Newsmast

Let your hair down, it's Newsmast on Newsmast 🕺 Here we share long form updates, thoughts, feelings, hopes & dreams, as well as our favourite bits & pieces from across our communities.

Say hi 👋 Our small team is here for the 09:00-17:00, Monday to Friday BST.

You can also find us on mastodon.social at https://mastodon.social/@newsmast

Foundation Website: https://www.newsmastfoundation.org/
Newsmast Web App: https://newsmast.org/
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/newsmast
Email: support@newsmast.org

Public Key

npub1dadlt8w9ryy0q8vssllwjrsayxlh0rfgu8mddgkmuajjh3ed9shqvny568

NIP-05 Address

newsmast_at_newsmast.social@momostr.pink

Profile Code

nprofile1qqsx7kl4nhz3jz8srkgg0lhfpcwjr0mh355wrakk5td7weftcukjctsgwd26a

Author Public Key

npub1dadlt8w9ryy0q8vssllwjrsayxlh0rfgu8mddgkmuajjh3ed9shqvny568

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Last Notes

2024-09-13 14:20:09

We're just going over our demo for @npub1cza…d6az one last time before we show it off tomorrow.
It's looking great! 👀
#Fediverse #SocialWeb #Mastodon #Demo #Technology
https://s3-eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/newsmast/media_attachments/files/113/130/681/651/371/866/original/a09aeb355ee915e5.mp4

2024-09-13 11:47:55

We saw the Threads team launch a link designed specifically to help encourage users to turn on Fediverse sharing at yesterday's FediForum.
You can bet we'll be using it convince more influential organisations and individuals to share with the Fediverse so you can follow them without having to use Meta technology 🙌
Read more about it here: https://techcrunch.com/2024/09/12/threads-makes-it-easier-to-evangelize-the-open-social-web-with-a-new-direct-link-feature/
#Fediverse #Threads #SocialWeb #SocialMedia

2024-08-28 15:53:53

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Hi. Yes, please wait some time.
Sometimes the servers get a bit clogged up but hopefully they'll be running smoothly again soon.
If you're still seeing issues in a day or two please let us know! You can email support@newsmast.org

2024-08-05 09:59:51

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Hi, boosting content is at the heart of the Fediverse and is essential to server connection. Our Community Feeds are a part of that.
We appreciate not everyone wants their content boosted, so feel free to block newsmast.community to stop the server being able to see your posts or, if your instance doesn't allow server-wide blocking, let us know and we'll action it from our end. Once you block or are suspended from a server all your content is removed.

2024-07-25 12:00:04

Most people try to escape Twitter but we're going back 👀
As a nonprofit committed to helping people find social media that works better for them and to growing the Fediverse and wider Social Web - it's our role to show people who don't want to support Musk's platform that there are alternatives.
We've been working on Threads & Bluesky in a similar way, encouraging federation, but now we're ready to really get our hands dirty. Wish us luck.
#Fediverse #Mastodon #SocialMedia

2024-07-10 09:45:27

Congrats to [@matej_svancer](https://mastodon.social/@matej_svancer ) & the team at @npub1nwk…dgjz for putting together a great app that breaks down the walls of social media!
We're looking forward to driving forward an open social web with you 🎉

2024-07-09 13:00:11

Our Foundation was created to preserve the integrity of knowledge-sharing social media communities which emerged on Twitter from conflict.
Now we’re building a better social internet, a social web where democracy, learning, and respect are at the forefront - with experts leading the conversation.
If you want to be a part of it, we’d appreciate your support by donating on our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/TheNewsmastFoundation
#charity #fediverse #patreon #technology

2024-07-04 19:00:05

If you're in the UK and you haven't voted yet, you have until 10pm! 🕘
Don't forget, you'll need valid ID. More detail here: https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/voting-and-elections/voter-id/accepted-forms-photo-id
We're looking forward to seeing you all in the morning.
#generalelection #UK #vote #4thJuly #fediverse

2024-07-04 10:17:08

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Hope you're enjoying it! We wouldn't have been able to do it without your work at Phanpy 🐘 🧡
We're hoping to keep adding new bits to it to further Feed customisation in the future!

