The #XMPP Newsletter for April 2024 is out!

Read about the latest XMPP universe updates and the latest updates on our #standards!

xmpp.org/2024/05/the-xmpp-news…

Enjoy reading! 📰 ☕

#jabber #decentralization #federation #chat

Sensitive content Reveal/hide

Recent events have spurred some great discussion of fediverse safety and the ways that we can improve it. I'm thrilled to see the growing interest in this problem, but there's one specific angle that concerns me. Specifically, the push for allow-list federation.

First, some background information. Federation between instances is usually controlled by restricting which remote instances (identified by domain name) can send or receive messages from the local instance. In the majority of fedi servers, this is implemented with a "deny list" - a list of instance domains that should be blocked. When using a deny list, all unlisted domains can communicate by default.

This is in contrast with an "allow list", which specifies the domains that should not be blocked. When using an allow list, all unlisted domains are blocked and can not communicate. Deny-list federation is open except for specific routes, and allow-list federation is closed except for specific routes. There are other approaches, but these are by far the most common.

Now, moving on to my actual point. I've recently seen some discussion of using allow-list federation as means to improve user safety. This idea, while very well-intended, is unfortunately flawed and could easily cause more harm than it prevents.

This idea suggests that by limiting federation to known, approved domains, then it becomes easier to block sources of abuse, hate, and illegal content. This is actually quite effective, and some instances are already using allow lists to great effect. They experience minimal contact with dangerous instances, and those that slip through are easy to identify and block. It's a great strategy for specific communities. Unfortunately, however, this approach cannot scale.

Allow-list federation works well for a minority of instances, but only because the majority do not use it. This is due to the network effect. Just as a centralized social network can collapse if there are too few connections between users, a federated social network can collapse if there are too few connections between nodes (instances).

With open or deny-list federation, all nodes are connected to all others. This forms a very strong network - so strong that small and even single-user nodes are possible. The open federation ensures that there are always sufficient connections to keep the network useful.

The same is not true of allow-list federation. In this mode, the network nodes are only connected to a limited subset of others. As the percentage of allow-list nodes increases, the number of connections decreases exponentially. The resulting network is weak and unstable enough to collapse under pressure. A bigger problem, however, is not the network weakness but rather the loss of small instances.

In my experience, it's rare to see a federation allow-list with more than 1,000 entries. Fediverse index websites currently show around 25,000 active instances, which means that most allow-list instances are connected with only 4% of others. We can assume that the 4% is biased towards medium-to-large instances because of their increased visibility. After all, an instance cannot allow-list another node until they've encountered it through a mutual. Larger instances have more mutuals, and thus a greater chance to be discovered.

Over time, this creates an imbalance where larger instances benefit from a richer and broader network than smaller nodes, who have limited reach and reduced federation. Any new instance must somehow maintain a user base while faced with network isolation. This becomes a significant barrier to entry for the fediverse.
This barrier effect is bad enough, but there's another angle to consider. Fedi is large enough to have a constant churn of small instances starting up and shutting down. Currently, more instances are forming than closing, which leads to positive growth in the number of nodes - a good thing for network health. But if it was harder to start a new instance? That ratio would drop or even reverse, causing the network to shrink instead of grow. Reduced network size increases the network effect, which expands the inequality, which strengthens the barrier, which decreases the growth, which reduces the network size. A classic feedback loop.

This process would be devastating for fedi. The cycle would continue until there's no new instances at all, by which point we'd have lost the rich ecosystem of tiny communities that make fedi unique. Large instances can never provide a truly safe space, and often foster a community much like Twitter - problems included. The small, diverse instances are what make this network special. If we lose that, then we lose the fediverse.

I can't bear to see that happen.

#Fedi #FediVerse #FediMeta #Federation

Cascading collapse of online social networks - Scientific Reports

Scientific Reports - Cascading collapse of online social networks

^Nature

#XMPP Community

#Sprint in #Berlin from Fr, 12th - Sun, 14th July 2024.
Several days of fruitful exchange and projects around XMPP!

Read more and kindly list yourself: wiki.xmpp.org/web/Sprints/2024…

#jabber #standards #interoperability #federation #chat #decentralization

#XMPP Community

@gnemmi hosts the talk "XMPP: #decentralization, #federation, self-hosting, encryption and data protection" at the #Flisol CABA, #Argentina. Today, 1pm, UTC-3

eventol.flisol.org.ar/events/f…

#jabber #chat

Threads is the largest player so far to adopt #ActivityPub, and as @mike says, “The implications are huge.”

