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Chinese researchers have developed an AI-based screening system that uses ultra-wide-field fundus photography and deep learning algorithms to identify 25 ocular fundus diseases and provide referral suggestions. The study offers a new approach to screening and hierarchical diagnosis and treatment of fundus diseases.
> be peter thiel in 2007 > 9/11 just happened, everything is fucked > west got complacent thinking everyone just wants to be capitalist consumers > turns out some people still care about god and want to kill infidels > whoops.jpg > enlightenment btfo > john locke said humans are unknowable "X" variables who just want property and freedom > worked great for america, created based capitalism > but forgot that rest of world still has religious wars and cares about ultimate meaning > bin laden literally rich saudi who could have been a rockefeller > chose martyrdom over materialism anyway > economic man theory DESTROYED > tfw when you realize there are only bad options: > option 1: become religious warriors like schmitt wants > problem: we become the very thing we're fighting, west loses its identity > option 2: stay enlightened liberals > problem: we're too weak to fight people who actually believe in something > option 3: strauss says be esoteric about it > hide real power behind noble lies and secret knowledge > probably the least bad option but still sketchy > meanwhile girard dropping blackpills about human nature > says all civilization built on scapegoating and murder > mimetic desire makes humans copy each other until violence > founding murder creates society, myth covers it up > but now we know the truth so myths don't work anymore > apocalypse incoming, either unlimited violence or kingdom of god > no in between > mfw realizing modern politics is completely unprepared for any of this > liberals think everyone is naturally good (lol) > conservatives think nation-states can contain global mimetic violence (double lol) > we need some kind of christian realism that accepts both human evil and coming revelation > but also can't just wait for second coming because still need to govern > conclusion: we're living in interesting times > old world is dead, new world not yet born > in this interregnum, monsters appear > choose your fighter: locke, schmitt, strauss, or girard > spoiler: they're all right about something and wrong about everything else > probably fucked either way but at least we can think about it philosophically > thanks for coming to my ted talk about why everything is terrible > tl;dr: modernity was a mistake but going back is impossible, future probably apocalyptic, politicians have no clue, read more books
JEREMY Corbyn is set to host a "Gaza tribunal" after his Chilcot-style inquiry into the UK’s role in Israel’s bombardment of Gaza was blocked by the Labour Government.
Graff piece demanding the release of Maja, a German antifascist imprisoned in Hungary, accused of taking part in an attack on fash in Budapest in February 2024.
New statement by 25 countries accuse Israel of 'drip feeding' aid to Gaza civilians as they condemn 'horrifying' killings, and call for an end to the war.
Today in Labor History July 21, 1936: Anarchists created the Central Committee of Antifascist Militias of Catalonia, establishing an anarcho-syndicalist economy in Catalonia, after the defeat of a nationalist coup in Barcelona, led by Francisco Franco and other fascists. The anarchist militias of the CNT and FAI now firmly controlled the city, with over 30,000 troops, led by Buenaventura Durruti, and were able to take over control of the regional government in Catalonia from the other Republican factions.
TEHRAN, Jul. 21 (MNA) – Islamic Republic of Iran and Russia have launched a joint naval drill in the Caspian Sea, which borders both countries and lies between Eastern Europe and Central Asia, in order to send message to the United States.
Since both ransomware groups and generative AI tech firms work with stolen data, they could team up - one steals the data, the other pays for the stolen data.
needs a client willing to pay thousands of [insert currency]: ramsomware groups steal data, AI tech firms extort the victims automatically by negotiating with the victim AI agents the ransom payment. All this while, through AI jailbreaking, the AI tech firms "leak" the ID of the victims that paid.
Careful otherwise various tech CEOs are going to take this as a genuine business strategy once they've built loads of new data centres that no longer have any demand for as the AI bubble bursts.
Infostealer data can include passwords, email and billing addresses, and the embarrassing websites you use. Farnsworth Intelligence is selling to to divorce lawyers and other industries.
China's exports of two critical minerals used in weapons, telecommunications and solar cells have plunged over the past three months amid a crackdown on smuggling and transshipment that has involved China's top spy agency.
This is the first release where RISC-V 64-bit is officially supported by Debian Linux albeit with limited board support and the Debian RISC-V build process is handicapped by slow hardware.
With the Debian 13.0 release planned for 9 August, one of the notable fundamental features with this Debian 'Trixie' release is now supporting RISC-V as an official CPU architecture
"Avec plus d'un million de signatures, la pétition contre la loi Duplomb pourrait conduire à un débat parlementaire à la rentrée, et peut-être pousser le président de la République à ne pas promulguer la loi.
The first six months of Donald Trump's second presidency have been the most "successful" of any American president since Franklin D. Roosevelt, according to an analysis conducted by Newsweek using AI.
The model defines success in terms of legislative accomplishments, taking into account what degree of control over Congress each president's party enjoyed over the relevant period.
Speaking with Newsweek, one political scientist said Trump's legislative accomplishments—such as his flagship One Big Beautiful Bill Act, a tax and spending package—are "reflective of the partisan support in Congress."
Before structure comes the mold. The formwork holds space — not forever, but just long enough for meaning to set. It disappears, but its influence stays. Without boundaries, even concrete becomes chaos. **In a world afraid of limits — the formwork teaches discipline.**
One of the most important set of changes in Jakarta EE 11 is Java SE Records support across specifications like Persistence/JPA, Validation, and Expression Language/EL. Hantsy Bai covers the changes with examples. itnext.io/java-record-support-…
Learn how Java records are fully supported in Jakarta EE 11, including Jakarta Persistence, Validation, and Expression Language. Discover how to use records as embeddable fields, identifiers, and more.
