AJ SadauskasMainstream media journalist: It's too hard to build an audience on Mastodon! I cross-post the same shouty posts and one-sentence slogans as I do on the fowl app, and they just get no traction here! It must be because it's just too complicated for people to read posts from other instances or something!
Me: Okay, do you follow many interesting people here?
Journo: No.
Me: Do you reply to posts and engage with other people?
Journo: No.
Me: Do you like and share many other people's posts?
Journo: No.
Me: Do you post anything interesting, insightful or funny? Or just shouty denouncements?
Journo: Oh, I don't just cross-post shouty posts and slogans — I also do self-promotion! Subscribe now to read my latest article!
Me: Could the problem be that you've relied entirely on an algorithm that's fine-tuned to incite people by distributing the most provocative content widely to generate ad views? That the core issues are that you don't engage, contribute little to the online community, and share little content of real value and substance? That you're essentially no different to the social media bullies you so often denounce in your paywalled articles?
Journo: No. The problem isn't me, the problem is Mastodon!
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