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Is it possible to browse communities from blocked instances? (beehaw.org)

submitted 1 year ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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Hi, just moved to Beehaw and liking the experience and community a lot - this place is so much more chill and civil than reddit.

However, I just discovered that instances can block each other and I dislike the concept. Don't get me wrong, I like safe spaces and moderation, and that the blocked instances in general are not great. But I dislike that I, as a user, can't even browse another community just because the admins decided it, and worry that it would just lead to echo chambers and block wars between instances that end up isolating each other.

I think a soft block, where in communities from flagged instances don't show up by default anywhere, and where users have to explicitly seek them out to browse or subscribe is a much better option.

I am enjoying my time on Beehaw and would like to continue to do so. Is there any option for me to subscribe or browse a community from another instance?

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[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

In my personal opinion, a block should stop an instances users from posting to, but not browsing an instance. Keep the information open, while retaining the ability to block bad actors. That's obviously not a change that's up to beehaw of cours.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Blocking instances is not done lightly, and it's usually done leaving visible moderation logs. Still, if you dislike that you can go to an instance that has not blocked the one you want.

As for looking at communities of an instance, you can always go to the instance itself directly and browse things there.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I mean, yeah, leaving is always an option - but I would rather prefer exploration of the possibility of a better solution. Not to mention, there doesn't seem to be an option for moving your account from one instance to another. I would like to keep my comment and post history if I ever do move instances.

Besides, leaving might not be the ideal solution, as blocked instances seem to block back, and many instances have a "follow our blocklist, or we will block you" rule from what I have been reading.

you can always go to the instance itself directly and browse things there.

Eh, I would like to access all the stuff I want to see in one feed, ideally.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

While you would like to be able to browse banned content more conveniently, I think it's fair that the instance admins do not want it cached on or hosted by their server.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

It's a good idea, in order to put instances on notice for lack of moderation, without going immediately from allowed to blocked.

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