Im Verein „Computertruhe“ haben sich Leute zusammengetan, die Hardware-Spenden aufbereiten und die Computer dann an Bedürftige verschenken. Sie setzen dabei auf offene Software und Betriebssysteme. Hardware-Spenden: „Weil es der Staat nicht gebacken bekommt“
I don't think the US or The State of Israel can go back to pretending to be liberal democracies. I think from now on it's fascism until they are toppled.
“When I look at what Mayor Adams has done to New York City, it breaks my heart to see the families that have suffered because of his policies,” Noem said.
was der Staat nicht zwingend machen oder regeln muss, kann gleich ganz weg. Der Mensch ist gut und wegen 0,01% Krimineller werden die 99,99% Ehrlichen nicht gegängelt. Wenn irgendwo auf der Welt sich schon einmal eine seriöse Behörde der Sache angenommen hat, ein Zertifikat erteilt hat, gilt das in Argentinien auch. Der Bürger kann meist sofort anfangen. Falls etwas geprüft werden muss, kann das auch später erfolgen. #Hayek #Mises
#freedomflotilla SUSPECTED SABOTAGE OF THE HANDALA HOURS BEFORE LAUNCH TO GAZA
Urgent Call for Accountability and Safe Passage
Just hours before departure, the #Handala faced two alarming incidents: a rope wrapped around the propeller and a delivery labeled as water that contained a corrosive chemical, injuring crew members.
These may be calculated attempts to harm us and stop our mission. We will not be intimidated. We sail for the children of Gaza—against siege, starvation, and slaughter. We sail to break Israel’s illegal blockade and deliver life-saving aid and hope.
We call on the world to demand accountability and ensure safe passage for this civilian mission.
Dabei war die Prämisse immer, 1) was der Staat nicht zwingend machen oder regeln muss, kann gleich ganz weg. 2) Der Mensch ist gut und wegen 0,01% Krimineller werden die 99,99% Ehrlichen nicht gegängelt. 3) Wenn irgendwo auf der Welt sich schon einmal eine seriöse Behörde der Sache angenommen hat, ein Zertifikat erteilt hat, gilt das in Argentinien auch. 4) Der Bürger kann meist sofort anfangen. Falls etwas geprüft werden muss, kann das auch später erfolgen.
Hiring out-of-work programmers to do manual labor, but allow them 20% time in a play-room full of robot arms where they can try figuring out ways to automate the job...
À l’école de journalisme de Bolloré et Arnault, licenciements, soupçons de racisme et « mises à pied » d’élèves streetpress.com/sujet/17531077…
"Depuis le rachat de l’ESJ Paris fin 2024 par plusieurs milliardaires, la nouvelle direction semble vouloir faire du ménage : plusieurs salariés et élèves, en grande partie noirs ou d’origine arabe, ont été licenciés ou
Depuis le rachat de l’ESJ Paris fin 2024 par plusieurs milliardaires, la nouvelle direction semble vouloir faire du ménage : plusieurs salariés et élèves, en grande partie noirs ou d’origine arabe, ont été licenciés ou sanctionnés ces derniers mois.
63% Es ist notwendig die öffentlichen Ausgaben zu reduzieren 57% Das #Haushaltsdefizit ist der Grund für die #Wirtschaftskrise 58% Ich bin bereit eine Verschlechterung zu ertragen, damit das Land sich wieder erholen kann 54% Es ist notwendig #Staatsbedienstete abzubauen. Selbst hier sind nur 36% dagegen. Die Bevölkerung will nach wie vor, was Milei schon in seinem Wahlprogramm versprochen hat. Die Argentinier haben es verstanden. Wahrscheinlich das einzige Volk aktuell. Nur 25% sind noch der Meinung, dass ein #Haushaltsdefizit nichts mit wirtschaftlichem Niedergang zu tun hat.
Digamos que os EUA conseguissem cortar todo o sinal de GPS no Brasil: a nossa vida usando Waze ou Google Maps ou Apple Maps não ia mudar nada.
Parágrafo da #ironia — Nossa, que alívio! Fiquem tranquilos, abiguinhos: o que pode dar errado, não é mesmo? Podem confiar que seu aplicativo de navegação megacorporativo estadunidense funcioná normalmente! :podeConfiar: 🍎 🇺🇸 :picardFacePalm:
Por que os jornalistas em questão, tanto âncoras quanto, sobretudo, o nominado — pioneiro da presença brasileira da profissão na Web — não conseguem refletir sobre o que continuam afirmando? Não aprendem algo sequer com essa (ainda que hipotética) ameaça?
Normalizam e difundem a dependência da #BigTech (seja qual for) de forma irresponsável. Todas as citadas são sediadas no mesmo país que ergue o Big Stick e estão não apenas sujeitas a seu governante como também o apoiam ostensivamente.
Se, tecnicamente, é difícil ou quase impossível negar a utilização passiva de certos satélites, seria muito mais fácil simplesmente que tais conglomerados nos excluíssem dos serviços citados, como já fazem em diversos países. Não seria novidade. Nessa hipótese, o que faria a massa brasileira tão adestrada para depender deles? Vai poder contar com o jornalismo profissional mainstream para devida orientação somente quando não houver mais saída? Continuará predominando o #negacionismo tecnológico?
Aliás, o que ocorrerá quando seus tão desejados #Android Auto e Apple CarPlay cessarem nos seus veículos? Saberão o que fazer?
Comecemos ontem a difundir mais controle próprio sobre nossa computação e que sejamos menos controlados por ela. Isso inclui fortalecersoftware livre (mero "código aberto" não basta), dados comunitários e infraestrutura diversificada. Exemplo:
Since 1983, developing the free Unix style operating system GNU, so that computer users can have the freedom to share and improve the software they use.
@DrFell WNBA is a clown show. Who would want to watch women playing basketball? It's fine when it's your daughter playing another high school but it's never going to fill an arena.
