Spinster.xyz

The prize of a space where you’re allowed to use the words you want to describe trans people is not worth the cost of not only tolerating but actively participating in a platform that delights in its misogyny, racism and extremist views.

The space is one that is not under the control of men. And not a single one of us is "tolerating" or "actively participating in a platform that delights in its misogyny, racism and extremist views."

What a ridiculous thing to say.

All that has happened so far is that a tiny group of men have worked to try to disable the site because their insecurity is so deep that they cannot cope with the idea that there is a tiny space on the |Internet that they do not control.

There are no ads, sidebars or pop ups and apart from a few trolls that were swiftly removed I haven't yet seen anyone who isn't from Spinster attempt to join a convo.

@Whatthingsexactly

If a user stays within the "Home" or the "Spinster" environment the users of the wider Fediverse cannot see them.

If anyone goes to your user profile (unless they are logged in from a blocked account) they will be able to see all of your public posts.

That is no different from Twitter.

However, any user that avoids the Fediverse environment option cannot be seen by wider Fediverse users.

And don't forget the ability to report and block.

Yes, I’ve read that page. Did you notice this bit?

No threats of violence or glorification of violence
This includes pro-Nazi propaganda, white nationalist content, threats against women for disagreeing with you, and promotion of violence against non-human animals.

When the rules are specifically addressing pro nazi and white nationalism before even getting to the more usual stuff, that’s quite telling in what the expectation is for user of the gab fediverse.

And then there’s this:

If anyone goes to your user profile (unless they are logged in from a blocked account) they will be able to see all of your public posts.

I’m not telling anyone what to do or not do, but I don’t think it should be entered into lightly or unaware of what you’re signing in to.

There will be tracking codes watching users and retargeting with propaganda to nudge racist and antisemitic agendas, not to mention the misogyny. I wouldn’t go near gab on any device I didn’t want to be shown dog whistle nazi disinformation on, in sidebars, popups, ads etc.

The Gab fediverse comes with a warning that women are not welcome, and frequently subject to abuse and harassment.

The prize of a space where you’re allowed to use the words you want to describe trans people is not worth the cost of not only tolerating but actively participating in a platform that delights in its misogyny, racism and extremist views.

Just my view. As you can tell, I won’t be joining.

Whatthingsexactly I think they have this covered:

spinster.xyz/about

Don’t kid yourself that it’s just code that you will be sharing.

I can see the temptation, but there must come a point when the compromise is too, well, compromising.

I think what is important here is that women have a space to express opinions and share facts in a space not under the control of men.

If any unpleasant / abusive person wants to share that space they are easily reported and blocked.

Having listened to the feminist current podcast I think I might join at some point over the next few days.

The number of attacks they have already fended off says they're probably doing something right. Lots of people seem really bothered by them

There are bound to be a few ructions and disputes in the early days, it's just part of forming any new community IME.

This is from MK Fain, founder of Spinster, on the topic of spinster and gab:

“On Spinster, we already federate with 761 of these servers, including the biggest server – gab.com, which contains over a million users itself. This means that users on those servers will be able to see and interact with our conversations. ”

Don’t kid yourself that it’s just code that you will be sharing.

I can see the temptation, but there must come a point when the compromise is too, well, compromising.

I love it over there. So refreshing to see women say biological realities without fear of deletion/banning or the whatabouteries responses (and worse of course). It feels like a collective exhaling of breath as everyone gets it out of their system.

It is also extremely depressing that it seems so entirely maverick to be able to speak truths.

It also isn't a one-issue place, it feels very supportive right now and properly women-centred as it should be. It may change but I love the optimistic feel of it during this early phase.

I remember feeling optimistic about twitter once upon a time.

I am a different Ghibli character on there though my wolf features too

Look, if you just want to talk to other women about whatever the fuck you like, without some bloke deciding you're not allowed to say whatever the fuck it was you wanted to say and all the site authorities agreeing with him and making you walk/talk on eggshells - join.

If you've got a particular result it must provide for you in mind other than that - don't join.

Simple as that.

Personally I don’t see the point. Just start a thread on kiwi farms. You can say what you like there and it’s a proven site.

The entire point is to create a social media space that is not an environment controlled by any man.

The entire point is to ensure that women are not abused for expressing their opinions and sharing facts.

I hope the founders have taken a long hard look at the trouble MN had with she who must not be named and libel. This new site has doxxing and legal challenges written all over it. I hope they’ve lawyered up and have rock solid IT.

Personally I don’t see the point. Just start a thread on kiwi farms. You can say what you like there and it’s a proven site.

