I just applied for access

I don't know how many steps there are, but the form was simpler then most on line forms, so calling BS on that part of your post

as for the rest, I don't know how many users bluesky or mastodon had had in the first few weeks, but it probably wasn't m any

when I first got on fedi, around nov 2024, I created maybe 6 accounts, several on mastodon some on other fedi platforms and most of those acounts I never used

Are you allowed to sign up before you ID yourself, and not allowed to participate until you do?

If so, then I'd certainly be looking at the ID validation process to see why people can't make it through it--if this was my product and I wanted it to work for people.

Of course maybe I wouldn't care. Maybe I'm just doing it to get rich while I destroy the opportunity for this thing to actually get built so that it DOES work for people.

Thanks for the update Elena.

What i still find utterly baffling is the involvement of top EU politicians right from the start. When WSocial was announced at Davos, only a few presentation slides and probably a "Coming soon" website were available. But instead of waiting for the company to establish at least *some* kind of track record, these politicians jumped right on board. Why? Based on what exactly?

No matter how I try to make sense of this, I fail. Every time.

And the numbers you posted are devastating. No matter what we on the #fediverse think about this project, if it truly fails, the embarrassment will be epic. Not just for the politicians involved, but it also sends such a terrible signal to the rest of the world: "Europe can't do technology".

Argh.

Edit: Grammar

Let's hope this continues. It should - anyone bothered about data security is probably already here on Mastodon, and anyone who isn't certainly isn't about to leave Feckbook and Twatter.

Also, a 13-step identity process????? hahahahahahahaha

@janeishly there's a glorious video about it - linked here: aseachange.com/@elena/statuses… (routine reminder that my post on GtS was sarcastic and not at all an endorsement)

Elena Rossini on GoToSocial ⁂

2026-06-18 10:42:11

How to create an account on #WSocial in 13 easy steps:

1️⃣ choose a username
2️⃣ choose a password
3️⃣ choose your interests
4️⃣ download the #WIdentity app to your phone (two options: Apple AppStore or Google Play Store)
5️⃣ scan a QR code
6️⃣ create a PIN code
optional: enable biometrics; re-enter PIN
7️⃣ choose whether you simply want to verify that you're human or if you also want to verify your name
8️⃣ choose the verification method (automatic photo review, request a manual review or scan your passport chip)
9️⃣ scan your passport's picture page
1️⃣0️⃣ scan your passport's chip
1️⃣1️⃣ take a selfie
1️⃣2️⃣ scan a QR code to link the W Identity to your W Social account
1️⃣3️⃣ enter your PIN code

Congratulations, you're verified*!

(* for two years)

Demonstration in all its simple glory here:

📺​: inv.nadeko.net/Vcq4MiabpEQ

Please save this toot as reference if you ever hear somebody say that IT'S TOO COMPLICATED TO JOIN THE FEDIVERSE BECAUSE YOU NEED TO PICK A SERVER 🤡​

#SocialMedia

@randy indeed aseachange.com/@elena/statuses…

Elena Rossini on GoToSocial ⁂

2026-06-18 10:42:11

How to create an account on #WSocial in 13 easy steps:

1️⃣ choose a username
2️⃣ choose a password
3️⃣ choose your interests
4️⃣ download the #WIdentity app to your phone (two options: Apple AppStore or Google Play Store)
5️⃣ scan a QR code
6️⃣ create a PIN code
optional: enable biometrics; re-enter PIN
7️⃣ choose whether you simply want to verify that you're human or if you also want to verify your name
8️⃣ choose the verification method (automatic photo review, request a manual review or scan your passport chip)
9️⃣ scan your passport's picture page
1️⃣0️⃣ scan your passport's chip
1️⃣1️⃣ take a selfie
1️⃣2️⃣ scan a QR code to link the W Identity to your W Social account
1️⃣3️⃣ enter your PIN code

Congratulations, you're verified*!

(* for two years)

Demonstration in all its simple glory here:

📺​: inv.nadeko.net/Vcq4MiabpEQ

Please save this toot as reference if you ever hear somebody say that IT'S TOO COMPLICATED TO JOIN THE FEDIVERSE BECAUSE YOU NEED TO PICK A SERVER 🤡​

#SocialMedia

92% have never* published a single post

Do you have any data on how this compares to the Fediverse? There seem to be three ways people use social media:

• As a broadcast medium. There are some popular accounts here that never reply to comments under their posts, they just use it as a blog that’s easy for people to follow and promote.
• As a discussion environment, like a web forum, where they post but also reply to comments under their and other posts, as members of communities.
• As a better RSS, where they can subscribe to a bunch of sources but never post.

The Fediverse is weirdly hostile to the last one (lots of people require approval to follow and don’t allow followers who have no posts and no public profile) yet strangely accepting of the first (I consider it against the ideals of a community space).

I’d imagine that a lot of people in the second category start in the first, so median time to first post for people who do post might also be interesting. Lurk, find communities you like, then join them and slowly become an active participant is an entirely valid strategy. That requires enough people posting on enough topics that people can find communities that they want, which 8 why it’s hard to bootstrap.

@aleksei @david_chisnall in order to post you need to verify your identity with a government ID and following a 13-step process on W Identity. Every day I read complaints of people who say that the process is buggy.

I also downloaded the entire Eurosky PDS to make a comparison and over there I think it half of accounts who have never posted anything (original post or reply). Two very different realities.

Numbers are pretty eloquent here

@molenaar thank you!!!!! 🙌

But as a clarification, when I say ewww social I mean eYou dot social - extremely problematic for a long long list of reasons that defy Mastodon’s 500 character limit 🤡

@janeishly

@janeishly My goodness. I saw the video about how to apply to an eww.social account, and it is not exactly a tiktok size video. In almost every step of it, my situation would fail:

• I do not have a Google or Apple playstore on my phone. In fact, I took a lot of effort to remove Google from my device by installing LineageOS. So no identity app if it is not on F-droid or available as a download (but then I really have to trust it, which in this case I certainly don't).
• Being security minded, I off course disabled all NFC functionality on my phone. I have another phone that does not even have an NFC chip.
• Scan all the biometric data in your passport along with the key over the internet? No. I mean: hell no! I don't want to swear, but NO! You are calling this system safe? Safe for whom?
• Also, you need a laptop AND a mobile to do the QR code dance? Because the mobile has to take the picture and the laptop camera has to take a picture of the QR code on your phone. That is also excluding a lot of people.

In short, this is Digital Exclusion written in hand-painted guilded capitals. And if you think only security minded people are excluded, just imagine guiding your grandma through all these steps.

It really surprises me that eww.social has any users at all, given how badly they piss off anyone who dares to apply.