I wanna be where the people are

My number one criteria for a Twitter replacement? The people.

For some people, choosing a platform comes down to ideals first. Is it open? Where is our data stored? Am I getting an algorithm that is attempting to sensationalise dumb bullshit?

I like to consider myself in this group, but compared to the average Mastodon user, I feel like an outsider. My credentials are there:

• I stopped posting to Twitter at all, months ago
• I started posting to Mastodon, what I previously posted on Twitter
• I tried to follow everyone I previously followed on Twitter

Mostly it's been fine. I'm a nerd. I can deal with choosing an instance to start on. I can put up with the indignity of copying and pasting usernames to follow someone on a different instance. I respect the push for alt-text in images, though I feel like platforms should do a better job of pre-filling this sort of thing.

But what I don't like is missing entire groups of people. What's the point of a social media platform with perfect ideals, if half the people you want to socialise with aren't even there?

The joy of Twitter was bringing together people from unlikely worlds. Mastodon is one world. Nerd world.

Threads

Threads 'an instagram app' (aka a Meta aka Facebook) launched today. And while it's impossible to judge a social media app on their first day, I'm here to do exactly that.

It brings me no joy that the company behind Facebook and all its dodgy ways of collecting our data, has delivered a social network which fulfils my #1 criteria for a Twitter replacement: it has the people I want to follow.

I'm a user of Mastodon. I like it. My nerds are there. I enjoy seeing posts from my nerds. But I'm not a fan of Mastodon in the way many are. I'm always seeing toots (yes I continue to call them toots) about how to 'get the best out of Mastodon', which equate to: 'work harder, do more'.

I wanna be where the people are, and right now, they're on Threads.

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Post by @jeremyburge

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