2024-07-03 08:34:26

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Hey Carlos, I've passed this question onto our devs but haven't heard anything back yet! Will let you know when I hear back 🙂

2024-07-02 11:18:30

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Hi Carlos.
We've passed this onto our devs and found the issue. Frendica isn't compatible with our complex Mastodon sign-in service, which talks directly to the Mastodon API in order to display two servers side by side.
This being said, we're having a look into options to set up a basic version of guest sign-in for Friendica servers - similar to what you see on other clients. We'll put out an announcement if we have any breakthroughs.
Sorry we can't help more!

2024-07-01 16:00:27

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Hi again, thanks for sending this through.
I'll pass it onto our devs now and hopefully we'll have a fix soon - we'll keep you updated.

2024-07-01 13:13:00

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Thanks for sharing a screenshot, it seems like you might be right and it's an issue on mas.to. We encountered a similar thing on newsmast.social but thankfully we ironed it out.
If you report the issue to the team at mas.to, feel free to give them our email at support@newsmast.org in case they need any advice!

2024-07-01 10:00:01

Today is International Joke Day.
Brighten the day of your followers by sharing your best (or worse) joke and share with the @npub1awy…l395 Feed using #humour . We’ll start:
Want to hear a joke about a roof? The first one’s on the house.
#joke #InternationalJokeDay #mastodon

2024-07-01 08:27:16

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Amazing! Let us know how you find it!

2024-06-30 19:00:05

"Trying to keep up with social media is hard. You look away for a few hours and you've missed loads. I've been using the Amplifier to try and catch up on all that stuff I miss when I put my phone down." - @npub1w44…a3gm
You can Amplifier your timeline by logging into the Newsmast app with your Mastodon account and turning the Amplifier on in settings!
We’d love to hear your thoughts and when you’ve been using it.
#fediverse #mastodon #tech #socialmedia
https://s3-eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/newsmast/media_attachments/files/112/707/109/044/948/892/original/b23a7299a3b8e11d.png

2024-06-28 08:30:43

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So, only once a post has made it past those checks and appears on the Newsmast Community timeline in the app, it is boosted by a Community Feed automated account.
Hope that makes sense, if not let us know!

2024-06-28 08:30:34

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Likewise, accounts which make it through these checks but have low quality content or post too regularly are muted.
All these decisions have been made by our team and we constantly review them to keep our Communities in the loop. However, it's not always perfect and some things do slip through.

2024-06-28 08:30:19

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Our feeds mirror the Communities in Newsmast, so they reposts the posts you can see in the topical feeds in Newsmast - our Mastodon app.
These feeds work by pulling in content on a number of relevant hashtags, or from followed experts. They then go through a series of filters to remove content which goes against our Community Guidelines or isn't relevant to the Community.

2024-06-28 08:21:47

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Hi Carlos, thanks for reaching out.
If you can, please can you send us a screenshot or recording of when the issue is occuring in the login process?
We'll then be able to pass that onto our dev team and see if they can work it out.

2024-06-28 00:00:05

We think this can shake up social media 🕺
Our new Amplifier lets you curate your timeline as you scroll with the flick of a switch and personalise your social web.
By simplifying your feed, you can catch up on conversations that matter to you. Just turn on the Amplifier in your Newsmast settings!
Now on the Newsmast app, update or download on the App & Play Stores then login with your Mastodon account.
#fediverse #fedidev #tech #fediadmin #mastodon
https://s3-eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/newsmast/media_attachments/files/112/691/301/823/592/851/original/6e21d617513ef266.png

2024-06-27 15:01:10

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Fediverse platforms shun timeline rigging for chronology. This is a step in the right direction, reducing opportunities for growth hacking & rage baiting.
We’re taking it a step further by putting the user more firmly in control.
Soon, you’ll be able to tweak each timeline by turning content from Bluesky, Threads & the Fediverse on or off. The Amplifier is scalable, flexible and central to our plans for Newsmast, allowing you to amplify diverse voices and curate your experience in detail.

