this post was submitted on 22 Jan 2024

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privatelife - privacy, security, freedom advocacy

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Why do Instances Block? (i.imgur.com)

submitted 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) by Synther@lemmy.zip to c/privatelife@lemmy.ml

14 comments fedilink hide all child comments

So I want to make this post because I don't know why instances, mine specifically, choose to block others. Now, don't get me wrong that blocking instances that are CP related and anything illegal is something that should and needs to be blocked and/or removed. but if its something like Threads, let me choose to block a user myself, give me the freedom to do so. I've seen Brodie Robertson's video talking about this, and I whole heartily agree with his stance on this where letting the user have the freedom to block a user or instance themselves.

I just feel that some lemmy instances are turning into big tech companies where they are controlling everything, and don't get me wrong, its their server space, do what you want to do, but at least since you are using foss to run your lemmy server, at least be different then Reddit or YouTube etc. I created a lemmy account just to have a more private experience from Reddit without being tracked all the time. guess I was wrong.

not trying to get on the wrong foot here, I am just a fan of internet freedom, and I think you should have the right to do anything you want online, that's within legal waters.

Thoughts...

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[–] lemann@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 9 months ago (1 children)

don't know why instances, mine specifically, choose to block others. Now, don't get me wrong that blocking instances that are CP related and anything illegal is something that should and needs to be blocked and/or removed. but if its something like Threads, let me choose to block a user myself

I'd suggest looking for another instance or hosting your own - at least you have the choice to do that here. Choose an instance whose policies align with your interests and principles the most

I just feel that some lemmy instances are turning into big tech companies where they are controlling everything, and don't get me wrong, its their server space, do what you want to do, but at least since you are using foss to run your lemmy server, at least be different then Reddit or YouTube etc. I created a lemmy account just to have a more private experience from Reddit without being tracked all the time. guess I was wrong.

The unpaid volunteers running these servers probably overwhelmingly have no interest at all in tracking any user's activity, whereas tracking is essentially the business model of actual "big tech" companies like Facebook and Google.

Of course, there is a degree of trust being put into the owner of your instance to not expose or exploit your personal info, which could include your real world location (exposed via IP, or looking at logs to estimate it based on the times you are active), and email address

As a side note, some instances state their policies on log retention on the legal/about page, others have it in the sidebar.

[–] refalo@programming.dev 1 points 6 months ago

The unpaid volunteers running these servers probably overwhelmingly have no interest at all in tracking any user’s activity

Unfortunately there's no way to prove their innocence, we have no way of knowing just how "compromised" one server or owner may be over the next. Just like all these privacy-focused youtube frontends and alternatives, how do we know they don't have their own secret agenda?

[–] TCB13@lemmy.world 1 points 9 months ago

"instances block" because this is lemmy and instances/people would rather become isolated islands that amount to nothing than to have to deal with a few "harmful" comments and "unsafe" spaces. This is the reason why Reddit will win at the end of the day.

[–] breadsmasher@lemmy.world 0 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (2 children)

I don’t understand what you’re actually asking? Beyond complaining lemmy instances are becoming “big tech”?

if youre unhappy with the instance you are on defederating, you can create your own instance and federate with whoever you please

[–] Cheradenine@sh.itjust.works 1 points 9 months ago

They don't like Big Tech, but want to be federated with Threads. What's not to understand?

Fucksake

[–] Synther@lemmy.zip 0 points 9 months ago (4 children)

I was just wondering why my instance in particular chooses to block threads and instead let us choose to do so. I find it relates to big tech as, it’s there servers yeah, but running Free Open Source Software on top of that. Idk lol. Sorry if this posts seems weird.

[–] diyrebel@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 8 months ago

When I first read this, I thought you were referring to threads in the generic sense -- that your instance was blocking specific discussions. You should have capitalized Threads™, and ideally have the TM.

Wow... Fuck #Facebook for hi-jacking a common word. We really need to replace FB Threads™ with an unambiguous word that does not fuck up conversation.

