Thread by @thesiswhisperer

So, I've started to invest real effort into moving to Mastodon and taper down Twitter. Some tips and thoughts about this new social space the turn that Twitter is taking - a🧵 1/

First: I love Twitter and I am sad. I go reluctantly after 12 years. Twitter is one of the reasons I started the Thesiswhisperer blog. It showed me to the range of things other people were doing in terms of blogging, videos, podcasts in the education space. It inspired me 🧵2/

I have more than 50K followers. In a university context, the number drew interest from 'higher ups' to what I was doing. I could talk to, and about, management about things that bothered me. My 'social stats' gave my opinion weight. This is a form of power. Hard to give up 🧵/4

My many followers (thank you so much) offered praise for my online work, which was often missing from management. They also offered feedback, ideas, shared links and tools that helped me further develop my work. TW wouldn't exist without this. I need my online community 🧵/5

But - after years of rumours and turmoil that I largely ignored, I'm finally beginning to think that Twitter may not survive this - or survive in a form I want to engage with. It's not just trolls and mass sackings, it's good people leaving making it less fun 🧵/6

I left Facebook for similar reasons. All I saw were ads and the people who were the most angry and sad. It became an unpleasant place to be. The algorithms wrecked the joint. Elon and the Algorithms are on the way to wrecking this one. So, what next? 🧵/7

I made a Mastodon account: I'm over there as @[e-mail] ... for now. This new space is different - 'federated'. Still getting my head around it, but moving servers is a thing. If I flit, the end of my name will change, but I'll always be Thesiswhisperer 🧵/8

I'll stay here for now, but I'll be tapering. You may see less of me, for algorithmic reasons as much as anything else. I'll keep my current a Masta handle in my profile and in a pinned tweet. I'll keep being me there. I hope some of you will join too🧵/9

Choose a server you like and use 'debirdify' to find your people pruvisto.org/debirdify/ Masta Servers are struggling though and some have closed due to the influx. Also it's run on volunteer labour - I tipped in the $8 mo I refuse to pay Elon to our admin via Patreon 🧵/11

One last thing - the federated server thing is a bit to get your head around, but these Masta posts (I still can't come at 'toot' - but I suppose Tweet was pretty ridiculous at first) illustrate the power of independent federated servers 😂 🧵/12

If you're wanting to rebuild your network of interesting academics on Mastodon, here's a mega list on Git Hub github.com/nathanlesage/a… /🧵13

So @cosmicpinot - how about a Mastodon server for ANU?

Further to this thread if you're looking to teleport out of Twitter to Mastodon there are a few tools to find people from here over there. Apparently Debirdify has been blocked? You can try fedifinder.glitch.me Twitter may shut them down as fast as they come online... /🧵14

I'm enjoying following people who have made the jump off Twitter. Adding to this growing thread on Mastodon #TwitterExodus - this article is a pretty good explainer (but I'm not folding my Twitter presence first). au.pcmag.com/social-media/9… (also, not missing the ads here)

Decided to keep adding to this thread when I find useful Mastodon tools and guides. This morning I moved to using the meta text app - so much better than the original (much more Twitter like). On apple and the googs, here the apple app apps.apple.com/au/app/metatex…

Best feature of Mastodon is the ability to post a whinge about the pile of email I have after coming back from leave, but effectively hide the specifics of the complaining so people only have to engage with the post if they want to. Makes for a more relaxing space.

Great to see so many of you make the leap over to Mastodon! I'm greeting old friends with delight and meeting lots of new people. Very 2009 Twitter vibes there. I think the academic #TwitterMigration is gathering pace too. Woke up with hundreds more followers today. Good times!

In this morning's Mastodon news... Greta Thunberg has jumped ship 👀 and I woke up to 8 times as many mentions there has here. Maybe I won't have to be here that long after all...