Why is Threads doing this? How is the team working with the community? How are they thinking about moderation, monetization and privacy in these early days and going forward?
In the newest episode of @dot_social, Mike digs in with @rklambo, Director of Product Management, and @pcottle, Software Engineer. Check it out in the fediverse on PeerTube or wherever you like to listen to podcasts. More details here:

about.flipboard.com/inside-fli…

#DotSocial #Podcast #Fediverse #Federation #MastodonMigration #Threads #Meta #ActivityPub #Flipboard

Threads Has Entered the Building (and the Dot Social Podcast) - Flipboard

Threads is the largest player so far to adopt ActivityPub, which is needed for the open social web to scale. Why is Threads doing this?

^{Mia Quagliarello (Flipboard)}

‼️ Comunità XMPP:
📢 Annuncio: Eventi mensili in italiano sulla messaggistica XMPP! 🇮🇹
📆 Quando? Oggi 12 Aprile alle 18:00
🌐 Dove? In diretta su video.xmpp-it.net/c/happyhour con chat (XMPP naturalmente) per intervenire
✍️ Iscriviti su Mobilizon - mobilizon.it/events/5afc6dee-f…
🌟 Unisciti a noi per partecipare alle discussioni, e incontrare altri appassionati di XMPP. 🚀

XMPP Italian happy hour
@nicfab
@mario
@darhma
@xmpp
#XMPP #standards #chat #jabber #federation #interoperability

XMPP Italian happy hour - Marzo 2023 (recupero) - Live

Sei appassionato di tecnologia, comunicazione? Allora non perderti gli eventi mensili in italiano su XMPP! 🌐 📚 Scopri di più su XMPP: XMPP è l'acronimo di "Extensible Messaging and Presence Protocol" ed è costituito da un insieme di tecnologie aperte…

^mobilizon.it

The #XMPP Newsletter for March 2024 is out!

It's the 50th publication of the XMPP Newsletter! Let's #celebrate and say thanks to all the contributors & readers! Join the community effort!

xmpp.org/2024/04/the-xmpp-news…

Enjoy reading! 📰 ☕

#jabber #decentralization #federation #chat

The #XMPP Newsletter for February 2024 is out!

Read about the latest XMPP universe updates and the latest updates on our #standards!

xmpp.org/2024/03/the-xmpp-news…

Enjoy reading! 📰 ☕

#jabber #xep #federation #decentralization #chat

Regular Fediverse federation check.

According to @fedidb (fedidb.org) 22,37% of monthly active Fediverse users are currently on mastodon.social.

I very much welcome the upcoming Mastodon feature that closes registrations if the mods and admins abandon the server (no activity for a week), but when do we finally close servers automatically that have 10k active users?

I'll post about this somewhat regularly under #FederationCheck, but if someone wants to automate that with a bot feel free.

#Fediverse #FediverseMeta #federation #MastodonSocial #Mastodon

#XMPP at #FOSDEM

Second day with the #realtime lounge in building K, level 2 - come and get #stickers!

xmpp.org/2024/01/xmpp-at-fosde…

#jabber #xep #federation #decentralization #chat #standards #opensource

#XMPP at #FOSDEM

Today we started with the #realtime lounge in building K, level 2 - come and get #stickers!

xmpp.org/2024/01/xmpp-at-fosde…

#jabber #xep #federation #decentralization #chat #standards

The #XMPP Newsletter for December 2023 & January 2024 is out!

Read about the latest XMPP universe updates and the latest updates on our #standards!

xmpp.org/2024/02/the-xmpp-news…

Enjoy reading! 📰 ☕

#jabber #xep #federation #decentralization #chat

#XMPP Community

Find XMPP folks at the Chaos Communication Congress #37c3
in the ChaosZone.

Yes, they got stickers!

37c3.c3nav.de/l/c:0:126.93:123…

#jabber #standards #chat #CCC #protocol #federation #xep
#decentralization #interoperability #OpenSource

#XSF Announcement

Recently the XSF members voted a new #Board and #Council. Congratulations and a warm welcome to the elected for the new period.