@DrFell WWE is entertaining at least. It's a spectacle, but the women are mixed in with the events. There could never be a women only WWE, though I'm sure they tried.
#Germany and #Britain sign a joint defence front. But they already have one. They call it #NATO. Unless they see the dissolution of the terrorist organization coming.
@IAmSpartacus the problem they have is that propaganda is only effective when it has basis in material reality. As people increasingly see how the narrative is diverging from their own lived experience, it leads to loss of faith in the system. Hence why we're seeing growing public unrest across the west now.
Let's not forget that propaganda is mainly based on information control, which has become almost impossible with so many sources of information. The Goebbellian propagandists of the West think that we are still living in the twentieth century and believe, for example, that if Ursula bans RT, people will not find a way around the ban. And all this lie leads, as you say, to the devaluation of institutions and media.
@IAmSpartacus for sure, and another aspect of it is that people in the west have had it drilled into them that they live in "free" societies. Seeing personal freedoms and access to information being increasingly curtailed is very jarring because that's bad countries do.
Yes, it's true some people in charge of #NATO early on had a past in the German army. But this was right after the war, and the main idea was to bring West Germany into the group to stand strong against the #SovietUnion . They were picked for their military knowledge, not for their old loyalties. NATO has changed a lot since then, and this old history doesn't show what NATO is today.
@maridonkers no, that's not right after the war, it's all the way into the 80s. Not only that, but we now know that promotion of fascism has been the plan all along.
NATO is a fascist organization through and through. What the history shows is that NATO is an aggressive military alliance responsible for invasions and destruction of countries around the world.
Apparently there are examples where former Nazi and fascist people were used by Western intelligence, sometimes into the 80s, especially to fight against communism. And the US and CIA were allegedly involved in many actions around the world.
However, calling NATO "fascist through and through" is very strong. It suggests there was a big, secret plan to use fascism. Most historians see the situation after WWII as very complicated, 1/
, where countries made difficult choices because they feared the Soviet Union. [rightfully so, given recent Russian agression against #Ukraine]
NATO's official goal was always defense and stability in Europe. While some methods used by intelligence agencies might be debatable, it doesn't mean the whole organization was created to promote fascism. The actions described at Counterpunch are often about specific intelligence operations, not always direct NATO alliance actions.
@maridonkers NATO's goal is what it actually does which is global terrorism. In fact, Russia's invasion of Ukraine is directly modelled on what NATO did in Yugoslavia where it recognized separatist regions and then had them invite NATO to intervene on their behalf.
An organization that's run by literal nazis, and that's been committing atrocities around the globe is in fact fascist. And the fact that you keep trying to pretend it's not is frankly shameful.
However, most experts do not describe NATO as 'global terrorism' or 'fascist'. The Kosovo intervention and Russia's actions in Ukraine are seen by the international community as very different, especially in terms of international law and their aims.
While there are historical points about using certain people, the idea that NATO is a 'fascist organization' with such a hidden plan almost feels like a conspiracy theory interpretation of history. 3/3
@maridonkers in any case, the original point was that this alliance is very clearly on its last legs as economic woes continue to drive public unrest across the western world. The demands for 5% of GDP spending on this fascist org will necessarily require austerity and will eventually lead to collapse of western regimes.
@maridonkers ah yes, here we go when the reality doesn't fit with your deranged fantasies you start braying about Russian propaganda, frankly surprised it took your this long
@maridonkers I'm not fighting anything, you're just an angry ignoramus and life is going to get hard for you going forward. I genuinely feel sorry for idiots such as yourself. Best of luck.
@maridonkers NATO is literally a protection racket the US set up in order to keep Europe subservient after WW2. There is no NATO without the US. Anybody who thinks that Europe will be able to replace the US militarily is delusional beyond belief.
In the world of fashion, a strong online presence is everything. It's your digital runway, showcasing your latest collections and captivating potential customers. But for many fashion brands and boutiques, the fear of a hefty price tag can turn website creation from exciting to discouraging. Here's the secret weapon you've been waiting for: cheap website design. It allows you to create a stylish and user-friendly website without breaking the bank, keeping your brand looking hot without burning a hole in your pocket.
Let's face it, expensive web design agencies aren't always in the cards for aspiring fashion brands. But that doesn't mean you have to settle for a basic, cookie-cutter website. Cheap website designers understand the unique needs of the fashion industry. They can create a website that reflects your brand's personality, beautifully showcases your products, and ultimately converts visitors into loyal customers. Here's how:
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So, ditch the misconception that a stylish website requires a sky-high budget. By partnering with a talented cheap website designer, you can create an online presence that reflects your brand's unique style, captivates your target audience, and helps you achieve your fashion business goals. Remember, sometimes the most eye-catching looks come with surprising affordability, and cheap website design Singapore proves that you don't have to compromise on style to make a statement online.
Resort wear Australia has evolved beyond basic swimwear and cover-ups, with the country’s A-listers championing both homegrown and international design...
As a boutique owner, I realized that fashion business management software is a must for tracking expenses, trends, and staff performance. fashion business management software
Paul Craig Robert- Over the years the new jobs were consistently in health and social assistance, waitresses and bartenders, and government employment.
Es ist jetzt ein Jahr her, als der Internationale Gerichtshof auf Antrag der UN-Generalversammlung sein Rechtsgutachten zur Lage in den besetzten palästinensischen Gebieten abgegeben hat.
Vor allem von westlichen Staaten wurde dies zum großen Teil ignoriert, während Israel die Situation nochmals dramatisch verschlimmerte.
One year after the ICJ rendered its landmark Advisory Opinion on Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory, the IHL Centre calls upon States to take urgent measures to implement the findings of the Court.
