Sp I wrote a pretty lengthy blog post entitled:
Eugen Rochko, CEO of Mastodon, Found to Support Naziโs Agenda
Sadly I wish it was clickbait.
You can all read it here:
jeffreyfreeman.me/eugen-rochkoโฆ
It is the pinnacle of the recent drama. I will also be sharing it on twitter, linking the joinmastodon account there. I tried to include most of the evidence in the article. Hopefully this will have some positive result
#fediblock #mastoadmin #mastodon @Gargron @trinsec @khird
Eugen Rochko, CEO of Mastodon, Found to Support Nazi's Agenda
I know, clickbait title right? Sadly no. When we say Nazi here we dont just mean your garden variety racist, as bad as that is, but your swastik...Jeffrey Phillips Freeman
Miguel Guhlin ๐ฆ ๐ต๐ฆ ๐บ๐ฒ
in reply to ๐ Doc Freemo ๐ณ๐ฑ • • •๐ Doc Freemo ๐ณ๐ฑ
in reply to Miguel Guhlin ๐ฆ ๐ต๐ฆ ๐บ๐ฒ • • •@mguhlin
So far it has worked in our favor.. about 20 instances have reversed their stance on us and now support us, there have been dozens of emails to eugen asking him to reconsider his stance. We remain one of the most connected and largest instances in the fediverse.
Most likely it wont die, but hopefully thrive.
Doing nothing would have more than likely caused it to die.
That said, if things do start going south and that trend reverses you always have the option to move at any time and take your followers with you.
@Gargron @trinsec @khird
Anti-Fatalist
in reply to ๐ Doc Freemo ๐ณ๐ฑ • • •๐ Doc Freemo ๐ณ๐ฑ reshared this.
berkes ๐ ๐ ๐ ๐ฑ
in reply to Anti-Fatalist • • •@rbe_expert very reasonable and we'll backed up article.
I still very much dislike the title, though. It makes it look personal to you (whereas the article explains very well that it has nothing to do with your personal opinions). As if you have a score to settle, a grudge held.
๐ Doc Freemo ๐ณ๐ฑ
in reply to berkes ๐ ๐ ๐ ๐ฑ • • •@berkes
There is a bit of a score to settle I suppose... He knew about the misinformation campaign and capitulated to it out of popularity rather than doing what is right. In the process hurting the reputation and standing of the serrver.
@rbe_expert @Gargron @trinsec @khird
Anti-Fatalist
in reply to ๐ Doc Freemo ๐ณ๐ฑ • • •๐ Doc Freemo ๐ณ๐ฑ
in reply to Anti-Fatalist • • •@rbe_expert
Agreed
@berkes @Gargron @trinsec @khird
tatzelbrumm
in reply to ๐ Doc Freemo ๐ณ๐ฑ • • •@berkes @rbe_expert
Putt's Law of Insubordination applies here:
Rejection of management objectives is undesirable when you are wrong,
and unforgivable when you are right.
Gagron will double down on his mistaken decision precisely BECAUSE you PROVE him wrong, and you justifiedly put him on the spot for his wrong decision.
In addition, social media excommunication is based on the principle that any attempt at defending yourself is seen as admission of guilt.
Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition, but here we go again.
๐ Doc Freemo ๐ณ๐ฑ
in reply to tatzelbrumm • • •@tatzelbrumm
I wish I could say Eugen was better than that... his recent actions suggest he isnt ๐
@berkes @rbe_expert @Gargron @trinsec @khird
tatzelbrumm
in reply to ๐ Doc Freemo ๐ณ๐ฑ • • •@berkes @rbe_expert
Eugen Rochko is CEO of Mastodon.
He explicitly writes that
โI will take a listing down if it risks endangering the reputation of Mastodonโ
A lot of the problems in our world is attributable to the typical CEO attitude.
In the case of mastodon, Eugen Rochko's attitude is:
"Mastodon, c'est moi."
So by PROVING him wrong with IRREFUTABLE EVIDENCE,
you destroy Eugen Rochko's reputation, and because in his mind, he IS mastodon, you endanger not only his reputation, but the reputation of mastodon, and you and your instance MUST be delisted.
reshared this
๐ Doc Freemo ๐ณ๐ฑ e Jester Sk00n of Pooland reshared this.
Jester Sk00n of Pooland
in reply to tatzelbrumm • • •Via:
Masterbater.antisocial
tatzelbrumm
in reply to tatzelbrumm • • •Ironically, this is all brewing up because of the CEO behavior of one of the two apex predators of USAmerican CEOs, Elon Musk:
"Twitter, c'est moi."