See our organization overview:
xmpp.org/about/xmpp-standards-…

#jabber #chat #protocol #federation

The #XMPP Newsletter for November '23 is out!

Read about the latest XMPP universe updates and the latest updates on our #standards!

Enjoy reading! 📰 ☕

xmpp.org/2023/12/the-xmpp-news…

#jabber #xep #federation #decentralization #chat

#XMPP Community

In today's XMPP #Vision & Strategic #Workshop we had folks present from 🇦🇹 🇧🇷 🇨🇦 🇫🇮 🇫🇷 🇩🇪 🇮🇹 🇺🇸
Let us know where else the XMPP community is present?

#jabber #chat #rtc #standards #interoperability #world
#federation #decentralization #OpenSource

#XMPP Community

The XMPP #Vision & Strategic #Workshop tomorrow is around the corner.

We intend to find common ground around shared interests, views & activities across the community.

Date: Tue, 14th November 2023
Time: 6:00 - 9:00 pm UTC
Join: teamjoin.de/XMPPVisionandStrat…

#jabber #chat #rtc #standards #interoperability #standards
#federation #decentralization #OpenSource

#XMPP Community

Reminder to consider to join the upcoming XMPP #Vision & Strategic #Workshop

We intend to discuss our organization and future of the technology we use, develop and thrive across the XMPP Community.

Date: Tue, 14th November 2023
Time: 6:00 - 9:00 pm UTC
Online & in English
Questions: xmpp.org/chat?xsf

Everyone welcome - spread the word!

#jabber #chat #rtc #standards #interoperability #standards
#federation #decentralization #OpenSource

#XMPP Events

XMPP Meet-up Berlin

@mattj talks about "Spam, Abuse and Moderation"

Wed, 2023-11-08 18:00 CET
#xHain hack+makespace
Grünberger Str. 16, 10243 #Berlin

mov.im/node/pubsub.movim.eu/be…

#Jabber #chat #community #meetup #community #spam #abuse #moderation #interoperability #standards #federation
#decentralization

The #XMPP Newsletter for October '23 is out!

Read about the latest XMPP universe updates and the latest updates on our #standards!

Enjoy reading! 📰 ☕

xmpp.org/2023/11/the-xmpp-news…

#jabber #xep #interoperability
#federation #decentralization #chat

#XMPP Community

Join the upcoming XMPP #Vision & Strategic #Workshop to discuss and understand our #community better, but also ask for your input on different topics around our federated network and #technology.

Date: Tue, 14th November 2023
Time: 6:00 - 9:00 pm UTC
Online & in English (details will follow)
Questions: xmpp.org/chat?xsf

Everyone welcome - spread the word!

#jabber #chat #rtc #standards #interoperability #standards
#federation #decentralization #OpenSource

#XSF Announcement

Once a year the #XMPP #Standards Foundation holds #elections for its Board of #Directors and for the XMPP #Council.

If you are interested in running for Board or Council, please add a wiki page about your candidacy to one or both of the following sections until November 5th, 2023, 00:00 UTC. (Board application does not require XSF membership.)

wiki.xmpp.org/web/Board_and_Co…

#jabber #chat #decentralization #protocol #opensource #interoperability #federation

#XMPP + #Google Summer of Code 2023

Yesterday our #GSoC Organisation Administrator Edward presented the work of our contributors hrxi on @dino and ISD on #Moxxy (@PapaTutuWawa) at the Google #Mentor #Summit 2023!

xmpp.org/2023/10/the-xmpp-news…

#GSoC2023 #interoperability #standards
#federation #jabber #chat

XMPP + Google Summer of Code 2023

Our #GSoC Organisation Administrator Edward is currently participating at the Google #Mentor #Summit 2023 with many other bright minds as well!

#XMPP #GSoC2023 #Google #interoperability #standards #federation #jabber

#XMPP Events

XMPP Meet-up Berlin

hrxi talks about "Dino on #Windows"

Wed, 2023-10-11 18:00 CEST
#xHain hack+makespace
Grünberger Str. 16, 10243 #Berlin

mov.im/node/pubsub.movim.eu/be…

#jabber #chat #interoperability #standards #federation #decentralization

Here is the #Italian translation of the The XMPP Newsletter September 2023: notes.nicfab.eu/it/posts/newsl…

#xmpp #jabber #interoperability #federation #decentralization #chat

The #XMPP Newsletter for September '23 is out!

