The future of hope on the Social Web

Things are changing on the Social Web. Now is the time to start dreaming.

For a long time, many of us have understood the potential of the Social Web. But, I think it's fair to say, there are also dark times, hopeless times. Points where we've wondered if this is really worth it, if what we're trying to build would work. Times where the people in this space, myself included, have wondered if they're really the right people for the job.

Thanks to the hard work of a small few, we got an in-person FediForum at SFSCON, a little tech conference in Bolzano, Italy. Alongside Michael, the Newsmast Foundation's co-founder, I was given the opportunity to deliver a talk.

The talk was titled something like case studies of building apps for the Social Web - something really boring. So, I think we took a few people by surprise when Michael and I launched into a sci-fi filled call to action for the Social Web.

We wanted to make it clear that to us (and hopefully others), the Social Web is the solution.

The world around us is enshittified. Communities are more divided than ever before. Our systems are at breaking point. The wealth gap is bigger than it ever has been.

I'm not saying we need to get out the guillotine (the French do have a history of jumping the gun), but, we have an opportunity to start providing solutions.

In the EU, we're watching leaders, councils, commissions, scramble away from US tech towards US tech. They're ready to throw money at it. We're on the verge of missing the boat.

So, it's time to stand up and join the resistance.

We need to go forward with a united front. Put our most charismatic and best dressed in front of the leaders, councils, commissions and say, "look at us".

I know there's a large cohort in this space who just want things to stay as they are. Small, niche, and in the shadows. But I disagree. Why shouldn't we be offering help?

I think we're at a turning point.

Mastodon have just appointed a new Executive Director, Felix Hlatky. He's going to steer Mastodon as we enter this new era of resistance and, honestly, I think he's the right guy for the job.

At the Newsmast Foundation we're also looking at how we shape up for the future. We're not going to stop building for those who need a place to nurture their community away from Big Tech, but we're looking at the best way to achieve that. We're probably going to be putting less energy into the Social Web, but saving that energy for spaces beyond. Leading people and communities back here instead of holding out a hand with the promise that the grass is greener.

We've seen that it works. We've spent time meeting new people, showing them what we're building and telling them why. They believe in it. They're joining the resistance.

So, for me, hope for the Social Web is back.

I think we're at a pivotal moment where we really could be improving digital communities for people, helping them see beyond the platforms they know.

Mastodon, with Felix's lead, will help us achieve that. Bonfire will help us achieve that. The group of people lobbying and pushing for policy will help us achieve that. The creative and exciting work by the developers in this space will help us achieve that. The Newsmast Foundation will help us achieve that. I will help us achieve that.