- die Besatzung jenseits der 1967er Grenzen ist komplett illegal. - es liegt eine grobe Verletztung des Selbstbestimmungsrechts des palästinensischen Volks vor - Präsenz und des Staats Israels in den OPT muss schnellstmöglich beendet werden, Siedler vollständig evakuiert und Kompensationen für Besatzung/Zerstörung/Vertreibung/Ausbeutung natürlicher Ressourcen gezahlt werden.
@bifouba Korrekt. Verhandlungen auf internationaler Ebene bzw. zwischen Israel und Palästina können nur auf Basis der Anerkennung des Selbstbestimmungsrecht des palästinensischen Volkes, in Akzeptanz der 1967-Grenzen erfolgen.
Eine "verhandelte Zweistaatenlösung" von der die Bundesregierung spricht ist damit wahrscheinlich nicht gemeint.
>>Israel’s continued presence in the oPt is unlawful because it violates the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination as well as the prohibition of the acquisition of territory by force.
Israel must bring its unlawful presence in the oPt to an end as rapidly as possible.
the Court held that Israel must cease immediately all new settlement activity, evacuate all settlers from the oPt, and make reparation for damage caused to all natural or legal persons concerned in the oPt. <<
Imagine how full of repressed hatred of Jewish people you yourself have to be to think it's remotely plausible that random UN staff from countries where people had never even heard of Jews until a hundred years ago spend all their waking hours and professional lives driven by a need to unfairly malign the Jewish state. Projection doesn't begin to capture it.
Only to actual antisemites can it seem inconceivable that other people might simply not care very much the Israel's ‘Jewishness' either way while doing their jobs.
Well then, what is this thing you are printing to right now? Silly computer.
Configuring your initramfs can be an adventure. You must either compile-in or include drivers for whatever physical storage you intend to boot from. (had to look up btrfs ... hmmm ...) Yeah, what Humps said, just use ext4.
Love the helpful advice, "See sulogin(8) man page..." from a system in which you cannot "see" anything.
[img=https://i.snap.as/k35qFlND.png]Flat 2D illustration of faceless people in front of a collage of computer devices with social posts and a hashtag in bubbles, adjacent to a list of hashtags that read “UXDesign, UIDesign, WebAccessibility”[/img]
My pos
My post about hashtag accessibility on Mastodon (and later LinkedIn) got a lot of attention. There were so many replies from people who didn’t know about the accommodation I outlined, who vowed to commit to it. I also learned a lot from folks who weighed in with great insights.
It makes me super happy knowing that folks care and that my post will make a difference in the world. This is why I know it’s important to spread the word about it.
As an aside, it sparked a friendly debate about labels for the various types of content formatting. Specifically the accepted definition of pascal case vs camel case. In this piece I’m going to talk a little about all of this. But the key takeaway is this: use pascal case (a.k.a. camel case) for hashtags. Always.
It’s a small thing that all of us can do to build a more inclusive, accessible internet for everyone. And it has an enormous impact that brings great value across the board. So let’s get into it…
Screen reader results
Every hashtag on every post on every platform should always be pascal case (a.k.a. camel case). There are a number of reasons why this is important, the most notable being that screen readers have a hard time with conjoined words.
I made this graphic to help illustrate how screenreaders read hashtags, comparing lowercase and pascal case:
When conjoined words are in lower case, screen readers will attempt to read them as single words. They basically read them phonetically, which yields some interesting results (as outlined above).
On my original post, a lot of people asked a lot of the same questions about different types of hashtags and how they are implemented. I have answers:
Should hashtags be grouped at the end of a post or is it okay to add hashtags to words inline? Screen readers will treat them the same either way. Some people using screen readers say that they’d rather avoid long groups of repetitive words at the end of a post. Others feel it’s distracting to read them inline. A good rule of thumb is to only use them sparingly inline. But try to avoid conjoined-word hashtags inline. It’s awkward to read something like “everyone wins with #WebAccessibility.”
Is it necessary to capitalize single words? No. But if you’re someone like me with OCD, you’ll find the inconsistency to be troublesome. Subjectively, it looks nicer to capitalize them all. But if you’re using a single-word hashtag inline, keep it lowercase unless it‘s a proper noun.
What about branded words? This is more complex, but as a rule of thumb it’s okay to capitalize branded words as they are. Screen readers seem to do really well with hashtags like “iOS,” “MacBook,” and “FedEx.” They read them like we do. So a hashtag like “iOSDesign” will be read as “iOS design.” A strict pascal case version of “IosDesign,” for example, yields inconsistent results, which can be read as “eye ohs design.”
Accessibility for everyone
Pascal case hashtags are vital for people using screen readers, but the benefits don’t stop there. People with dyslexia, for example, have a hard time reading conjoined-word hashtags in lowercase. Many people with dyslexia weighed in with support for pascal case.
But accessibility isn’t just about disabilities. Even those of us with the privilege of sight and neurotypical brains will find value in pascal case hashtags because they’re simply more readable. Countless people said they already use pascal case because it simply reads better.
It’s far easier to scan/read “ThisHashtagIsLongButNormal” than “thishashtagislongbutnormal.” And this is especially true for people who are reading in their non-native language. The capitalization provides clear word segmentation to make things easier for everyone to read.
But the impact isn’t limited to reading speed. Hashtags with conjoined words can also be misinterpreted.
Back in 2013 people were using the hashtag “nowthatchersdead” in posts about the death of Margaret Thatcher. They were intending for people to read this as “now Thatcher’s dead.” But because people were using lowercase, many Cher fans were distraught, reading it as “now that Cher’s dead.”
The onus is on software makers to find a way
Most people agree that it “just makes sense.” But lots of people noted that it’s hard to use pascal case for hashtags because web/app UIs default to lowercase with autosuggest features.
People said they would “try harder” and “try to remember.” This shows us that adoption of pascal case formatting could be limited to only those who are committed. So it’s the systems that need to evolve.