The other apex predator CEO is Donald "You're fired!" Trump.
otso
in reply to tatzelbrumm • • •Mastodon โ Fediverse
let people choose for themselves
๐ Doc Freemo ๐ณ๐ฑ
in reply to berkes ๐ ๐ ๐ ๐ฑ • • •@berkes
I have updated the title to be more fair.
@rbe_expert @Gargron @trinsec @khird
SandyKendell
in reply to ๐ Doc Freemo ๐ณ๐ฑ • • •Elephantidae
in reply to ๐ Doc Freemo ๐ณ๐ฑ • • •So, it really is click bait because it's not true that he supports a nazi's agenda. I read the whole blog post and can't see how that's true.
Did he handle a situation badly? Maybe. Does he support nazis? Not from anything I can see in your post. Did he support you and your community? No. Sorry about that.
Also, it's not clear how delisting from the join site harmed your users. Could you expand on that?
I'm really sorry for what you and your community have been through.
๐ Doc Freemo ๐ณ๐ฑ
in reply to Elephantidae • • •@Elephantidae The Nazi's agenda was to get us defederated and delisted, he knew this was his agenda. He then delisted us as a direct result of that Nazi's campaign, therefore,he satisfied the Nazi and appeased his agenda.
I'd say that makes it quite literally true.
๐ Doc Freemo ๐ณ๐ฑ
in reply to ๐ Doc Freemo ๐ณ๐ฑ • • •@Elephantidae AS for how it hurt hte community... three ways I can think of.
1) It lends credibility to the Nazi's claims, giving the impression to others QOTO was delisted because the claims against it were true.
2) It significantly reduces our influx of new users. As a specialty instance it is not easy to find new users as a generalist instance might
3) it no longer shows up when trying to connect using the official mastodon app which relies on that list, causing people to have a hard time connecting even if they are already here.
Elephantidae
in reply to ๐ Doc Freemo ๐ณ๐ฑ • • •๐ Doc Freemo ๐ณ๐ฑ
in reply to Elephantidae • • •Elephantidae
in reply to ๐ Doc Freemo ๐ณ๐ฑ • • •OK, that's probably not something we are going to agree on. I think there is a big difference between "supporting an agenda" and "not standing up to nazis."
When I read your article I was expecting him to be secretly promoting nazi groups or something.
๐ Doc Freemo ๐ณ๐ฑ
in reply to Elephantidae • • •Elephantidae
in reply to ๐ Doc Freemo ๐ณ๐ฑ • • •Right. But he wasn't doing it because he likes nazis or supports the hatred that they spew and the violence that they promote.
Again, I'm not saying what he did was right.
But the way you are framing it I don't think is helpful for improving the situation, but that's your business. It actually makes me skeptical of your side of the story.
I 100% support you speaking up about the matter. And I'm sorry that the nazis have succeeded in sowing disharmony among their enemy.
๐ Doc Freemo ๐ณ๐ฑ
in reply to Elephantidae • • •@Elephantidae
> Right. But he wasn't doing it because he likes nazis or supports the hatred that they spew and the violence that they promote.
Never said or implied he did. I said he supported their agenda, I also made clear he did so out of popularity and not out of support for the ideology. In fact I even point out int he past he opposed the ideology when it was popular for him to do so.
Elephantidae
in reply to ๐ Doc Freemo ๐ณ๐ฑ • • •๐ Doc Freemo ๐ณ๐ฑ
in reply to Elephantidae • • •Elephantidae
in reply to ๐ Doc Freemo ๐ณ๐ฑ • • •I re-read the headline and the first paragraph.
I think the thing that rubs me the wrong way is that the world knows *very well* what the Nazi agenda is. Killing Jews, gays, trans people, socialists, etc. Anyone can tell you that.
So when you say he supports "Nazi's agenda" this is clearly what the readers are going to take the meaning to be.
You even go out of your way in the first paragraph to clarify that you mean real live Nazis.
Gaythia Weis
in reply to Elephantidae • • •@Elephantidae But isn't this the way that the Nazi's dominated in Germany historically? It wasn't "really" that most petty government officials saw themselves as doing terrible things. But by collective small actions and inaction they did serve the Nazi's goals. So effectively they were part of the Nazi machine. The danger they posed to others was that of real live Nazis.
Now, the fascists see the demolition of Twitter as a forum as a step forward for them. Thwarting Mastodon would be a next step. Not actively standing up to that would be a huge mistake.
reshared this
Ian Kenway reshared this.
