cross-posted from: https://quokk.au/c/fediverse/p/887450/piefed-flagship-instance-shadowbanning-instances-from-discoverability-other-questionable-upd

This morning while checking if Quokk.au’s new instance logo was federated out, I discovered that overnight we had been shadowbanned from the PieFed.Social Instance Chooser (This is a tool to help spread out users across the platform and help avoid funnelling users into the largest.)

Knowing that Rimu was happy to explain, I just asked for some clarification as we were visible on every other PieFed instance except his.

Apparently for ’ obvious reasons ', of which I can only assume is our left leaning anarchist/pro-trans stance we were chosen not be advertised on the PieFed flagship instance and first point of contact for many potential new users. Seeing as a large portion of our new users found us via this method, it will have a tangible effect on a small instance such as ours.

This was a pretty sad sight to see, and reflects the sort of petty drama that is emanating from the PieFed project lately. It’s now the third such move to discredit and harm left leaning instances by PieFed’s lead developer. This also shows a trend towards autocratic unilateral decision-making on Piefed.social, of which is starting to be run as a personal fiefdom without consulting the team or users.

I must commend Lemmy.ml for remaining neutral and not letting its own political leanings influence join-lemmy.org, while simultaneously condemn PieFed.social for this immature move that is harmful to the health of the Fediverse.

Following this exchange, Rimu announced a new update to PieFed allowing for some rather concerning things.

  • Modlog: Reason for the action is only shown from trusted instances, so abusive mods won’t have an audience. Admins can still see the reason though. Which instances are trusted is set in the admin UI.

This feature means problematic users can now go undetected, and will harm moderators ability to view their past moderation history. For example PieFed.social runs a ‘trusted’ list of only 34 instances, meaning any mod action taken by any of the hundreds of instances outside of this will not show up. So for example if Quokk.au was to ban a user for transphobia (our most common ban), this will not be reflected for piefed.social users potentially leading towards more hate speech on the Fediverse.

  • Instance silencing similar to Mastodon. A silenced instance is not defederated from but their posts do not show in the Popular or All feeds and their communities are not shown in Starter packs aka Topics. Their communities can still be found in the communities list and joined in the normal way. Once joined, posts in there show up in the subscribed feed as usual.

This is another way to shadowban instances and not ‘advertise’ them. Surely if an instance is problematic enough that a defederation would be in order rather than this reddit-like move.

edit. Hello anyone from the piefed.social thread snoopy locked to preemptively prevent mod work. More interesting mod chose to only attack me and others outside of the piefed.social thread 🤔

  • wjs018@piefed.wjs018.xyzEnglish
    151·
    1 day ago

    Yeah, there was recently a case where somebody was doxxed in the modlog. At that moment, there really wasn’t anything that you can do about it. So, being able to have some control over modlog visibility is a way to prevent abuses like that.

    • Unruffled [they/them]@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
      73·
      1 day ago

      But “some control over modlog visibility” is inevitably going to be abused to protect problematic mods and admins. A right of reply, or a context field added to the modlog record would be a better approach, where subsequent actions can be listed and clarified. It’s also kind of amazing he just went ahead with these changes without broad consultation with piefed users or admins, or with the wider fediverse, since it effectively break normal federation.

        • null@piefed.nullspace.lolEnglish
          51·
          12 hours ago

          And til just a name is now doxing

          Now you’re downplaying doxxing, you really are shameless.

        • Snoopy@piefed.socialEnglish
          42·
          13 hours ago

          I was one of the first to suggest this very idea that unruffled talk about. It was in threadiverse defence chat the 23 April :

          threadiverse defence right to reply

          Then, later i developped the idea on Piefed zulip chat.

          i also agree with unruffled about this part :

          But “some control over modlog visibility” is inevitably going to be abused to protect problematic mods and admins.

          That was my experience from Reddit

          And last point, i’m an anarchist. I don’t read Proudhon as Libb do but i worked in self-managed collective IRL several years ago. And learned lot things, suggested ideas, voted. I was part of the core organization with seven people. So i’m not sure where we are going.

          We may disagree, but both side are right. And i wouldn’t minimize the impact of having your real name exposed on internet. Some activists may face trouble with the police, harrassement…

          Yes, i will lock your post like the other posts. If you read the other posts i explain why, i can’t handle a heated debate. I need to protect myself. And here is part of my answer to your earlier question when we were playing cat & mouse :

          Me: […] I also manage several communities beside this one and i’m doing it during my free time. So…

          You: Yes the game of sharing info, which I now see is not allowed here.

          Me: Why those three posts are here ? And the comments from mia ? dbzer0 ? Everyone exposed their point of view

          So, thank for your comment. Let’s call a day.

          • Diva (she/her)@lemmy.mlEnglish
            41·
            12 hours ago

            I don’t read Proudhon as Libb do

            it’s probably for the best that you don’t. certainly not to read him uncritically, he was a misogynist and anti-semite. completely baffling to be telling people to ‘read proudhon’ as libb does.

            • Snoopy@piefed.socialEnglish
              3·
              8 hours ago

              I didn’t know until until dbzer0 or unruffled told us about it.

              However dunno if its ideas on property are still revalants today. For example i enjoyed a lot songs from Léo Ferré but a woman told me he was mysognist…and i was unterly baffled by his comment…but its song were powerful. Maybe there is good part ? Or everything is terrible ?

              There are lot books to read, and it pile up. For now i focusing on book that study fascism. It. Maybe i should try audio book but that’s harder because i’m deaf. I’m kinda jealous of hearing people, they are lucky. TT.TT

              • Diva (she/her)@lemmy.mlEnglish
                51·
                7 hours ago

                i did qualify that it’s important to read things critically; there can be things which you take away that resonate even if the source is problematic. for example his sentiment of wanting build a society where he would be eventually also be eliminated for being too right wing. generally i try not to limit myself to any one author, i’ll even read marxists for their perspective.

                that said it does take time and effort though to read things critically. that’s why i point out that just straight up saying ‘read proudhon’ is not doing anyone any favors, isn’t educating people, and just looks like posturing. it also reminds me of people saying ‘read bookchin’; another guy who makes some good points, but also has a lot of issues and should really be read critically.

                Maybe i should try audio book but that’s harder because i’m deaf.

                i have a lot of friends who swear by audiobook, but i can’t really focus on analyzing what’s being said if it’s being read to me.