@rra@post.lurk.org and I have a new, #OpenAccess article out: “Shifting your research from X to Mastodon? Here’s what you need to know”

https://www.cell.com/action/showPdf?pii=S2666-3899(23)00323-9

This article is an opinion piece in which we argue that social scientists cannot simply port their work from X to #Mastodon or the rest of the #fediverse. There are key differences in culture, expectations of privacy, and of course topology to consider.

  • E. Ernst eest9 Steinhammer@chaos.social
    1·
    10 months ago

    @rwg@aoir.social I would refrain from calling fediverse (or mastodon) a “platform”. It’s not more or less a platform as is E-Mail (or gemail for that regard). Facebook and X are platforms because they are closed gardens without interoperability, and the term was specifically coined to describe such services. The fediverse is a network, ActivityPub is a protocol and mastodon is a service within this network. @rra@post.lurk.org @commodon@sciences.social @academicchatter@a.gup.pe

    • Robert W. Gehl@aoir.socialOP
      1·
      10 months ago

      @eest9@chaos.social @rra@post.lurk.org @commodon@sciences.social @academicchatter@a.gup.pe

      Thanks for the feedback! To be honest, I don’t mind using another term. I think “platform” as a term is borderline meaningless, given how many different ways it’s used:

      • to describe operating systems
      • in reference to gaming systems
      • as a means for someone to speak
      • as a set of political doctrines
      • as a reference to specific corporate social media

      So feel free to mentally substitute “service” if you like.