Gaythia Weis
in reply to Elephantidae • • •@Elephantidae I am an example of someone who recently found Qoto from the join site. I think that the issue seems to speak to a serious question as to whether or not Mastodon is a decentralized federation or if from a practical standpoint, it has access determined by one person. And of course, I joined this instance because I felt it best met my interests, but also so I could interact with others in different instances.
Succumbing to the strategy of an attack by nefarious agents doesn't make Mastodon a safe or a welcoming place. All instances ought to see that as a vulnerability that needs to be combated.
reshared this
Ian Kenway reshared this.
David Cooper
in reply to ๐ Doc Freemo ๐ณ๐ฑ • • •thanks for the history lesson. I hope it leads to a safer mastodon experience for all.
As a side note. That blog was tough to read on a phone. If itโs easy to make it phone optimized, that might be worth it.
๐ Doc Freemo ๐ณ๐ฑ
in reply to David Cooper • • •Romaq
in reply to ๐ Doc Freemo ๐ณ๐ฑ • • •David Cooper
in reply to David Cooper • • •๐ Doc Freemo ๐ณ๐ฑ
in reply to David Cooper • • •รli Gneisti (English)
in reply to ๐ Doc Freemo ๐ณ๐ฑ • • •I would call this clickbait after reading the whole (confusing and one-sided) post.
@freemo @Gargron @trinsec @khird
๐ Doc Freemo ๐ณ๐ฑ
in reply to รli Gneisti (English) • • •@oligneisti
Feel free to offer any specific objections that are inaccurate or confusing and ill be happy to help clean up the article.
One sided, absolutely.. no way to really not make it one sided if I'm the author and Eugen refuses to comment despite tons of requests of him from many people for comments.
That said, thats also why I provided links and photo evidence where possible.
@Gargron @trinsec @khird
รli Gneisti (English)
in reply to ๐ Doc Freemo ๐ณ๐ฑ • • •How many links in the post point to anything other than your own site?
@freemo @Gargron @trinsec @khird
๐ Doc Freemo ๐ณ๐ฑ
in reply to รli Gneisti (English) • • •@oligneisti
three, assuming we count screenshots of dead links (wince most of the ancient history is now dead). 2 for snow, one for his attempt to get us on fediblock... I am happy to add a few more if you feel that would be helpful. Im sure I could dig up some more links if i search through history enough.
@Gargron @trinsec @khird
รli Gneisti (English)
in reply to ๐ Doc Freemo ๐ณ๐ฑ • • •The screenshots in question don't actually have anything to do with the claim you make in the subject of your post.
@freemo @Gargron @trinsec @khird
๐ Doc Freemo ๐ณ๐ฑ
in reply to รli Gneisti (English) • • •@oligneisti
Sure it does, it is part of a long chain of events.. Snow created a campaign of misinformation, Eugen knew about it and despite this caved to said campaign because it worked and was popular.. they are directly related.
@Gargron @trinsec @khird
รli Gneisti (English)
in reply to ๐ Doc Freemo ๐ณ๐ฑ • • •Yes, these are links in a chain but they don't connect to the the claim in subject.
@freemo @Gargron @trinsec @khird
๐ Doc Freemo ๐ณ๐ฑ
in reply to รli Gneisti (English) • • •@oligneisti
Im not sure i follow... The links seem clear to me, please let me know how i might carify
snow engaged in disinformation to get us delisted/defederated -> instances bought the ruse -> Eugen knew of Snows agenda -> since the agenda was working eugen caved to the intended agenda to remain popular.
what am I missing?
@Gargron @trinsec @khird
รli Gneisti (รก รญslensku)
in reply to ๐ Doc Freemo ๐ณ๐ฑ • • •The chain metaphor is apt because you are showing me one link but only telling me about the others.
@freemo @oligneisti@social.linux.pizza @Gargron @trinsec @khird
๐ Doc Freemo ๐ณ๐ฑ
in reply to รli Gneisti (รก รญslensku) • • •@oligneisti
Not sure what you mean by that.. which link am I showing you vs ones I'm telling you?
@oligneisti @Gargron @trinsec @khird
รli Gneisti (English)
in reply to ๐ Doc Freemo ๐ณ๐ฑ • • •The "link" you are showing me is composed of the screenshots. You are not showing me anything else. The missing links are actual hyperlinks to the rest of your claims.
@freemo
๐ Doc Freemo ๐ณ๐ฑ
in reply to รli Gneisti (English) • • •@oligneisti
Can you give a specific example of something I said that could be linked to but wasnt? I'll be happy to try to dig up relevant links to any points where such a link exists.