2024-06-27 15:00:55

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“The Algorithm” is a mythic black box that dominates almost all of what we see online. Machines watch us from behind the curtain, ready to pounce with the offer “If you like this, then you'll like…”
But it's becoming increasingly clear these unaccountable machines have huge impacts on behaviour and are linked to numerous harms, including consequences for mental health and political polarisation.

2024-06-27 15:00:42

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The Amplifier is starting with:
✅ Focus on posts. Hide reposts, replies or both, or bring them to the surface.
✅ Catch up. Rewind 1, 2, 12 hours or more. Back to where you left off your last scroll.
Enable the Amplifier in the settings menu.

2024-06-27 15:00:06

🚨New Feature: Fine tune your timeline with the Amplifier.
From today, you have more control over your timeline in the Newsmast app.
Newsmast’s Amplifier lets you fine tune what you see, giving you controls to level out the noise and boost what you care about.
Find out more below 👇
#mastodon #fediverse #fedidev #technology #tech #OSS

2024-06-27 14:32:24

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If you have any other questions, feel free to let us know or drop us an email at support@newsmast.org!

2024-06-27 14:32:13

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The Communities are inspired by the topical categories you'd find in a newspaper, so we've tried to fill them with experts and posts on certain subjects. We hand-built the relays which pull content in and the filters which keep everything on topic and safe.
It's not always perfect, but we're pretty proud of what we've done using the limited technology of Mastodon to create these workaround topical feeds.

2024-06-27 14:31:47

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Hi Toni, glad you like it!
Newsmast Communities have been around for a while now. They went live when we first launched last Autumn and we started boosting them back to Mastodon a few months ago (because we thought they were too good not to share), these are our Community Feeds which you've noticed boosting your posts.

2024-06-27 13:00:15

We think this can shake up social media.
Introducing our new Amplifier: Curate your timeline as you scroll with the flick of a switch and personalise your social web.
By simplifying your feed, you can catch up on conversations that matter to you. Just turn on the Amplifier in your Newsmast settings!
Now on the Newsmast app, update or download on the App & Play Stores then login with your Mastodon account.
#fediverse #fedidev #tech #fediadmin #mastodon
https://s3-eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/newsmast/media_attachments/files/112/688/707/193/160/250/original/4960fd2ef27feaab.png

2024-06-27 01:00:16

Join Bob Carver in exploring the ever-evolving landscape of cybersecurity and technology. With expertise in infosec, privacy, AI, ML, and blockchain, Bob offers valuable insights.
Follow [@cybersecboardrm.bsky.social](https://bsky.brid.gy/r/https://bsky.app/profile/cybersecboardrm.bsky.social ) to stay informed on the latest. You can also follow the Newsmast Technology Community in the Newsmast app or its Mastodon mirror, the @npub150n…4nfk Feed!
#Technology #AI

2024-06-26 16:03:27

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We understand that point of view, which is why we completely understand if users want to make that decision themselves. We have built settings into the Newsmast app to control federation specifically for this reason.
However, due to the enormous size of Threads - which has both good and bad implications - we don't think it's fair to make that decision for our users.

2024-06-26 13:00:05

BETA federation on Threads has expanded to over 100+ countries! 🙌
What does this mean for us? It means the team here at The Newsmast Foundation will expand our efforts to bring the best minds across the social web to topical Communities.
We've already seen some important people federate, now lets see who else we can get onboard!
If you don't want to see Threads users, please block the threads.net domain or turn off federation in your Newsmast app settings.
#federation #threads

2024-06-26 09:35:41

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Hi Robin, thanks for flagging.
We've looked into this and have found that this post violates our Community Guidelines.
We will now delete the post from our server and take appropriate action against the account.
Again, thank you for bringing this to our attention. If you see anything else don't hesitate to let us know!

