We should start gatekeeping platforms.
I think in some special circumstances, gatekeeping is 100% necessary to protect communities from the shit of the outside world. More specifically, I think we should start gatekeeping our already-limited safe spaces away from the horrors that’s becoming of the internet.
I think the online world has slowly been turning into a dystopian corporate playground, where the most populated spaces are the big social media platforms created for endless profit and designed to keep you imprisoned and under the mercy of their algorithm. More importantly, aside from the data and privacy bullshit, they're now trying to take everything we do and say for their current favorite toy - AI.
I think that’s the very reason why the “old web” has been resurfacing - because people are sick and tired of these stupid platforms. People are making their own websites again, writing their days on blogs instead of tweets where some random asshole can twist and turn into an argument.
We are taking back our space and creating a more decentralized, peaceful experience.
It’s like living in a small, isolated island or town away from the big cities. These places to me are like neighborhoods; you build your small home next to someone who found the same area as you both share the same exhaustion from whatever is happening out there. It provides solace and escape from the noise and catastrophe while finding new connections and making friends who have the same interests, values, and beliefs.
That’s why I believe we should start protecting these spaces and enforcing certain rules to avoid poisoning the environment we’ve built.
There are spaces built against the capitalist nature of social media, spaces that are safe from privacy breach and data selling, that are free educational resources, that have no ads and hidden agendas, online movements and causes to save the internet and archives, so many amazing communities are now forming its own bubble...
Now it's our turn to start building and curating spaces that are only for us.
Communities that are only for "humans who create and appreciate" (artists, writers, bloggers, musicians, poets, any handmade craft or passion or hobby that makes you human and those who enjoy and appreciate them), and not accept those who use or consume whatever technology that’s taking its ”human-ness” away.
They already have the big spaces and social platforms to their hearts content, or they can create their own communities and fart their computer-generated giant titties and robot Shakespeare novels in their own damn world.
I left Twitter because I'm so sick of seeing random people on my timeline talk about bullshit takes and make AI pictures. Finding the old web communities has given me so much comfort and has been great for my mental health. I only use my phone now to read my RSS feed and find more human creators that can inspire me. It brings me joy every morning to read about a random stranger's day and dreams and goals that they typed out with their bare fingers, letting their feelings take control. So seeing people promote non-human ways of creating on these safe spaces that are meant for self expression and human connection angers me.
I hope we start gatekeeping our platforms.