Software and website builders should make a concerted effort (with or without AI) to find methods of detecting multi-word hashtags and converting them to pascal case in autosuggestion menus. This would result in effortless adoption by people publishing content online.
It’s also completely possible. Some developers pointed to various systems that already do this. One example is iOS, which produces pascal case hashtags when using text-to-speech. I didn’t know this until someone mentioned it, but I verified it to be true. And the system is really good at using the right capitalization.
Other formats
Interestingly, a handful of people asked about using other types of cases. Most notably snake case and kebab case.
Snake case uses lowercase letters with underscores in place of spaces. This format is useless because screen readers will pronounce the underscore. So “web_accessibility” will be read as “web underscore accessibility.”
Kebab is the same as snake case except that it uses hyphens instead of underscores. Screen readers will actually ignore the hyphens, reading only the words. But hyphens can cause issues on the development side of things. In fact, some systems won’t even allow them. So it’s better to simply avoid kebab case.
Just be kind: use accessible hashtags
Accessibility has been front of mind for me throughout my career. It’s simply an inherent part of everything I design/build. And I’ve literally had to debate with my clients and employers about its importance and relevance.
Those fights come less frequently and with less friction these days, but education around these topics is still vital. Too many people don’t realize how some of the smallest accommodations make a world of difference for others. Especially for those who experience life through a disadvantaged lens. And when we accommodate for accessibility, we make the web better for everyone.
I welcome feedback on this if you’ve had conflicting experiences. I’d love to make updates for posterity. Because I don’t know everything, I just know some things.
As a software engineer, you may be familiar with the following quote by Leon Bambrick:
“There are 2 hard problems in computer science: cache invalidation, naming things, and off-by-1 errors.
[img=https://i.snap.as/UCwlKrUe.png]The Mastodon logo with an illustration of a cute mastodon that's smiling with its eyes squinting in delight. It’s holding a mobile device and looking off to the side. A search form input is overlaid with placeholder tex
One of the biggest complaints I hear about Mastodon is that its local search is unusable. It certainly was. But not anymore. Now it’s quite powerful, if you know the basics. So here’s a primer for you. Because I love Mastodon, you, and good UX.
A few notes before we begin:
Mastodon is decentralized. This means every instance has its own data that may or may not be known to yours. Search is relative to known data (more on this from Fedi.tips).
This primer is in reference to the core search functionality in the main UI, which is what you see when you connect to Mastodon in a desktop or mobile browser. There are a number of mobile apps, each of them treating search wildly different, including the official Mastodon app.
What I share here will undoubtedly change. These tips are ephemeral. I’ll do my best to edit this with updates as I noticed changes to the UX/UI. If you notice something I’ve gotten wrong, please reach out to me. I’m friendly and willing to correct mistakes.
People can opt-in/out of search. So some folks and their posts aren’t findable this way. Mastodon developer Renaud Chaput has more info on this.
Servers need to enable “Elasticsearch” for full-text search to be an option. If full-text search doesn’t work for you, your server admins haven’t enabled this.
Search anatomy
Mastodon search can be simple or robust. The former is type-and-go, like any search engine. The latter enables you to really fine-tune what you’re seeking, by optimizing specificity. Fig 1: search anatomy You can search by word(s) and then, if you want, further refine the results using the following options:
Has: the post includes media, a poll, or an embed (also usable with has but not in the UI: image, link, video, and audio)
Is: the post is a reply or marked as sensitive
Language: the actual ISO language code (i.e. Eng or En)
From: the username of the account (“from:me” works for finding your own posts)
Before, during, and after: ISO dates (YYYY-MM-DD) which aren’t intuitive but are functional (more on ISO date formats)
In: the post is global or I’ve created/interacted with it (favorited, boosted, or replied)
Operators: you can combine any of these, so a + operator isn’t necessary. But you can exclude words or options with a – operator. (i.e. “-word” or “-is:type”)
Search type
Mastodon supports full-text search or hashtag search. Each yields different results, but there is some overlap, which is helpful. (Read more about hashtag accessibility.)
Both types can target profiles, hashtags, and posts. Or a query can simply be submitted, and the results will be grouped into each of these. They match as follows:
Profiles: returns all accounts who have the search query in their bio or their username
Hashtags: returns a list of case-insensitive hashtags that match or are close to the search query (i.e. “product design” returns #ProductDesign and #Product Design, while “typography” returns #Typography and #TypographyInTheWild)
Posts: returns every post that includes the search query
As mentioned, there’s a lot of overlap. But there are good reasons to use one over the other. Fig 2: full-text search The main reason to use full-text search is because it yields a larger pool of results. The ratio of words vs hashtags in a post is almost always in favor of the former (at least they should be). And some folks use hashtags scarcely or simply don’t use them at all. Fig 3: hashtag search Hashtag searches are more explicit in what they return, even though they return results in the same way. The primary reason to search by hashtag is to tap into that shared ecosystem.
“#DogsOfMastodon” won’t return the same thing as “dogs of Mastodon.” The former will return Nicole Sandler’s account (Laffy) because she uses the hashtag in her profile (see fig 4 below). The latter will not, because she doesn’t use that phrase in her profile. Fig 4: profile match So it’s a little nuanced, but there is a difference between them. The one thing that full-text search offers that hashtags do not, is the option of exact matches for usernames. In fig 2 above, you’ll see a “quick actions” option for “go to profile @typography.” Because there is an account by that name, you can go straight to it.
You can also go straight to any of the targets by choosing one from the “quick actions” options. If you want to explicitly find posts matching your search query, you don’t have to key/submit. You can key your term then select your target.
