Jaz (IFTAS)

https://mastodon.iftas.org/@jaz

Executive Director, IFTAS

IFTAS is a charity dedicated to supporting the thousands of admins, moderators and community managers nurturing a safe, open web - and building #BetterSocialMedia for all.

Check out what we've done, and what we're doing next: https://connect.iftas.org/library/iftas-documentation/iftas-activity-board/

- Announcements: IFTAS (npub1y2r…kvzk)

- Threat Alerts and Advisories: [@sw_isac](https://mastodon.iftas.org/@sw_isac )

#Moderation #FediMods #MastoMods #TrustAndSafety #Fedi22

About IFTAS: https://about.iftas.org

Public Key

npub17sjnq4sfl32zazhdj4x4mz48vudzsa8rcse7hy3lq7rzx8f3h4xsuk03qd

NIP-05 Address

jaz_at_mastodon.iftas.org@momostr.pink

Profile Code

nprofile1qqs0gffs2cylc4pw3tke2n2a32nkwx3gwn3ugvltjgls0p3rr5cm6ngpz3mhxue69uhhyetvv9ujuerpd46hxtnfduqs6amnwvaz7tmwdaejumr0dsu9u9x8

Publishing to

relay.damus.io

nos.lol

Author Public Key

npub17sjnq4sfl32zazhdj4x4mz48vudzsa8rcse7hy3lq7rzx8f3h4xsuk03qd

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Last Notes

2025-08-08 15:36:56 UTC

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we're a registered charity and there's a range of options on our Support page: https://about.iftas.org/donate/ - thank you!

2025-08-04 15:10:45 UTC

📅 There's a lot of conference activity in November, and more than a few folks are planning on being at one or more of the events below. Do me a huge favour and (a) tell me if you're thinking of attending and (b) let me know in the replies if there's a Fediverse-specific activity/meetup/anything you know of. Or, if there's any other relevant events around these dates we should know about.
Boosts very welcome, I'd like to see who's going where to help plan the trip.

2025-07-23 16:05:48 UTC

A reminder from #TrustCon that moderators subjected to vicarious trauma often feel guilt or shame from "getting it wrong" - but that guilt is misplaced.
https://mastodon.iftas.org/system/media_attachments/files/114/903/400/234/017/683/original/19cc3a7765ce4177.jpg

2025-07-08 17:04:22 UTC

I'm in! Registered for #FediCon in #Vancouver - looking forward to meeting up with everyone!
https://mastodon.iftas.org/system/media_attachments/files/114/818/693/758/569/183/original/7918f2aacf35bbf3.png

2025-06-16 14:20:13 UTC

🌎 🌍 🌏
Imagine choosing a fediverse provider for the first time.
You're using a guided service/server/instance/community picker.
Step 1: Do you prefer a service that:
1. primarily supports a specific language
2. is regionally relevant to you (maybe a city or a country), or
3. matches a theme or topic you care about?
4. something else (add your comment below)
Which would you click first?
(Boosts to non-English and Global South accounts are greatly appreciated.)

2025-05-03 19:29:34 UTC

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I'm uncertain how NodBB works, is it possible that they turned it on, which generated a nodeinfo, then turned it off but the crawler can still see the nodeinfo data? Absolutely just guessing, I have no idea how to even confirm if they are federating.

2025-05-01 23:18:04 UTC

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I appreciate your viewpoint, truly, and I understand the gap you perceive. But there are a growing number of private and semi-private groups and services that would argue your basic point. Look at the federated timeline. Then look at the local feed of a non-Engliah language-specific service. There's room for all this diversity and more.

2025-05-01 22:25:43 UTC

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That’s the strength of the Fediverse. it’s not one-size-fits-all, it's thousands and thousands of communities coexisting, each with its own boundaries, values, and goals.
The real public square isn’t one big plaza, it’s a network of spaces, each shaped by the people in it.

2025-05-01 22:24:46 UTC

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>a true public square
It might be what you want, but that doesn't mean it's what everyone wants. We have 30,000 public squares, all of which overlap a bit.
Fedi can be a public square for some, a knitting club for others. The knitters might not want to be out in the square, they might want more of a community hall vibe.
There is not one single solitary server or account blocked by everyone else. Some are blocked by a few, some are blocked by many.
cont'd

2025-05-01 18:51:17 UTC

If you're pondering why the "vocal minority" is so loud, it might be because it's actually the "vocal group I've never had to listen to or be exposed to before".
Thanks to a relatively algorithm-free network, everyone has a decent shot at equal reach and equal volume.
And - unlike most alternatives - the Fediverse allows these voices to be heard.
In a space striving for decentralisation and equity, that’s not noise, it’s progress.

