@silvereagle The best thing you can ever do to a public outcry is respond while keeping yourself in check. Don't be an ass, don't victimize yourself. Be polite, serious and clear.

@silvereagle This is not helping his case. If this is how he operates his platform and wants to mitigate the backlash, he needs to hop in the debates and make that clear, instead of giving a toxic response and turning the blind eye. That's gonna clearly come bite him in the ass in the future.

@slips @silvereagle I'll be honest, I was not too hopeful of the post either. But that pretty much makes it clear as glass that he is not willing to heal paths or listen to criticism. Somebody needs to call him out. He does not deserve a platform with how hostile and manipulative he is.

@Are0h Look, I understand if you don't want to respond to this. But I seriously want to help out if possible. So please, chill out, and let's talk. I am not looking to harm you, nor is anyone I've seen involved lately. We need an understanding

for the rest of my followers: this is my attempt at trying to mediate this drama, because at this point it's going so out of control that it's causing even small and local instances i'm close with being divided on the issue.

cc: @Are0h

Ok. I want to make a response on the whole TheBadSpace stuff. Hopefully Are0h is reading this, since I feel like it's important to find some way to amend this extended drama.

I want to start off by saying that the concept of having a shared place where to find a fairly curated blocklist (mostly for blocking the worst, as in literal nazis, CSAM-adjacent instances, etc) is not a bad concept by itself. Most instances have *some* blocks in common and if we want to filter the worst of the worst, as in build a "base" in which you won't accidentally be federating with total assholes, then go for it. If people don't want to be adjacent to a project as such, that's also fair, as long as they're not assholes themselves

I am also not against having safe spaces for minorities - heck, from day one that's been my goal with mint.lgbt, one of my other projects of mine I started 3 years ago already.

However, Are0h, many people who are criticizing your project are not doing it out of the sake of bigoted violence, as quoted from you. The criticisms come from the view that TheBadSpace seems to be pushed aggressively from your part, to the point that it could break the structure of the Fediverse being a decentralized and democratic platform. And it's not because it's only filtering anti-Black instances - it's because your personal biases are seeping into the list, which are not all for the protection of black people. At least, that's the view that's being shared amongst some members of the community.

I do believe your project can still be developed in a way that it respects the structures that the Fediverse and its members are comfortable with. The way I've done it more recently is holding votes on whether moderation decisions are good or not for the community in case they're dubious and mixed. Finally, listen to feedback, even if it may seem extreme for your project. (I'm not saying to listen to people plainly discriminating you, you know what to do in that case)

If you have any questions regarding this post or you want to talk with me regarding this situation, this thread is open.

oh wow, already being accused of being "alt fedi" by a masto instance, despite being a queer af instance and not being bigot apologists lmao