Read about the latest XMPP universe updates and the latest updates on our #standards!

Enjoy reading! 📰 ☕

xmpp.org/2023/10/the-xmpp-news…

#jabber #xep #interoperability
#federation #decentralization #chat

#XMPP Community

#XMPP booth in #Portland (#Oregon) at FOSSY.us where there will be a conference track dedicated to XMPP. Volunteers are welcome to help with the booth.

#jabber #interoperability #standards #federation #chat

The #XMPP Newsletter for May '23 is out!

Read about the latest XMPP universe updates and the latest updates on our #standards!

Enjoy reading! 📰 ☕

xmpp.org/2023/06/the-xmpp-news…

#jabber #xep #interoperability #federation #decentralization #chat

#XMPP + #Google Summer of Code 2023

Two XMPP projects have been accepted!

It's #Moxxy: codeberg.org/moxxy/moxxy

and @dino: dino.im/

#GSoC Page: summerofcode.withgoogle.com/pr…

XSF blog post: xmpp.org/community/gsoc-2023/

#GSoC2023 #interoperability #standards #federation

The #XMPP Newsletter for April '23 is out!

Read about the latest XMPP universe updates and the latest updates on our #standards!

Enjoy reading! 📰 ☕

xmpp.org/2023/05/the-xmpp-news…

#jabber #xep #interoperability #federation #decentralization #chat

#XMPP Community:

Monthly online Italian XMPP meetup events starting May 16th and then every third Tuesday of the month at 7:00 PM CEST.
For more information on how to access the events, follow @nicfab

#jabber #italy #interoperability #standards #federation #chat

#XMPP Community

This summer, come talk #XMPP in #Portland at FOSSY.us where there will be a conference track dedicated to XMPP. Presenters can submit their talk by May 14th, Call for Paper is open now!

#jabber #interoperability #standards #federation #chat

#XMPP Community

Elbe-Sprint #Hamburg 2023
Several days of fruitful exchange and projects around XMPP!

Thu, 22-06-2023 18:00 CEST — Sun, 25-06-2023 12:00 CEST

Hacker-Space of CCCHH (@ccchh)
Viktoria-Kaserne
Hamburg

Read the details: xmpp.org/2023/04/elbe-sprint-h…

#jabber #standards #interoperability #sprint #federation #chat

We are happy to introduce Join Movim 🥳

Discover and explore all the existing public Movim servers and add yours to expand even more the federated network 🌍 !

#Movim #XMPP #federation #join

join.movim.eu/

Join Movim · Servers list

Explore and join the Movim network

^{Join Movim}

The #XMPP Newsletter for March '23 is out!

Read about the latest XMPP universe updates and the latest updates on our #standards!

Enjoy reading! 📰 ☕

xmpp.org/2023/04/the-xmpp-news…

#jabber #xep #interoperability #federation #decentralization #chat

The #XMPP Newsletter for Feb '23 is out!

Read about the latest XMPP universe updates and the latest updates on our #Standards!

Enjoy reading! 📰 ☕

xmpp.org/2023/03/the-xmpp-news…

#jabber #xep #interoperability #federation #decentralization #chat

XMPP + Google Summer of Code 2023

Project presentation:

Moxxy - #Moxxy is an experimental, modern XMPP client written in #Flutter

wiki.xmpp.org/web/Google_Summe…

codeberg.org/moxxy/moxxyv2

#XMPP #GSoC2023 #GSOC, #Google #interoperability #standards #federation #dart

XMPP + Google Summer of Code 2023

Project presentation:

Dino - @dino is a modern open-source Jabber/XMPP chat client for the desktop.

wiki.xmpp.org/web/Google_Summe…

dino.im/

#XMPP #GSoC2023 #GSOC, #Google #interoperability #standards #federation #vala

XMPP + Google Summer of Code 2023

Project presentation:

@Monal - Monal is a modern #iOS and #MacOS XMPP chat client

wiki.xmpp.org/web/Google_Summe…

monal-im.org/

#XMPP #GSoC2023 #GSOC, #Google #interoperability #standards #federation #SwiftUI #Swift #ObjC