Keying “#DogsOfMastodon” and submitting will return the “all” results, grouped by target. If you’re only interested in posts you can type your query and then choose “go to hashtag” or “posts matching” (see fig 5 below). Fig 5: results target
Targeting hashtags vs targeting posts
The UX for this is quite ambiguous. You’d think that both would yield the same results, because if a hashtag is used in the post it would be relevant in either scenario. However, that’s not the case.
So why have both? It’s complicated…
Choosing “go to hashtag” from “quick actions” will take you to the actual URI for that hashtag (i.e. “#DogsOfMastodon” returns /tags/DogsOfMastodon on my instance). So it’s not necessarily search results, per se, but a link to that hashtag.
Yes, hashtags have their own URIs. There are two reasons for this. First, there’s metadata associated with hashtags. Second, and more importantly, you can follow hashtags on Mastodon in the same way you can follow accounts. (See these in fig 5.)
Note: choosing “go to hashtag” from the menu is not the same as choosing “hashtags” from the target tabs. The latter simply shows you a list of hashtags matching and related to your search query.
If you’re searching for posts, I strongly recommend using the “go to hashtag” instead of “posts matching.” The hashtag view yields far more results than the latter.
In all or library
While most of the search options are intuitive, this one is not. But it’s simple once you understand it. Fig 6: in all In “all” is basically an open search through all posts. I haven’t been able to find the real purpose for it, because it simply returns posts that match the query. So I believe it’s not really helpful. Fig 7: in library However, in “library” can be quite useful. Choosing this means it only returns posts you’ve interacted with. If it’s your post or someone else’s that you’ve favorited, boosted, or replied to it, it’s in your “library.” As seen in fig 7, the results show a reply that I favorited as well as one of my own posts.
With great power comes great…results
The real power in the Mastodon search is being able to mix and match the search options.
As mentioned, searching in Mastodon can be really simple: type and send. But using the search options for a detailed search is very powerful. Fig 8: mix and match Want to find a poll you posted two years ago? Easy (see fig 8). Want to find a reply to you from someone that may have included a link? Easy. Connect the dots and create your recipe. Mastodon search has you covered.
Conclusion
Mastodon didn’t invent anything new here. In fact, these options may look familiar to you. But robust search is relatively new to Mastodon. It’s a game changer that fixes what was one of the most frustrating aspects of Mastodon. It’s something that people have (rightfully) complained about en masse.
New to Mastodon? Don’t be a stranger. It’s the best social network you never knew you needed. If you’re ready to dive in, find me on mas.to and I’ll be happy to help you find your way.
Thanks to the following people, who helped me with tips and recommendations.
Stn for inspiring me to write this piece and offering some tips
I posted about hashtag accessibility on Mastodon and LinkedIn that got a lot of attention. There were so many replies from people who didn’t know about the accommodation I outlined, who vowed to…
[img=https://i.snap.as/d5Ic46mN.webp]Illustration of five anthropomorphic matches, standing upright. Four of them are in a group. Three of them are looking at the fifth, which is on fire. One of them is looking directly at you.[/img]
People ask me what i
People ask me what it’s like to be a moderator. Our discussions reveal that a lot of what we do is a mystery. So, I’m gonna lay it out for you. Specifically about the unique fediverse moderation model, mutual aid, and mental health.
What Fediverse Moderation Looks Like
Centralized networks like Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter create rules that please executives and shareholders. Those decision makers don’t have to be ethical—and they rarely are.
The fediverse is decentralized. That means there isn’t one server for all accounts and it’s not run by one company. It’s a network of servers (or instances), each self-owned/operated. Sometimes that’s one person, but most often is a small team. And each team makes its own rules for moderation. They all communicate symbiotically to create the single social network.
There’s a common theme to the rules. While not universal, the majority of instances focus on ethics and inclusivity. Those who don’t get blocked through a process called “defederation.” This is a global block between instances. It means no one on the blocked server can interact with anyone from the server who moderated it.
This makes the entire fediverse community stronger. At a local level, on our server, we have a process that seems to serve us well.
What Mas.to Moderation Looks Like
There are three moderators on our team and about 185,000 accounts. About 12,000 of those are active monthly. But they’re able to interact with an estimated 12 million total fediverse accounts. So…we have our hands full. But it’s manageable. Our queue is never very long.
The baseline process works like this:
Someone reports a post or an account
The report shows up in our queue
One of us reviews the report and either resolves (dismisses) or moderates
If we moderate, the account receives an email notification with an appeal option
If they appeal, we see that in our queue with their plea
One of us reviews the appeal and either accepts or rejects
We also have a house rule that no one can act on an appeal for their own moderation. It’s a good way to keep each other in check. Especially because sometimes we don’t agree. This is okay. We just talk it out together and try to make the best call.
There’s an array of moderation options we use:
Delete one or more posts
Limit the account (only their followers will see their account)
Suspend the account
Send a warning
Freeze the account (lock them out)
Force posts to be flagged as sensitive (blurred)
There are five key things to know about the process…
It’s Hard
No decision is easy, and many decisions aren’t binary. There’s lots of gray area, even with explicit rules. We often receive reports that don’t violate those rules. It’s simply someone saying they don’t like what another person said. We aren’t argument referees, but people expect us to be. If that argument becomes harassment or discrimination, it’s time for intervention. But even that isn’t always straightforward.
We Get Some Things Wrong
We’ll sometimes debate for days on a single report. We always do our best to make the right call. Even so, we sometimes make mistakes. We’re willing to accept appeals when that happens.
We Get Most Things Right
We get a lot of things right. You can’t even imagine some of the traumatic things we see. Things we can’t ever unsee.
We’re Targets of Both Love and Hate
We get lots of love, but we get spit on a lot. Some people lose their minds when they’re moderated. They’ll publicly shame us or call for uprisings against us. Quite literally. I’ve even been known to vent about it because it gets exhausting.
