![[Discussion] Defederation does not do what you think it does](https://lemmy.kya.moe/imgproxy?src=sh.itjust.works%2fpictrs/image/caaa8bd1-1b22-4376-8fbb-15c4f14ffbfe.png){kind=link}
In the spirit of being encouraged to speak my mind here’s a slight effort post:
Defederation does not do what you think it does.
The instance creator and admins are those with the ultimate power within their instance. The active users delegate them that power by interacting with their instance.
Defining “defederation” within the context of Lemmy as I understand it:
“the act of denying the ability for accounts within specific instances to interact with each other”
Anyone at this current time can create an account on most instances. One site on sh.itjust.works is defederated right now, but anyone here may also have an account there, who knows? The value comes from our activity and interaction within each instance.
Defederation is a narrow and a slippery slope because it doesn’t actually solve any problems. There are many instances which are doing things I think should be banned. I don’t interact with them. I don’t provide them with any value.
We uphold an inclusive enjoyable community here by being active. Individuals with malicious intent are ostracized naturally by an active community. Defederating entire instances does not stop bad actors, but an active strongwilled community does.
It’s not our responsibility to moderate other instances.
I have a lot of accounts. I have an account here, I have a Reddit account, one at Facebook, Twitter, etc. I have a password manager filled with more accounts than I could name if I had to. If this space balkanizes then I’ll have accounts covering most of the space. The assholes will too.
In some ways not defederating might be smarter from a troll management perspective. Banning an account (from another instance) from posting here while leaving them able see content would likely result in fewer trolls just making accounts here than if they had to make an account to just see the content. Just shadowban the nazis and the tankies and the other bastards rather than making a big concern out of the existence of the other instances.
It would be good if we could ban content from other instances from showing up in “All” without full defederation though. And that’s not even entirely about bad actors. I don’t want to defederate from lemmynsfw but I also don’t want it in my All.
You just didn’t read what I said…
Defederating is equivalent to shadow banning the whole instance. I can still check out Beehaw and reply to threads there, the only difference is that only people from sh.itjust.works can see my comments and reply to me.
Also, having multiple accounts on separate social media is different from having multiple accounts on the same social media and the majority of people don’t bother having multiple accounts, especially if they can still see and “participate” in the discussions where they’re banned.
Ah, I stand corrected. I did not realize users from defederated instances could still subscribe and view content new content. I thought updates ended at the time of defederation.
Many thought the same but on my end I can still see new content on Beehaw
I just subbed to something on Beehaw. Worked fine! Thanks for letting me know. I really thought defederation was a much more aggressive split.
Pending
I can still see new posts and we you saw in another discussion where I provided a link for you, I replied in threads and my message was seen by people in the same instance as me.
Yeah, I know. :3
I dunno how your app works, but does beehaw-gaming show up on your frontpage or do you have to manually look for it?
Sort: Subscribed, new
I’m using Jerboa
owhat!
but it says pending! i thought that means it won’t appear! ;3;