2025-02-06 22:02:02 UTC

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we will need some money to sustain IFTAS Connect, but that's not a priority right now.
>>> this is not a call for community donations <<<
I've shut down most of the donation options but kept two open as they are still receiving monthly donations, I can't simply close them.
To clarify, I imagine if I fail to get institutional support we will still have some services we want to keep alive as long as possible, for significantly fewer dollars.

2025-02-06 18:03:45 UTC

Hardest thing I've had to write in quite some time:
https://about.iftas.org/2025/02/06/funding-challenges-and-the-future-of-our-work/
tl;dr - we are running out of money and will not be able to pay our bills in April. As such, unless we can secure funding by end of February, we will be closing down some services and re-examining our scope of activities.

2024-12-03 22:34:33 UTC

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I think it picks up the most recent image uploaded to the page.
I have put my not-inconsiderable MS Paint skills to work and have fashioned a "featured image" image that will be, uh, featured in all future previews.
Thank you for your support, your participation, everything you do to support the fediverse, and for your wonderful - alas temporary - status as featured image on the preview card.

2024-12-03 22:18:10 UTC

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Wow! We've had a tremendous show of support today and I cannot thank you all enough 💙
The First 50 is likely filled up but I haven't had a chance to update the page, so I will extend it to accommodate everyone who participates today ✨
As a #GivingDay treat, FediCheck is now open to the public, no approval required - Mastodon 4.1 and up is supported at this time.
https://cariad.fedicheck.iftas.org/
I can't describe what it means to see the support coming in. I'm speechless. Thank you.

2024-11-22 18:21:20 UTC

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If you'd like to help us translate into more languages, please check out https://crowdin.com/project/dtsp
It's ~30 labels and short definitions for each.
Roughly half our community comes from countries where English is not the first language, the more help and hands we can get on this project the better!

2024-11-14 17:07:10 UTC

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some context for the numbers:
200,000 is a very small number, but it does loosely compare to the SIO study (https://stacks.stanford.edu/file/druid:vb515nd6874/20230724-fediverse-csam-report.pdf) that showed 112 matches in 325,000 media files.
Very roughly, we are at 4 per 100,000, SIO showed 34 per 100,000
However, we are working with a very small number of servers, we anticipate the observation rate increasing as we add servers.
Some trivia: we are seeing 1400 media files/hour or ~33k/day, and roughly 1 in 3 posts has media attached.

2024-10-25 19:30:12 UTC

📢 As of today we have scanned over 20,000 images and videos to monitor and mitigate potential CSAM.
If you'd like to be on the list as we open up to more servers, please register your interest using this link (don't click the preview card, it won't work...)
https://cryptpad.fr/form/#/2/form/view/SXiobzcxTRrpVsWMJDh+h+loLkAmsTQ-8-egNm+ihlo/
Registering helps us demonstrate need in our efforts to obtain funding for this expensive service - currently costing us ~$5,000 / month.
(Donations are helpful too!)
#MastoAdmin #FediAdmin

2024-10-17 16:39:19 UTC

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Just a quick FYI, we've added six of the spamming domains to the database which will update on your server's next loop. There are two more pending but we are reaching out to the web hosts first, couldn't get replies from the admins.
All domains that are eligible to be included in FediCheck are held for human review, so it's not lightning quick, but you'll see those domains show up today.
You can monitor the spam botnet at https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/13sskOdKraYo2hSMK353Ijm0_K8WCp-JHs6cyruffedA/

2024-10-10 17:04:41 UTC

Of the 87 servers we saw compromised in the recent #SpamWave - 68 have modified registration settings and deleted the accounts, 15 remain open, 4 are now offline.
Special thanks to @npub1ef6…qte0 @npub1dq2…m52u @npub1pm4…j3n3 and all the IFTAS Connect community members that helped gather info, communicate with the impacted servers, and keep our data up to the minute.
Today? New botnet creating accounts on your servers. See https://mastodon.iftas.org/@sw_isac/113283701270369397 - Connect members can track https://connect.iftas.org/forums/discussion/new-botnet-creating-accounts-on-multiple-servers/

