this post was submitted on 09 Mar 2025
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It appears to me that the current state of Lemmy is similar to other platforms when they were smaller and more insular, and that insularity is somewhat protecting it.

I browse Lemmy, and it feels a bit like other platforms did back in 2009, before they became overwhelmed and enshitified.

If I understand it correctly, Lemmy has a similar "landed gentry" moderation scheme, where the first to create a community control it. This was easily exploited on other platforms, particularly in regards to astroturfing, censorship, and controlling a narrative.

If/when Lemmy starts to experience its own "eternal September", what protections are in place to ensure we will not be overwhelmed and exploited?

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[–] partial_accumen@lemmy.world 11 points 1 day ago (10 children)

None. Someone is going to say federation helps here, but the effect is the same as creating an alternative to a popular subreddit under another name.

Which mechanism in Lemmy allows one person in power to decide a single word is a reason to ban a person from every instance in the Fediverse? Since there isn't one, that is a way that Lemmy is more insulated from institutional abuse.

[–] Zak@lemmy.world 1 points 1 day ago (9 children)

I agree, but the server owner imposing unpopular rules is not one of the two problems the OP asks about. Those are:

  • The first to create a community control it. This was easily exploited on other platforms, particularly in regards to astroturfing, censorship, and controlling a narrative.
  • If/when Lemmy starts to experience its own “eternal September”, what protections are in place to ensure we will not be overwhelmed and exploited?

Decentralization with federated servers does not address those problems.

[–] partial_accumen@lemmy.world 6 points 1 day ago (8 children)

The first to create a community control it.

If the community becomes toxic, its easy to create an identically named community on another instance. A perfect example: when I joined lemmy I subscribed to the "news" community on lemmy.ml. When I saw how it was run, I unsubscribed and instead subscribed to "news" on lemmy.world.

censorship,

Modlog documents all actions including moderator censorship. Nothing like that exists at reddit. If there is censorship happening, its in full view of the users on lemmy.

and controlling a narrative.

Again Modlog, if a moderator is removing dissenting opinion.

If/when Lemmy starts to experience its own “eternal September”, what protections are in place to ensure we will not be overwhelmed and exploited?

Beehaw is an example of a Lemmy instance immune to "Eternal September". They disabled their easy signups, and defederated from instances that allow easy signups. I don't particularly agree with their extreme approach, but its what was important to them and it was effective. This is a powerful use of Lemmy and the Fediverse.

[–] Natanael@infosec.pub 1 points 1 day ago

To be pedantic, transparency mod bots exists on reddit and server admins can redact the log here.

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