Technology

I never interacted much with Twitter and I'm not a hardcore Mastodonian either, but I don't understand why people say it's hard to join.

For me, the process was simple:

1. Install Mastodon app
2. Create account
3. Select a server from the list presented in-app

That was it. There was only one step (selecting the server) that is different from any other site. And it didn't require SMS verification like Facebook, Twitter, and even Google do nowadays. It was objectively easier than signing up for Twitter.

Am I missing something, or did these people just shit their pants at the server selection screen? I get that it's a little unfamiliar but...just pick one. It doesn't really matter. That's the whole point.

Mastodon can be heavy on censorship by banning IP addresses rather than individual accounts. Not banning an account, but IP. So when one instance bans an IP, that means that IP is blocked from all users on that instance.

Twitter has never banned IP addresses, only accounts. Twitter does not keep a list of naughty words that result in immediate ban after posting, and suspended users can still reaxh Twitter to discuss the issue.

It seems that federated platforms are more ban happy than the corporate platforms. If Lemmy and Mastodon really want to challenge the bigger companies, protect offensive posts, protect mockery and insults, people challenging or correct someone's statement, and distinguish them from actual attacks and degrading words.