2024-10-02 14:14:35 UTC

📢 Our 2024 #FediAdmin and #Moderator survey is open all year, but if you want your feedback included in our next project planning, you’ve got until the end of this week!
All questions are optional - tell us how we can help so we know what to focus on next. Your input takes just a few minutes and has a direct impact on our future activities.
💬 Join the 115 participants so far! It doesn't matter how big or small your server is - if it federates, your voice matters.
https://cryptpad.fr/form/#/2/form/view/kbCuHVByN8EoUPiESliFzU8T8Y+PYVgszLKYeiyCT9k/

2024-09-16 21:05:03 UTC

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We need to keep building, keep paying the bills, and keep paying the people doing the work.
I have never asked for money; my goal was to take our founding grants and demonstrate our capability, build trust, and put some wins on the board. I believe we’ve done that. Next we will build toward self sustainability, and my plan is to get there in three years.
You can help me achieve that by donating to the IFTAS fundraiser: https://about.iftas.org/donate
#TrustAndSafety #DigitalSafety

2024-09-16 21:01:28 UTC

There are no walls on a spider’s web.
I want a web where everyone can participate, where everyone is safe from abuse and harm, where civil society can flourish, where people can meet, learn, share, live, love, laugh.
Our founding grants have delivered a “do not interact" list, the CARIAD denylist, FediCheck, a moderator library, prototype of an opt-in CSAM detection and reporting service, the IFTAS Connect community, and more.
@npub1l2c…ccpv @npub1hx2…qydj #nonprofit #community #support

2024-09-16 13:10:03 UTC

📢 We have 97 responses to our 2024 #Moderator Survey, let's get to 100 today!
The survey will ask about your experience moderating or administering a federated community, and what resources and services you want us to focus on in the coming year.
We spend money so you don't have to. If you don't tell us what to do with the funds we raise, we might not get to the thing that would help you the most.
All qs optional. All admins and mods welcome!
https://cryptpad.fr/form/#/2/form/view/kbCuHVByN8EoUPiESliFzU8T8Y+PYVgszLKYeiyCT9k/
#FediAdmin #AskFedi

2024-09-07 20:39:13 UTC

🐬 According to Life, the Fediverse, and Everything, we've had 42 responses to our #Moderator Survey so far!
Last year we had over 130, we want as many people as possible to tell us how we can help support #moderation in the Fediverse!
If you self-host, or run a large server, or anything in between, this is your chance to help us prioritise our resources:
https://about.iftas.org/moderator-needs-assessment/
See our Activity Tracker to check out what we worked on this year: https://connect.iftas.org/library/iftas-documentation/iftas-activity-board/
#FediAdmin #MastoAdmin

2024-08-31 16:24:52 UTC

The 2024 Fediverse #Moderator Needs Assessment is live!
Last year we had over 130 responses, we’d love to hear from many more of you this year! Even if you are a one-person instance, your experience administering and moderating content helps us prioritise what we work on.
The survey takes a few minutes, all answers are optional, only tell us what you’re comfortable sharing. 50 participants will receive a $20 gift card.
https://cryptpad.fr/form/#/2/form/view/kbCuHVByN8EoUPiESliFzU8T8Y+PYVgszLKYeiyCT9k/
#MastoAdmin #MastoMods @npub1l2c…ccpv

2024-08-06 15:52:34 UTC

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>I fear they will take the current consensus position
Some will, some won't. Some will focus not only on misinformation and harassment, but also on the numerous other issues that also warrant intervention to reduce harm.
Here's 34 of them: https://connect.iftas.org/library/iftas-documentation/shared-vocabulary-labels/
You are free to operate your service exactly as you please.
So is everyone else.
1/2

2024-08-06 03:23:12 UTC

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1. admin & moderator workload is real. reducing harms to users is real.
2. moderating false information which may mislead or increase likelihood of harm is not inherently divisive, and is sometimes required by law
3. only for people who want to consume misinformation
4. impossible to do perfectly, but certainly able to be done well
5. the server you administer publicly blocks 2 servers. this suggests you, along with most service providers, have applied editorial standards.

2024-07-31 05:57:12 UTC

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FediCheck is an app that automates domain blocks and retractions: https://connect.iftas.org/library/iftas-documentation/fedicheck/
CARIAD is one of the lists we use on FediCheck: https://connect.iftas.org/library/iftas-documentation/cariad-policy/
This is only a Mastodon automation tool, and we heartily agree something is needed at the protocol level.