Beyond Blocking: Building Trust Infrastructure for the Open Web

A Policy Case for Commons-Based Moderation in the Fediverse The problem with the current approach The normal response to harmful content and behaviour on federated social platforms today is the block. Instance administrators block other instances. Users block other users. Communities build blocklists and share them. This is understandable – it is the tool available … Continue reading Beyond Blocking: Building Trust Infrastructure for the Open Web

We live in a deathcult, what is blocking people seeing this?

In our worship of the #deathcult, if you strip away the robes, chants, and charismatic leaders, what remains is behaviour, not belief. A destructive cult is not defined by how strange it sounds, but by what it does to bodies, lives, and futures. This matters because it breaks a common illusion: cults are judged by … Continue reading We live in a deathcult, what is blocking people seeing this?

Compost the blocking, keep the seeds alive, and make space for growth

It’s good to see more people turning their focus back to the #openweb. But for the past five years of the #reboot we’ve been distracted in a signal-to-noise mess from the #fashionistas. That waisted time needs to be over, we need to start looking clearly at both internal rot and the external threats. A good … Continue reading Compost the blocking, keep the seeds alive, and make space for growth

The #NGO mess is hard blocking

People working inside non-profits often emphasize “mission” and “impact,” but we need to talk honestly about structure. Most non-profits are designed to be accountable to funders, boards, and regulatory frameworks – not to the communities they claim to serve. This isn’t necessarily about bad individuals; it’s about institutional design. The form itself grew out of … Continue reading The #NGO mess is hard blocking

The #geekproblem is soft blocking change and challenge in tech

The #geekproblem has been an ongoing issue in the development of radical and open internet paths. This is particularly evident in the influx of #mainstreaming users into the #Fediverse, bringing with them behaviours that, for us #openweb natives, are easy to recognize as part’ish, a mix of good intentions and ingrained habits that common sense … Continue reading The #geekproblem is soft blocking change and challenge in tech

How can we mediate the #NGO blocking?

The #NGO world has been both ally and obstacle for decades. Too often, NGOs smother movements with paperwork, reporting cycles, and status-quo compromises. They professionalize struggle into careers, replacing urgency with strategy documents, and radicalism with caring workshops. Survival of the institution becomes more important than the fight itself. But if we are serious about … Continue reading How can we mediate the #NGO blocking?

How we bridge current #blocking conversations for change and challenge

There’s an overwhelming amount of toxic nonsense masquerading as “common sense” in our #mainstreaming dialogue. This isn’t just a small problem; it’s a pervasive issue that stifles genuine conversation and constructive change and challenge we need. The challenge is real, but I urge you to take a moment and resist being part of this “common … Continue reading How we bridge current #blocking conversations for change and challenge

People BLOCKING needed process, or worst simply ignore it

We need to start from a simple but often-missed point – different starting assumptions lead to different processes – and those lead to very different outcomes. This is the lesson that gets lost when radical #openweb projects are treated like just another app, or reduced to a polished #NGO common sense path. The #OMN doesn’t … Continue reading People BLOCKING needed process, or worst simply ignore it

Moving through and past blocking in activism

Published Date 1/19/17 11:53 AM It can be hard to keep “bureaucratic” thinking out of activist organizing. We do have ongoing adhock strategies that work fine, but, these have issues with scaling. This is an unresolved and unlooked at. Open can help: We have a bit of friction going on, let’s all try and reduce … Continue reading Moving through and past blocking in activism

The Role of #Blocking in Horizontal Projects: Mannequins Dancing to Barely Visible Strings

(DRAFT) In this post, I explore how #blocking hinders positive social change in horizontal projects. By #blocking, I mean various tactics: ignoring core issues, prioritizing everyday agendas to obscure systemic problems, and using significant issues to distract from necessary changes. Understanding Outcome-Driven Horizontal Projects Outcome-driven horizontal projects, such as Climate Camp, face sustainability challenges. A … Continue reading The Role of #Blocking in Horizontal Projects: Mannequins Dancing to Barely Visible Strings