[–] refalo@programming.dev 1 points 6 months ago

It cuts both ways... if you were the owner of a server, would you want to be forced to allow content you didn't want? I didn't think so.

[–] breadsmasher@lemmy.world 0 points 9 months ago (1 children)

You can’t defederate on a per user basis. Its either accept or reject federation from server A to B.

Theres many reasons servers have been defederated, usually due to illegal content.

There was a big backlash on many lemmy instances to Threads federating. The common feel from those discussions was to defederate from any meta owned instances as all it does is give meta tons more data to use. Anyone interested in privacy should be against threads federating

[–] Synther@lemmy.zip 1 points 9 months ago (1 children)

I feel like with the data collection part is stupid. If you don’t want your data to be collected, don’t post publicly.

[–] breadsmasher@lemmy.world 1 points 9 months ago

Strange point of view to have on a community about privacy. okthen

[–] diyrebel@lemmy.dbzer0.com -1 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) (1 children)

If you oppose tech giants, then of course these Cloudflare instances are unsuitable and should be avoided:

lemmy.world ← Cloudflare
sh.itjust.works ← Cloudflare
zerobytes.monster ← Cloudflare
lemmy.ca ← Cloudflare
lemm.ee ← Cloudflare
programming.dev ← Cloudflare
lemmy.zip ← Cloudflare

This has nothing to do with your question about blocked threads, but I gather that you want to avoid the enshitification brought by tech giants, and you are on lemmy.zip. Cloudflare is a walled-garden and exclusive club. Not everyone can access Cloudflare-jailed content. CF also sees your username and password. So I suggest choosing an instance other than the above, and favoring communities that are also not on those instances.

Some free-world non-walled-garden instances are:

fedia.io
sopuli.xyz
beehaw.org
infosec.pub
lemmy.dbzer0.com
slrpnk.net
links.hackliberty.org
mander.xyz

[+] TheAnonymouseJoker@lemmy.ml 3 points 8 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (1 children)

[removed by mod]

[–] diyrebel@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) (1 children)

Perhaps, but your reasoning is a bit too vague to be convincing. So what am I missing? Beehaw registration is open. I had no problem getting an account there; over Tor in fact. I don’t recall if they were using the Q/A interview field back when I signed up. OTOH that screening mechanism has become quite typical these days.

W.r.t defederation, I only know that Beehaw defederated from centralized instances, which is fair enough from the PoV of those embracing the decentralization principle. I skimmed through their several page long policies which boil down to “don’t be mean”. So I would guess they defederate from hate-rich nodes - not sure. What specifically do you have in mind?

The Cloudflare instances I listed are walled gardens because they restrict access hard and fast to various demographics with arbitrary exclusion of various groups of people (which IMO is an even harsher form of walled garden than some of the corporate walled gardens). I would not call having a code of conduct indicative of a walled garden, otherwise we would be calling just about every single instance a walled garden and thus not a useful place to draw a line.

[+] TheAnonymouseJoker@lemmy.ml 1 points 8 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (1 children)

[removed by mod]

[–] diyrebel@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) (1 children)

lemmy.ml (formerly dev.lemmy.ml) was centralized by Cloudflare (after the renaming iirc). It was an embarrassment that the flagship instance was so antithetical to Fedi philosophy. Perhaps due to that well-placed criticism, lemmy.ml eventually dropped CF. But lemmy.ml is still today centralized by disproportionate size. There is also copious political baggage with those admins which has helped drive people off (thus beneficial shrinkage) but which ultimately enabled/led lemmy.world to become the biggest most centralized instance (which is centralized by both factors: Cloudflare and disproportionate size).

In the big scheme of things, AFAICT beehaw is federated and reachable from other Fedi-principles-respecting instances. I can reach it from other non-walled-garden instances I listed. Grouping beehaw with the walled garden instances is a weird place to draw a line. I’ve only heard about beehaw defederating from instances that are antithetical to the fediverse spirit. But I only know w.r.t the big instances.. feel free to point out counter examples. There probably wouldn’t be much chatter about defederation from small instances.