After getting hit by a car, I faced a choice on the Wellington Cycling Group's Facebook page: share my story and endure a barrage of negative comments from anti-bicycle trolls, or remain silent. This experience sheds light on the impact of hostile online interactions and the power of user-controlled spaces like Nostr, where I found a more welcoming environment. We need to figure out how we handle these digital challenges and the importance of creating a space for free speech AND safe online communities.
This essay explores the exhilarating sensation of joining new digital communities, drawing parallels to real-world experiences and crises, and unpacks the challenges of sustaining the initial utopian fervor amidst growth. It emphasizes the critical need for designing digital spaces that prioritize community control, collective ownership, and participatory governance. The narrative then shifts to the case study of Bluesky, a digital community grappling with scalability, shifting norms, and the need for effective governance. By championing community involvement in decision-making processes and citing the Design Justice movement as a viable model, the essay underscores the importance of collaborative problem-solving in maintaining the vitality of digital spaces.
Nostr has the potential to be the open super app competing against both the centralized social media apps like twitter, instagram, facebook, tiktok, and snapchat, but also against WeChat, WhatsApp, and QQ.
