Darius Kazemi
I'm confused when devs claim that you can't experiment with software on the fediverse. I have spent the last 5 years of my life building experimental software on the fediverse, and people have been very supportive!
There is a MASSIVE design space for weird ideas that are not just dressed-up surveillance capitalism, but so many devs come here saying "I will try out some dressed-up surveillance capitalism" and then act like their genius design thinking is being stymied when people say "fuck off"
Aral Balkan
@stpaultim @darius There’s very little that’s subjective about surveillance capitalism. Here’s how it works:
1. Startup gets VC
2. Startup creates tool that does two things: a. The thing it tells its users that it does (the features, what attracts, addicts, and keeps people using it), b. The thing it tells its customers that it does (extracts value from its users to exploit them for profit)
3. If enough people fall for (a), the startup scales and exits (gets bought or IPOs)
Darius Kazemi
@stpaultim From what I have seen, people label something surveillance capitalism when some they don't like a new feature because it is collecting data about them with an eye toward some kind of retention or growth or profit.
Tim Erickson, @stpaultim
Virtually anything on the internet can be categorized that way, if one chooses. It's a subjective criteria, which some people are very quick to make a judgement on, without necessarily even looking closely at the actual features or intend of the product.
Yes, some features are much more problematic than others.
Tim Erickson, @stpaultim
Well, your use of Surveillance Capitalism says something. If some folks don't like a new tool or feature, they label it as Surveillance Capitalism and shame the developers rather than engaging in any kind of constructive dialogue.
It's one thing to say that a community is welcoming to developers. It's another thing to say that we're welcoming to developers, but only if they restrict themselves to ideas and features approved by a small self appointed group of gate keepers.
Darius Kazemi
Yes, surveillance capitalism gives us some material things that are useful.
There are also about a billion things we have never even tried out because rich people believe there's no money in it! Maybe some of those things will also be useful and we should try those instead. Just sayin!!!!
Aral Balkan
@stpaultim @darius If you see VCs and “startup” folks sniffing around something, you can be sure it’s not because they’re there to contribute to the commons but to enclose it. It’s how they got to be what they are. It’s what they do. And if we still can’t see this and protect ourselves and the commons from them, we’re destined to be exploited over and over again.
indyradio
@aral @stpaultim @darius
Speaking of startups, why is #Mastodon a GMBH and when Rocho gives the word on a policy, why is it final?
He said search is bad: so search has remained broken for 5 years, because the project founder wants it broken.
This is not democratic, and the result is simple:
nothing will ever go viral (though this would be possible if search worked).
... and when you tweet, notice how many are listed in the public search engines. If you toot, who sees it?
Don't worry, you mother won't see.
Aral Balkan
@indyradio So, a couple of things:
1. Mastodon isn’t a startup
2. Going viral is what viruses do
3. If you want to implement search, you can. The code is free and open. However, no one is compelled to use what you make (just like you’re not compelled to use Mastodon).
Now go crow somewhere else.
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