to. The threat to me was hilarious, with these sudden rules about how the tag is used, and instead of reading what i wrote, just attacked me off the cuff. Very white. Very white women, it’s giving HOA of dragons. IYKYK
And here’s the thing, someone makes something, and it takes a life of its own, and there are new ways of using this tool. I get that. But I still made that tag, I still endured something in order to bear the fruit which became the tag. Grim as it is, a lot of people have to endure harm in order for tools for protection to be created.
There were also other groups getting together and making tech projects using the name of the tag. Which is a double sided sword.when i spoke to one of the guys, they said that they would Gladly put my info there, but they thought it might just being more problems my way since it was so highly visible. And they’re right, it would have. I get emails to my personal inbox asking me to either take accountability for instances that are banned or on a blocklist. But that’s not on me to take responsibility for your instance and the issues it has with another instance. Back to the point, although it was in fact better that i wasn’t the face of these new projects, they also didn't ask me about how i felt if they used the tag name, or how they were gonna use it, or what their rules or stipulations are as they create something with my idea as the basis. There’s no real ownership here, but i think the bigger point is that for those that know, i am the creator, and thus when a project comes out, i am for some people, still the face, and if there was money involved, there would be an entire other component to the conversation.
I think the way it is used for the most part is good. I think that the fedi and all the versions of the code, and all the new projects that are connecting to the fedi need tools for blocking and safety. This we know, this is have worked on, and different spots have different ways of addressing these needs. I have a few ideas of my own, but I think my lack of participation in the fedi perhaps puts my ideas in the “we’ve moved on” camp.
However, AND DESPITE NOT WRITING RULES INITIALLY…I think using Fediblock for personal squabbles and basic differences of opinion a la “purple is my favorite color” “WHAT DID YOU SAY ABOUT RED” type of shit is a phenomenal waste of time. There…the creator has spoken. If you don’t like some one, block or mute and let’s keep it pushing.
The fediblock tag is being used to inform people on the fediverse, so they can build lists, protect themselves from harm. The creators of mastodon and also newer users will talk about the point of social media is to be connected to everyone and not be in a silo. But as someone who has dealt with various kinds of social media, and who has had their life nearly wrecked by stalkers and racists on the fediverse, I think being in a silo is the best way for me to enjoy any kind of social media. What certain kind of people fail to realize is that social media, for many people, is a platform for connection, expression and profiting off of your creative endeavors, all of this is true, but that comes with a heavier price. And if I want to build a wall to protect myself, I will, and I can. There are so many people that are flourishing with their independence and their instances that are protected from the larger servers on fediverse. I think these people are upset because there are those that don’t want to be connected to them, and it becomes warped into a personal attack on them as a person- instead of taking the time to consider what is actually best for certain communities in the digital space.
I see often about how the internet and social media is the only third space that is really available right now, and I think I agree with that to a point.
There’s so much more that I could say, but I think this is all the energy I have right now. The fediblock tag, the projects that come from it, the lists, the discourse, all of it… This is probably the most important thing I did on the fediverse, and it has become a tool for good and a tool for absolute shit shows.
I don’t regret it. But sometimes, I don’t know how I feel about it either.