Moderation Doesn’t End in the Queue
Some moderation is urgent or the severity requires additional action. We report all CSAM content to legal agencies in relevant countries. And with posts containing violent threats. We do our best to track the location of the offender. Then we report IPs/emails to domain registrars and web hosts.
It’s also important to note that we don’t moderate reports of ourselves, which actually happens. As of this writing, I’ve been reported five times. All were (objectively) resolved without moderation.
One challenging topic is mutual aid (community economic support).
Mutual Aid
First off, I believe in mutual aid. I don’t trust wealthy people or government systems to inherently take care of people. We need to take care of each other. Good, healthy mutual aid is a beautiful thing. This is the way.
But moderating mutual aid is a conundrum. The posts are from either people in need or scammers, and it’s not always easy to tell which one it is. We want to protect our Mastodon community from the latter. So we have to make judgment calls.
Sometimes it’s obvious, but most of the time we have to do some sleuthing. We analyze the account and related IP addresses. We conduct reverse image searches and research online profiles. It’s detective work.
I’d like to say we always get this right. We don’t. And it breaks our hearts if we make a mistake on this one. But we try to get it right. We really do.
Because we care, all of this has an impact on our mental health. Some negative, some positive.
Negative Impact on Mental Health
Content warning: I don’t details about traumatic content. But I do mention some topics that may be triggering.
Much of what we do is routine. But things can get bad, mentally. We take breaks when needed, knowing the others have our back. I’m grateful for this. Because I have definitely needed it.
There are two usual suspects that push the envelope:
Traumatic content
Being personally-targeted by people we’ve moderated
Traumatic Content
This section is difficult to discuss. I’ve tried to represent moderators as a whole in the rest of this article. But I’m going to personalize this section. Even though other moderators have shared similar sentiments, I don’t want to speak for anyone else on this.
I’ve seen some things. Really, really, really unimaginable things. Things I never wanted to see in my life that are now in my brain. And I’ve brought almost all of them to therapy.
People get reported for obvious things: slurs, misogyny, homophobia, xenophobia, etc. It’s painful to repeatedly see those words. Even when they’re not directed at me, I hate seeing them. It reminds me of the hate that exists in the world. It muddies the waters while trying to find strength to have even a sliver of optimism about the state of the world. I find myself saying “fuck you, asshole” while moderating these posts.
But there are other reports that stand out. You know these people exist in the world, but when you see them first hand it’s horrifying. CSAM in particular. But also violent threats, especially when used with discrimination.
The words and sentiments alone are hard to moderate. But often there are images. And try as I might, I am unable to shake them.
Targeted Attacks on Moderators
We’re volunteers trying to keep everyone safe, not monsters. And, yet, we get targeted. Sometimes personally. That’s not okay.
I’m certain every moderator has a story. Mine is that some people targeted my family. I discovered that some nazis found a photo of my kids from one of my lectures. They posted it to some repugnant forum, engaging in a racist, homophobic, bigoted hate fest.
They got my kids involved. My kids! Why? Because I dared delete a post filled with the same types of attacks against someone of color on Mastodon.
Positive Impact on Mental Health
The upside is that moderation gives me some control.
Watching a fascist autocracy unfold before your eyes is terrifying. Everything is collapsing on a massive scale in myriad ways. It’s enough to make a person feel helpless.
While it’s not monumental, I do get to curb some of that fascism through moderation. I get to push buttons with labels that read “delete post” and “suspend.” When some ignorant sociopath is harassing people, I get to wave a magic wand and make them disappear. At least from our corner of Mastodon.
That’s empowering. And meaningful. It does make a difference because I get to silence them. I can’t begin to describe how good that feels. Just a little tiny bit of justice.
We also once helped someone who posted a cry for help. He was talking about ending his life. Someone reported his post to see if we could help, and we did. Every once in a while I check on his account. He’s still there, posting cool stuff. I like to think we played a role in that.
Conclusion
So that’s a firehose of information, but it’s only part of the story. If you read this far, you deserve a cookie. If I could invite you over for one straight out of the oven (I make a mean vegan cookie) I would. For now, keep reporting the bad people and we’ll do the rest.
Thanks for taking the time to go on this journey with me.
Resources
If you’re new to Mastodon and the fediverse, free yourself from invasive tech and big social. Here are some resources to help you:
Join me on Mas.to. It’s way better than Twitter, I promise. Create an account, flesh out your profile, write an introduction, then say hello to me. I’ll be happy to share your introduction and help you get acclimated.
Learn everything you wanted to know (and more) about the fediverse from Fedi.tips.
Mastodon search is pretty powerful. I wrote a guide for getting the most out of it.
The fediverse has maybe the most powerful hashtags in social networking. But they should be accessible. I wrote a guide for that, too.
There’s a massive list of fediverse platforms, which can be overwhelming. Other than Mastodon, here are the ones that will look most familiar to you:
Elon Musk’s X is a thriving hub for Nazi support and propaganda, with paid subscribers sharing speeches by Hitler or content praising his genocidal regime.
!['Suffering of civilians in Gaza has reached new depths': Nations call for immediate end to war in Gazapublished at 14:25
14:25Breaking
We've just had a statement from the UK and more than 20 other countries calling for an immediate end to the war in Gaza.
Here's the statement from the UK Foreign Office in full:
We, the signatories listed below, come together with a simple, urgent message: the war in Gaza must end now. The suffering of civilians in Gaza has reached new depths.
The Israeli government’s aid delivery model is dangerous, fuels instability and deprives Gazans of human dignity.
We condemn the drip feeding of aid and the inhumane killing of civilians, including children, seeking to meet their most basic needs of water and food. It is horrifying that over 800 Palestinians have been killed while seeking aid.
The Israeli government’s denial of essential humanitarian assistance to the civilian population is unacceptable. Israel must comply with its obligations under international humanitarian law. The hostages cruelly held captive by Hamas since 7 October 2023 continue to suffer terribly. We condemn their continued detention and call for their immediate and unconditional release.
