Feature #17092

Create a presence in the fediverse

Added by muri 2019-09-25 07:42:06 . Updated 2020-05-14 20:30:08 .

Status:
Needs Validation
Priority:
Normal
Assignee:
syster
Category:
Target version:
Start date:
Due date:
% Done:

80%

Feature Branch:
Type of work:
Promote
Blueprint:

Starter:
Affected tool:
Deliverable for:

Description

The fediverse is a network of federated publishing websites. A big part of the fediverse are microblogging platforms, trying to offer a non commercial alternative to twitter. There is for example an unofficial account of the EFF on https://mastodon.social/@eff, the Torproject has an account on https://mastodon.social/@torproject and there is a Debian account on https://framapiaf.org/@debian. I think it would be great if Tails would also have an account on a mastodon instance ;)

(I have no idea what the workflow for posting to the twitter account is and how much work it would be to also post to a mastodon account. There are also some automated tools to mirror twitter to mastodon, but I haven’t looked into them.)


Subtasks


Related issues

Has duplicate Tails - Feature #17509: Outreach/feedback: using the fediverse to communicate about tails Duplicate

History

#1 Updated by intrigeri 2020-03-09 09:12:23

  • Subject changed from Create a precence in the fediverse to Create a presence in the fediverse

#2 Updated by intrigeri 2020-03-09 09:12:44

  • has duplicate Feature #17509: Outreach/feedback: using the fediverse to communicate about tails added

#3 Updated by syster 2020-03-09 17:43:27

cross posting can be done with https://crossposter.masto.donte.com.br/
it gets advised frequently, when someone asks the question “how to cross post”. It also takes only a few minutes to set it up.

About cross posting people using the fediverse having different opinions.
One is that they like interesting content being made available,
the other is that only dumping content from one platform to the other, without engaging there, is not building up communities, or dialogue.

To get started without needing to change much of the workflow, I would do it the following:

1. create an account on a choosen instance and enable cross posting (can be from twitter to mastodon, or the other way around)
2. apoint one or several people to be responsible for manually managing the fediverse account
3. choose an already established line of communication, to grand contributers the possibilty to create content, that can be posted by those being apointed after being aproved.

Some thoughts about 3:
Point 3 could be also used for testing a new line of communication, since there is the wish to move away from redmine, afaik.

I’m asking fediverse users here about feedback:
https://social.linux.pizza/@syster/103793408486175773

#4 Updated by syster 2020-03-09 17:48:32

question:

Is anyone keen to pick up on this task?

If not, I would do the following:
Set up an account that I will mark as “non-official” or “not yet official”, that I happily handover anytime requested, incl. being removed from having posting access.

#5 Updated by syster 2020-03-26 09:21:17

  • Assignee set to syster
  • % Done changed from 0 to 20

#6 Updated by syster 2020-05-03 15:37:08

this took me way longer then expected, but I create now 2 accounts in the fediverse.
one at mastodon, one at friendica.
You can find them here: https://fosstodon.org/@tails/104105188198142765

If someone wants to join me, hit me up in this issue tracker.
…I’d be glad for it.

#7 Updated by syster 2020-05-03 15:39:38

  • % Done changed from 20 to 70

#8 Updated by syster 2020-05-03 15:40:00

  • % Done changed from 70 to 80

#9 Updated by syster 2020-05-04 20:44:45

(not really important to this issue, but maybe encouraging for others to join in building a presence of Tails in the fediverse. Our first introduction post got within 1 day 115 reshares. Not to bad for a new account. )

#10 Updated by syster 2020-05-07 16:41:49

  • Status changed from New to Needs Validation

#11 Updated by syster 2020-05-07 16:46:40

the friendica account currently acts mostly as a twitter mirror.
the mastodon account is only personaly managed and will from time to time be on pause. While that is, people can still read from the friendica account.

feel invited to give critisicm, recomendations or what ever feedback you have.

#12 Updated by intrigeri 2020-05-07 16:52:12

Hi syster,

I’m very glad you’ve built a working prototype — congrats!

From a procedural standpoint, very few Tails people will notice your work and call for feedback here.

So I’d like to invite you to (re)send your update and call for feedback to our tails-project mailing list: https://tails.boum.org/about/contact/#tails-project

Thanks again :)

#13 Updated by syster 2020-05-14 20:30:08

For documentation purpose I’ll copy the email I send out into here:

Hello,
I like to inform you that I created a presence of Tail in the fediverse.
I’m gladly awaiting your feedback, however that will be.

The corresponding issue in redmine is here:
https://redmine.tails.boum.org/code/issues/17092

What is the fediverse? (for those that don’t know yet)

“The fediverse is a network of federated publishing
websites/communities. A big part of the fediverse are microblogging
platforms, trying to offer a non commercial alternative to twitter.”

Why is it of interest for Tails (in my opinion):

- it runs on free software and is relatively privacy respecting, no mass
surveillance funded by adds

- different audience then twitter (many joined the fediverse for the
reason of being harassed at twitter. With Tails trying to become more
diverse/inclusive in terms of the development team, it’s a space that
can help with that…even so the chosen instance is not that diverse due
to the specific topic it is centered around: free software)

- even so the fediverse is very small in numbers compared to twitter,
many free software enthusiasts and hackers are present there

- with new audience it can help to reach to new people that could need
Tails and/or can support

- the fediverse in control by its user and by that distributing the
power of moderation. No shut down because Jack Dorsey wants so.
- It is more resilience against censorship because of it’s decentralized
structure
…and more, but that shall be enough for a pitch. (maybe too much already)

the fediverse accounts of Tails:

I created 2 accounts and marked them as not-official-yet. 5 days ago I
wrote the first introduction post. You’ll find it here:
https://fosstodon.org/@tails/104105188198142765

the workflow (unsure for now. Needs your feedback):

I am unaware how this is currently being done for the twitter account.
Maybe it makes sense to choose the same process. But since there’s
anyway coming some workflow changes with the move towards gitlab
(yeah!), I’m also happy to think of a new (experimental) process.

how it is currently being done:

the friendica account acts mostly as a twitter mirror.
the mastodon account is only manually managed. Communication about it
happened so far in the issue tracker and in the xmpp dev MUC.

I’m happily reading your feedback. I am unaware what procedure you wish
to have for organizing those new accounts.

For the end some motivational stats:

the introduction post received 127 re-shares (also called boosts).
the request for a technical writer received 73 boosts, with several.
people showing interest to aply.
the request to donate some stellar coins to Tails received 75 boosts,
with several people giving the feedback that they donated some.
[edit: those numbers are outdated. It’s more now. You can check it
yourself by opening a post of this account: https://fosstodon.org/@tails]
(…but we should also not get to obsessed in such numbers, as they
don’t say much about its quality.)

kind regards,

syster