2024-06-26 01:00:01

Professor Costa Samaras is a leading voice on Climate Change.
Costa navigates its complexities alongside energy, emerging tech, and policy. Serving as Director of the Carnegie Mellon University Institute for Energy Innovation and leveraging their past role as former Biden White House OSTP Chief Advisor for the Clean Energy Transition, Costa provides a wealth of knowledge.
Follow them at: [@costasamaras.bsky.social](https://bsky.brid.gy/r/https://bsky.app/profile/costasamaras.bsky.social )
#ClimateChange #GlobalWarming

2024-06-17 09:43:38

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Glad you agree! If you go back through our recent post history you can find some really interesting people from Bluesky who have federated!

2024-06-14 16:01:03

This week may not have been the week we planned, but we’re keeping our Wildest Dreams alive, Shaking it Off, and going into the weekend full of optimism for next week.
If you can’t tell, the Eras Tour has hit the UK so we thought we’d jump on board. We may not have had as many eras as Taylor, but we’re building a sustainable and democratic future for the eras to come in social media.
We’ll be back on Monday at 9am BST! If you need any help, feel free to reach out then.

2024-06-14 14:58:11

10 Communities have been broadcasting to Bluesky for 3 weeks 🦋
Now, we’re going further & exploring how to connect more communities at the grassroots across Fediv & Bluesky - beyond platforms & protocols.
We’ll be bridging all Feeds from Monday. Follow @npub1pqr…2sck and your posts the Feeds already boost to the Fediverse will be broadcast to Bluesky too.
Not your bag? We understand, plus you don’t have to do anything! But you can block @bsky.brid.gy to be sure.
#fediverse
https://s3-eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/newsmast/media_attachments/files/112/615/550/838/283/825/original/f842c002c2daca20.png

2024-06-14 01:00:01

🚀 Theoretical astrophysicist Peter Coles has bridged to the Fediverse!
On Bsky, Peter shares their thoughts and insights into the complex world of astrophysics (as well as the odd joke here and there). You can follow them here: [@telescoper.bsky.social](https://bsky.brid.gy/r/https://bsky.app/profile/telescoper.bsky.social )
Now we get to welcome another bridged space expert to the Newsmast Space Community, and the @npub19px…ywv7 Feed!
#space #astrophysics #cosmology #astronomy #astrodon

2024-06-12 13:00:08

The Newsmast app is available on iOS, Android, and desktop - better yet, you can log in with your current Mastodon account!
See 62 topical timelines alongside your home server, everything from Politics to Pets.
If you haven’t already, give it a try! Feel free to let us know what you think here or by leaving a review.
https://www.newsmastfoundation.org/download-the-app/
#mastodon #fediverse #app #technology

2024-06-10 09:35:09

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Hi! Apologies, we're only just picking this up after the weekend! Any delays may have been caused by some work we were doing last week but I'll have a look at the feeds now and see if they're up to date.

2024-06-06 10:32:43

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Hi, you can enable notifications by opening the Newsmast app permissions. If you need help with this, just let us know what operating system you're on!
This being said, our dev team are currently working on some adjustments to notifications to make them more reliable and improve the user experience. I've you've noticed some issues, feel free to let us know. Any information you give can help our devs improve the Newsmast app.

2024-06-05 12:00:04

How does tailoring your timeline with the flick of a switch sound?
Our new Amplifier, coming tomorrow 😱
Hear from the voices you care about by filtering your timeline as you scroll or turn back time and see what you missed.
Download the Newsmast app now to try it out when it goes live - you can login with your Mastodon account!
#fediverse #comingsoon #fedidev
https://s3-eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/newsmast/media_attachments/files/112/563/899/755/118/176/original/194de7f8413d4af2.png

2024-05-30 12:17:55

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As on the Fediverse, Photography is strong on Threads, due to the link to Instagram, but has a limited presence on Bluesky. However, academics have transferred to Bluesky in a number of fields. By contrast, very few academics have joined Threads, with some disciplines completely absent. The Fediverse has been established for longer, and has attracted a wider spread of participants across knowledge sharing Communities.

