I think it’s “the algorithm”, people basically just want to be force-fed “content” – look how successful TikTok is, largely because it has an algorithm that very quickly narrows down user habits and provides endless distraction.
Mastodon and fediverse alternatives by comparison have very simple feeds and ways to surface content, it simple doesn’t “hook” people the same way, and that’s competition.
On one hand we should probably be doing away with “the algorithm” for reasons not enumerated here for brevity, but on the other hand maybe the fediverse should build something to accommodate this demand, otherwise the non-fedi sites will.
naught101@lemmy.world 1 week ago
Why are you on Lemmy? Or, why do you think the decentralised model works here, but not on mastodon?
Or is it only working because there is no third party VC-backed reddit clone?
ameancow@lemmy.world 1 week ago
Lemmy is barely a thing. Lets not get ahead of ourselves.
People do prefer centralized platforms with shiny front-faces and easy-to-navigate corporate bullshit. The reason why that stuff is so successful is because it works.
People fled to Bluesky because advertisers moved to Bluesky.
aeshna_cyanea@lemm.ee 1 week ago
There’s no ads on bsky tho D:
ameancow@lemmy.world 1 week ago
There are brands moving there, that’s how a place starts generating value or the perception of value. I saw the same shit happen with twitter and reddit back in the day, this is just the same cycle repeating.
aesthelete@lemmy.world 1 week ago
As a user of both Mastodon and Lemmy, I think there are inherit differences between the format that make lemmy easily a capable replacement for Reddit, but mastodon not at all a replacement for Twitter.
To get into specifics, Lemmy is more meme and news based, and as long as there are a few thousand users using it and some percentage of those posting content…it largely scratches the same itch.
Twitter was very much an active global conversation forum. It was nicknamed the hell site for a reason because if someone took issue with or was very amused by something you posted and you became “the main character” of Twitter for even an instant (something I experienced only very slightly) it was electrifying and even sort of scary at times.
In addition, the people that were active on there were very active, and it felt at times like you could talk to anyone who had been twitterized…which was a lot of people including prominent politicians, celebrities, and even experts of certain fields.
It was just an entirely different thing altogether. Mastodon is like many of the Twitter alternatives that have popped up from time to time. It’s largely kinda the same with regards to functionality (though not having quote tweets is completely ridiculous IMO) but the engagement of it is very low, and the place largely feels very inactive. It feels like you’re talking to dead feeds posted in syndication and there’s nobody on the other end.
It’s not the same as Twitter, and I doubt that Bluesky will even be the same as Twitter. Honestly, maybe all of that’s a good thing. But the virality and the engagement and the discovery and everything on Mastodon is way turned down versus Twitter. Twitter was like the crack cocaine of social media…fast, cheap, addictive, and terrible for you. Mastodon is like a cup of tea by comparison.
poVoq@slrpnk.net 1 week ago
I agree on the global forum aspect of Twitter being the reason it was exciting for public figures and journalists, but you get waaay more genuine interactions from normal (techy) people on Mastodon. It may feel a bit dead when you start out because there is no algorithm to feed you content, but after a while of using it you get a lot of interesting opinions and feedback on things you post.
aesthelete@lemmy.world 1 week ago
I’ve been on it for a few years now.
It’s different from Twitter and that’s fine. I have no real drive to join bluesky to see if it’s similar because Twitter felt deeply unhealthy anyway. Crack cocaine isn’t good for you.
Fizz@lemmy.nz 1 week ago
Lemmy users can subscribe to a community and get tons of posts. I’d have to find 100 people to follow on mastodon to match what a single Lemmy community provides.