๐ Doc Freemo ๐ณ๐ฑ
in reply to ๐ Doc Freemo ๐ณ๐ฑ • • •@oligneisti Perhaps it would help if i quote the text of Eugen's email to me, which is the only response he ever made on the matter and refused to discuss further... but it would still require you to "trust" i am quoting faithfully.
I am also not sure if that is legal.
๐ Doc Freemo ๐ณ๐ฑ
in reply to รli Gneisti (English) • • •Troed Sรฅngberg
in reply to ๐ Doc Freemo ๐ณ๐ฑ • • •๐ Doc Freemo ๐ณ๐ฑ
in reply to Troed Sรฅngberg • • •@troed
That could be... I wanted a headline that was true, but also draw in peoples attention.
@Gargron @trinsec @khird
๐๐ FetidTrash :verified:
in reply to ๐ Doc Freemo ๐ณ๐ฑ • • •Having read all these comments, it looks like OP is attempting a smear operation on the person who runs the BEST and mostly uncensored social media site without a complete grasp of the facts. Which press outlet/ other social media site are you working for? ALL of us are comfortable being ourselves here......maybe you should embrace your "shady moron" persona and just be yourself instead of attempting to "take down" the CEO of Mastodon.
๐ Doc Freemo ๐ณ๐ฑ
in reply to ๐๐ FetidTrash :verified: • • •@FetidTrash
Funny coming from one of the instances where Eugen insists we have to defederate from if we want to be listed... but ok...
@troed @Gargron @trinsec @khird
๐ Doc Freemo ๐ณ๐ฑ
in reply to ๐๐ FetidTrash :verified: • • •@FetidTrash
I have updated the title to something more appropriate.
@troed @Gargron @trinsec @khird
Sioctan
in reply to ๐ Doc Freemo ๐ณ๐ฑ • • •๐ Doc Freemo ๐ณ๐ฑ
in reply to Sioctan • • •@Sioctan
I think ive covered that on many of my public posts lately.
@Gargron @khird @trinsec
๐ Doc Freemo ๐ณ๐ฑ
Unknown parent • • •@kjr
Yea ill add it.
@Elephantidae
Dave T-W
in reply to ๐ Doc Freemo ๐ณ๐ฑ • • •I donโt think theyโre on here yet but some of my colleagues have done a lot of work on this sort of moderation, e.g.
arxiv.org/pdf/2104.11145.pdf
arxiv.org/pdf/2204.12709.pdf
idrama.science/publications/
Publications
iDRAMA Lab๐ Doc Freemo ๐ณ๐ฑ reshared this.
ohuu
in reply to ๐ Doc Freemo ๐ณ๐ฑ • • •reshared this
๐ Doc Freemo ๐ณ๐ฑ e Jester Sk00n of Pooland reshared this.
๐ Doc Freemo ๐ณ๐ฑ
in reply to ohuu • • •@ohuu
The irony is, us being the "good guys" has us hated by all the racist/no rules part of the fediverse... We literally would have been better off and more popular if we had sided with the racists rather than the LGBTQ community... that said, I dont regret my decision.
@Gargron @trinsec @khird
E. C. Chang
in reply to ๐ Doc Freemo ๐ณ๐ฑ • • •@ohuu Being a Twitter refugee, all of this history happened before I ever heard of Mastodon. I want to both applaud and thank you for giving your marginalized community members something that even the โgood guysโ are reluctant to give them โ agency. Sure, everybody wants to be safe and deny hate a platform, but people who are vulnerable to these kinds of attacks have a right to decide what โsafeโ looks like. I think you struck the best balance you could under the circumstances. As a member of a couple of marginalized demographics, thank you for offering respect in lieu of a savior complex.
For my part, I really enjoy QOTOโs unique features and the fact that, compared to some of the big instances, it runs so smoothly and so fast. Sure, thatโs just growing pains, but I appreciate this instanceโs ability to handle the influx as well as it has. I like that my local timeline is full of science instead of drivel. Iโm grateful that thereโs a STEM-focused instance accessible to industrial scientists, who are mostly barred from the scholarly science instances due to our lack of current academic credentials. So, thanks for doing a good thing, @freemo. Weโre grateful for you and the mod team.
Iron Bug
in reply to ๐ Doc Freemo ๐ณ๐ฑ • • •and yes, I had seen that "snow" troll somewhere not that long ago. with the same avatar. I remember I just deleted its posts because they were stupid and senseless. but I see no connection between the trolls activity and the moderators and developers of Mastodon.