A negotiated ceasefire offers the best hope of bringing them home and ending the agony of their families. We call on the Israeli government to immediately lift restrictions on the flow of aid and to urgently enable the UN and humanitarian NGOs [non-governmental organisations] to do their life-saving work safely and effectively. We call on all parties to protect civilians and uphold the obligations of international humanitarian law.
Proposals to remove the Palestinian population into a “humanitarian city” are completely unacceptable. Permanent forced displacement is a violation of international humanitarian law. We strongly oppose any steps towards territorial or demographic change in the occupied Palestinian territories.
The E1 settlement plan announced by Israel’s civil admin…](https://friendica.eskimo.com/photo/preview/640/8129022 "'Suffering of civilians in Gaza has reached new depths': Nations call for immediate end to war in Gazapublished at 14:25
14:25Breaking
We've just had a statement from the UK and more than 20 other countries calling for an immediate end to the war in Gaza.
Here's the statement from the UK Foreign Office in full:
We, the signatories listed below, come together with a simple, urgent message: the war in Gaza must end now. The suffering of civilians in Gaza has reached new depths.
The Israeli government’s aid delivery model is dangerous, fuels instability and deprives Gazans of human dignity.
We condemn the drip feeding of aid and the inhumane killing of civilians, including children, seeking to meet their most basic needs of water and food. It is horrifying that over 800 Palestinians have been killed while seeking aid.
The Israeli government’s denial of essential humanitarian assistance to the civilian population is unacceptable. Israel must comply with its obligations under international humanitarian law. The hostages cruelly held captive by Hamas since 7 October 2023 continue to suffer terribly. We condemn their continued detention and call for their immediate and unconditional release.
A negotiated ceasefire offers the best hope of bringing them home and ending the agony of their families. We call on the Israeli government to immediately lift restrictions on the flow of aid and to urgently enable the UN and humanitarian NGOs [non-governmental organisations] to do their life-saving work safely and effectively. We call on all parties to protect civilians and uphold the obligations of international humanitarian law.
Proposals to remove the Palestinian population into a “humanitarian city” are completely unacceptable. Permanent forced displacement is a violation of international humanitarian law. We strongly oppose any steps towards territorial or demographic change in the occupied Palestinian territories.
The E1 settlement plan announced by Israel’s civil admin…")
!['Suffering of civilians in Gaza has reached new depths': Nations call for immediate end to war in Gazapublished at 14:25
14:25Breaking
We've just had a statement from the UK and more than 20 other countries calling for an immediate end to the war in Gaza.
Here's the statement from the UK Foreign Office in full:
We, the signatories listed below, come together with a simple, urgent message: the war in Gaza must end now. The suffering of civilians in Gaza has reached new depths.
The Israeli government’s aid delivery model is dangerous, fuels instability and deprives Gazans of human dignity.
We condemn the drip feeding of aid and the inhumane killing of civilians, including children, seeking to meet their most basic needs of water and food. It is horrifying that over 800 Palestinians have been killed while seeking aid.
The Israeli government’s denial of essential humanitarian assistance to the civilian population is unacceptable. Israel must comply with its obligations under international humanitarian law. The hostages cruelly held captive by Hamas since 7 October 2023 continue to suffer terribly. We condemn their continued detention and call for their immediate and unconditional release.
A negotiated ceasefire offers the best hope of bringing them home and ending the agony of their families. We call on the Israeli government to immediately lift restrictions on the flow of aid and to urgently enable the UN and humanitarian NGOs [non-governmental organisations] to do their life-saving work safely and effectively. We call on all parties to protect civilians and uphold the obligations of international humanitarian law.
Proposals to remove the Palestinian population into a “humanitarian city” are completely unacceptable. Permanent forced displacement is a violation of international humanitarian law. We strongly oppose any steps towards territorial or demographic change in the occupied Palestinian territories.
The E1 settlement plan announced by Israel’s civil admin…](https://friendica.eskimo.com/photo/preview/640/8129027 "'Suffering of civilians in Gaza has reached new depths': Nations call for immediate end to war in Gazapublished at 14:25
14:25Breaking
We've just had a statement from the UK and more than 20 other countries calling for an immediate end to the war in Gaza.
Here's the statement from the UK Foreign Office in full:
We, the signatories listed below, come together with a simple, urgent message: the war in Gaza must end now. The suffering of civilians in Gaza has reached new depths.
The Israeli government’s aid delivery model is dangerous, fuels instability and deprives Gazans of human dignity.
We condemn the drip feeding of aid and the inhumane killing of civilians, including children, seeking to meet their most basic needs of water and food. It is horrifying that over 800 Palestinians have been killed while seeking aid.
The Israeli government’s denial of essential humanitarian assistance to the civilian population is unacceptable. Israel must comply with its obligations under international humanitarian law. The hostages cruelly held captive by Hamas since 7 October 2023 continue to suffer terribly. We condemn their continued detention and call for their immediate and unconditional release.
A negotiated ceasefire offers the best hope of bringing them home and ending the agony of their families. We call on the Israeli government to immediately lift restrictions on the flow of aid and to urgently enable the UN and humanitarian NGOs [non-governmental organisations] to do their life-saving work safely and effectively. We call on all parties to protect civilians and uphold the obligations of international humanitarian law.
Proposals to remove the Palestinian population into a “humanitarian city” are completely unacceptable. Permanent forced displacement is a violation of international humanitarian law. We strongly oppose any steps towards territorial or demographic change in the occupied Palestinian territories.
The E1 settlement plan announced by Israel’s civil admin…")
🍎 🇺🇸 :picardFacePalm:
Rose
in reply to Caleb James DeLisle • • •