Very well said @TirisfalPumpkin

There are some who are sowing seeds of doubt [quelle surprise!] in all sorts of places .. usually those who have no understanding of how the server technology functions or who have ulterior motives for trying to deter women from gathering and talking in any environment that is not controlled by any man.

See also: spinster.xyz/about

@TirisfalPumpkin wrote

Spinster uses the same code as Gab, which is open-source. It isn't a subset of Gab or subforum of some sort of alt right nightmare. It’s hosted through a 3rd party provider by the owners. They are independent and set their own rules.

As long as the admins moderate (and ban where necessary) according to their rules, I can’t see the issue - unless you think one set of users using free code for evil permanently taints the code, in which case I have some homeopathic remedies to sell you.

Thank you! That makes me feel better. One of the admins has also kindly taken the time to explain it to me. I'm staying on there!

I fell hard into KF the other day and couldn’t surface for ages. It’s just fascinating.

Same here! It kept me off MN for a few days, just catching up. JY and Jazz -- fascinating.

A propos Facebook: I do get the privacy/real names issue. It's the only place where I have practically outed myself by commenting and liking GC posts. But they are always in closed groups.
Someone mentioned that Helena person upthread. It's a strange thing which I don't quite get. All her posts are extremely GC and she has been banned she posts publicly but some people are suspicious of her.

Spinster sounds good, but I hope the format and funtionality doesn't mirror Twitter. I'll join when they let me and check it out.

Oh dear .. it seems some have been circulating some misinformation about Spinster. Maybe have a listen to this instead:

www.feministcurrent.com/2019/08/14/podcast-mary-kate-fain-has-found-a-woman-centered-solution-to-twitter-censorship-in-spinster/

I'm @K

mrkhvoice.com/index.php/2019/08/13/dont_be_the_fifth_monkey/

This is my concern...

Spinster uses the same code as Gab, which is open-source. It isn't a subset of Gab or subforum of some sort of alt right nightmare. It’s hosted through a 3rd party provider by the owners. They are independent and set their own rules.

As long as the admins moderate (and ban where necessary) according to their rules, I can’t see the issue - unless you think one set of users using free code for evil permanently taints the code, in which case I have some homeopathic remedies to sell you.

ArnoldWhatshisknickers

I think the PeachyYoghurt discussion forum closed as there wasn't enough traffic to make it worth maintaining it.

I've joined Spinster and am hoping there will be enough of my favourite Twitter people there so I can stop looking at Twitter.

@Whatthingsexactly thanks for that post about Gab. I'm Jewish and have been fighting antisemitism in the Labour Party ever since Corbyn was elected (not up for discussion here). I may, regrettably, have to leave Spinster for that reason. Even if it's totally separate from all the racist and antisemitist poison that's spilled all over Gab I don't think I can be a part of it.

It's a terrible terrible thing that women can't talk freely about certain issues without being censored - often self censoring. We aren't free. Okay so we never were but some of the stuff going on around trans issues is deeply dark and sinister in my view and - perhaps worse - often has little to do with real genuine needs of people who have transitioned.

Anyway thanks. Yours, confused of mumsnet...

So is Spinster basically Twitter without the stupid rules then?

If so I think I'll give it a miss. I hate Twitter, and Facebook for that matter. I prefer a text only site.

I'm not terribly interested in another women only site either, I signed up to PeachYoghurt's site for that. I would be interested in a site which doesn't focus on trans ideology but which allows normal language (ie calling XY trans people men as I do in the real world) so I don't have to walk on eggshells while discussing life the universe and everything.

From the wiki entry for Gab here

“In July 2019, Gab switched its software infrastructure to a fork of Mastodon, a free and open-source social network platform. Mastodon released a statement in protest, denouncing Gab as trying to monetize racism under claims of free speech.”

“Antisemitism is a prominent part of the site's content and the platform itself has engaged in antisemitic commentary”

“The site gained extensive public scrutiny following the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting in October 2018, as Robert Gregory Bowers, the sole suspect, posted a message on Gab indicating an immediate intent to do harm before the shooting; Bowers had a history of making extreme, antisemitic postings on the site. After a backlash from hosting providers, Gab briefly went offline.”

I hope those of you joining and posting are aware of what you may be getting into. Personally, no matter what my views, I would not choose to be part of that platform.

A poster further up asked about the possibility of posts there being used as part of hate crime investigations. It looks like there is a history of intense scrutiny of postings there.

Also given that the Gab platform has a heavy majority user base of white male conservatives, it seems naive to think it will remain a women’s space in a meaningful way. They, as a class, tend to frown upon women begin in charge of stuff.

Correction.

"Because wanting to have spaces where the people with the unpatchable security vulnerability..."

Fsck my typing.