๐ Doc Freemo ๐ณ๐ฑ
in reply to Iron Bug • • •The connection is pretty straightfoward.. The troll spread disinformation in an attempt to get us delisted and defederated. This worked and caused some people to get angry beleiving the disinformation, Eugene knew about the disinformation and that this misinformation campaign was succeeding and delisted us out of fear of being unpopular as a result.
He knew it was the Nazi's agenda, and appeased it.
@Gargron @khird @trinsec
Iron Bug
in reply to ๐ Doc Freemo ๐ณ๐ฑ • • •Iron Bug
in reply to ๐ Doc Freemo ๐ณ๐ฑ • • •Iron Bug
in reply to Iron Bug • • •Iron Bug
in reply to Iron Bug • • •I know it's a problrm if you don't speak other languages but if such posts get in public feed from your server people may decide you support nazis.
๐ณ๏ธโ๐AaronTheMisskeyGuy๐ณ๏ธโ๐
in reply to ๐ Doc Freemo ๐ณ๐ฑ • • •๐ Doc Freemo ๐ณ๐ฑ
in reply to ๐ณ๏ธโ๐AaronTheMisskeyGuy๐ณ๏ธโ๐ • • •@AaronTheGuy
Good question, he is a friend of mine, I always welcome his input.
@stux
@acjay@qoto.orrg has moved
in reply to ๐ Doc Freemo ๐ณ๐ฑ • • •I read the title and beginning of the piece at saying that Eugen is a Nazi or has a Nazi past. I donโt think this is the message youโre trying to get across and I worry that this will be counterproductive.
Thatโs unfortunate, because I think the body of the piece is very compelling in describing the issue.
๐ Doc Freemo ๐ณ๐ฑ
in reply to @acjay@qoto.orrg has moved • • •@acjay
I updated the title just now.
@Gargron @trinsec @khird
@acjay@qoto.orrg has moved
in reply to ๐ Doc Freemo ๐ณ๐ฑ • • •๐ Doc Freemo ๐ณ๐ฑ
in reply to @acjay@qoto.orrg has moved • • •@acjay
Thanks, its important I convey this honestly.
@Gargron @trinsec @khird
casey is remote
in reply to ๐ Doc Freemo ๐ณ๐ฑ • • •๐ Doc Freemo ๐ณ๐ฑ
in reply to casey is remote • • •@realcaseyrollins
He didnt openly admit it, or even say it in so many words... A bunch of people who bought the nazi's misinformation petitioned him to remove us from the list, he did, even though he knew they were responding to said nazi's disinformation... he only responded to me in email and refused to respond to anyone else.
His email however made it clear he was responding out of popular demand.
@Gargron @trinsec @khird
casey is remote
in reply to ๐ Doc Freemo ๐ณ๐ฑ • • •reshared this
๐ Doc Freemo ๐ณ๐ฑ e Kat Moss reshared this.
๐ Doc Freemo ๐ณ๐ฑ
in reply to casey is remote • • •@realcaseyrollins
Yea in that sense it is somewhat direct
@Gargron @trinsec @khird
casey is remote
in reply to ๐ Doc Freemo ๐ณ๐ฑ • • •๐ Doc Freemo ๐ณ๐ฑ
Unknown parent • • •@kjr
I already changed the title, it no longer says that.
@Elephantidae
modrobert
in reply to ๐ Doc Freemo ๐ณ๐ฑ • • •๐ Doc Freemo ๐ณ๐ฑ reshared this.
Anti-Fatalist
in reply to modrobert • • •๐ Doc Freemo ๐ณ๐ฑ
in reply to Anti-Fatalist • • •@rbe_expert
Alternatives exist. But as the official directory this one does have the most impact.
@modrobert @Gargron @trinsec @khird
Anti-Fatalist
in reply to ๐ Doc Freemo ๐ณ๐ฑ • • •๐ Doc Freemo ๐ณ๐ฑ
in reply to Anti-Fatalist • • •@rbe_expert
i need to look them up for you, but I recall seeing handful of instance lists and directories before.
@modrobert @Gargron @trinsec @khird
Iron Bug
in reply to ๐ Doc Freemo ๐ณ๐ฑ • • •Romaq
in reply to ๐ Doc Freemo ๐ณ๐ฑ • • •Ughโฆ one of my friends reports the link doesnโt work. I recall seeing DNS was acting squirrely, but I lost the message and itโs likely buried under the churn on this thread. I can try to get more info if that would be useful. A link to where this problem has happened to someone else would let me continue the conversation there where it may be useful to someone else. The link works for me just fine out in the PNW area.
Thank you. ๐
Iron Bug
Unknown parent • • •casey is remote
Unknown parent • • •