Mastodon, the decentralized alternative to Twitter, is contemplating the addition of “quote posts,” a feature that has sparked diverse reactions among its users.
Quote posts allow users to reference and respond to posts from others, a capability that can facilitate discussion and enhance context. However, critics argue that the feature has contributed to online toxicity and bullying on Twitter.
In response to these concerns, Mastodon is prioritizing user safety and control in its implementation of quote posts. Users will have the option to prevent their posts from being quoted, mitigating potential misuse and unsolicited attention.
Additionally, users will receive notifications whenever their posts are quoted and retain the ability to withdraw them from the quoted context at any time. This empowers users to limit the dissemination of their content if it generates excessive or unwelcome responses.
To address technical challenges, Mastodon is collaborating with developers to establish a standardized protocol for quote posts within ActivityPub, the underlying platform that connects Mastodon instances. This will ensure interoperability across all Mastodon apps and clients.
The implementation of quote posts will require significant code modifications, including updates to ActivityPub handling, the public API, the web interface, and both iOS and Android applications.
While Mastodon has acknowledged the request for quote posts from some users, it emphasizes that the development process will require additional time. The organization has not yet provided a specific release timeline for the feature.
Original source: Read the full article on TechCrunch