2024-05-30 12:17:28

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First, we mapped the Fediverse. Now we’re publishing a second study, mapping the wider social web - Bluesky and Threads.
This is one of the first efforts to build a picture of interconnected conversations across the social web. Our starting point is how local conversations on these different ecosystems map onto the 62 topics at the core of Newsmast.
We’ve found big differences, and a few areas of overlap. Only Politics and US Politics are strong communities on all three platforms.

2024-05-30 12:16:19

Politics drives knowledge sharing across the Fediverse, Bluesky & Threads.
The team at The Newsmast Foundation are excited to share new, original research on the social web, communities, and how we all fit together!
There’s a summary below 👇 or read the full report here: https://www.newsmastfoundation.org/our-blog/mapping-the-social-web/
#fediverse #socialmedia #threads #bluesky #socialweb #tech

2024-05-24 16:04:26

It's 5pm on a Friday for the Nwesmast team which means we're turning off our screens and putting our feet up! 😎
We'll be back next week on tuesday at 9am BST (it's a bank holiday in the UK!).
If you need any help, leave us a message and we'll pick it up when we're back.
Hope everyone has a great weekend!
#weekend #fediverse

2024-05-24 14:00:05

If you use the Newsmast app, you can turn federation on and off easily.
Just check your settings, from there you can make the decision whether or not you want to see content from Threads, Bluesky, or neither!
We want you to have the choice.
Any questions? Just reach out.
#fediverse #fedidev #tech #socialmedia
https://s3-eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/newsmast/media_attachments/files/112/496/423/914/924/484/original/cbf79a22000f351b.png

2024-05-23 14:53:59

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For us bridging to Bluesky, and next to Nostr, isn’t about shitposters or bitcoiners, but to engage with thoughtful, stimulating people - and there are lots out there. That’s why we’re expanding our contributors, and launching opt-in posts from our Feeds on Bluesky.

2024-05-23 14:53:45

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People before protocols. We don’t want Fediverse servers to be just nodes or relays. Even if a service runs on ActivityPub, it’s not always right to connect to it. And sometimes to reach interesting people, we’ll need to connect across protocols.

2024-05-23 14:53:25

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Equally as we increase connectivity, it’s essential to double down on moderation - adding more layers, at server level & across the network. The recent issue with spam hitting Bluesky from Nostr, via Mastodon and Bridgy Fed, shows how important this is. FediCheck, FIRES and Bluesky’s composable moderation are all great initiatives. We’re working on this too with Patchwork, our suite of server plug-ins.

2024-05-23 14:53:07

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Consent and connectivity. The Fediverse is a safe place for people to flee toxic social media. We need to hold on to this. As the hub expands its connections, at the same time we should carve out spaces which prioritise consent above connectivity. Not everyone wants to join “big fedi”, and we should respect that.

2024-05-23 14:52:48

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Technology that puts values first
At Newsmast we believe this position as a hub gives the Fediverse authority and influence - so values matter - along with the technology to put those principles into practice. Here are a few of the principles we’re following...

2024-05-23 14:52:22

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Flipboard has federated with the Fediverse, followed by Threads. Other major organisations are lining up. Now, there’s a working two-way bridge to Bluesky, with Nostr to follow.
Once Threads implements two-way federation, Threads, Bluesky and Nostr users will all be able to interact, via the Fediverse.

2024-05-23 14:52:11

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The Fediverse: a hub for the wider social web
The Fediverse has around a million monthly active core users. Increasingly they are connected with millions more as the Fediverse emerges as a hub for the wider social web, giving it significant influence.

2024-05-23 14:51:53

From today, contributors from the wider social web will appear in Newsmast Communities.
To outline our vision for a values first network, our director @npub1qm3…d0q6 wanted to share this 👇
#fediverse #mastodon #socialweb #threads #bluesky #tech #newsmast
https://s3-eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/newsmast/media_attachments/files/112/490/951/249/297/517/original/6ea4eb815b8a22bb.png

2024-05-17 10:27:35

✅ Change domain to X.com
✅ Watch a spike in traffic from late night users
✅ Break website
Musk: 🤔
#socialmedia #elon #twitter
https://s3-eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/newsmast/media_attachments/files/112/455/759/861/197/359/original/ede98bd7c2fdfdc0.png

2024-05-10 12:12:32

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With Bluesky bridged two-way and Threads federating one-way, we’re now going to extend our knowledge-sharing Communities by bringing in hand-picked contributors from these two sources. All our moderation - blocks, filters and human moderation - will remain in place.

2024-05-10 12:12:21

The Fediverse is emerging as a hub for the wider social web.
You can see our thoughts about it and what we're doing to welcome it on the thread below 👇
#fediverse #socialmedia #threads #bluesky

2024-04-26 15:14:40

At Newsmast we believe the future of the social web is in the hands of journalists.
If trusted news sources make the bold decision to leave platforms like Musk’s Twitter, we stand a chance at creating a better democratic social media which serves all.
[@FreddieJ](https://newsmast.social/@FreddieJ) went for a trip to Perugia, Italy to meet with some of the journalists at the International Journalism Festival and talk about how we can support the shift away from Big Tech.
#journalism #fediverse #socialweb #news #journalists #IJF

2024-04-24 11:31:04

With the weather getting warmer and picnic season being right around the corner it's time to get up-to-date with the freshest and most delicious recipes.
Head to our Food & Drink community and learn how to make the best salads or the most delicious quiches. If savory is not for you there sure will be many sweet recipes.
Follow us and share the recipes you loved and (maybe) tried. Join all foodies here: https://newsmast.org/communities/status/food_drink
#mastodon #food #drink
https://s3-eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/newsmast/media_attachments/files/112/325/967/667/913/142/original/4da5ea86e595ef57.png

2024-04-23 12:58:37

Tumbling down the internet's memory lane led us to an iconic find: This spring is the 30th anniversary of the Really Big Button That Does Absolutely Nothing! 🔴
At the time, Paul Mitchell observed: "I think there’s something wrong with the Big Red Button. It doesn’t seem to do anything."
You have no idea what this is? We're here to help. It's a '94 relic is the epitome of internet randomness. Experience it here: https://krystalrose.com/rosewood/library/BigButton.htm
#InternetHistory #Internet #BigRedButton #mastodon

2024-04-04 11:41:55

People like to say it’s all tech… but to really understand Communities on the Fediverse, we’ve done some research.
You can see what we’ve found in our new report, Mapping Fediverse Communities, available for download on our website: https://www.newsmastfoundation.org/blog-mapping-fediverse-communities/
Or check out the thread below for a summary 👇
Please boost and if you have any comments or want to offer your expertise, reach out!
#newsmast #socialmedia #mastodon #fediverse #fedidev #fediadmin #boost #communities
https://s3-eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/newsmast/media_attachments/files/112/212/758/044/805/162/original/2f67643de8c7631a.png

2024-03-20 18:05:15

It's been really interesting to see [@jaz](https://mastodon.iftas.org/@jaz) and the team at [@iftas](https://mastodon.iftas.org/@iftas) discussing their vision for connecting moderators across the Fediverse.
At Newsmast we've recently been reaching out to other moderators and admins to help us with content we may not have the context or language skills to understand.
It'll be great to have a simple way for moderators to communicate and learn from one another!
[@fediforum](https://a.gup.pe/u/fediforum)
#FediForum #newsmast