Post APyS6Qp3ALNdyTEtSy by DecaturNature@qoto.org
 (DIR) More posts by DecaturNature@qoto.org
 (DIR) Post #APyLth6eiBpkzM188u by DecaturNature@qoto.org
       2022-11-25T19:53:19Z
       
       0 likes, 0 repeats
       
       If you remember a week or two back, someone set up a server to provide full text searches for Mastodon, but soon took it down after getting feedback that it was rude to provide this service (https://fedsearch.io/). However, I think he was doing us a great service by showing us what is technically possible. That specific server may have come down, but his sense of propriety will not stop others from setting up their own, private versions of the servers. With the current growth of Mastodon, we can be sure that similar search servers will be created by many parties for their own use -- law enforcement, copyright enforcement, background checks, journalism, advertising, etc. For the time being, it may be beyond the capabilities of the random Internet troll or fascist club (as long as they don't have support from more powerful terrorists), but before long the capability to set up a search engine will probably be in the hands of your average script kiddie. While these capabilities develop, your average Mastodon user will blithely use the service as though general search capabilities do not exist, exposing themselves to unnecessary risk. What's more, if any newsworthy content appears on the Mastodon network, all of the above people will have access to that information before the rest of us do. This doesn't sound like a good arrangement to me.
       
 (DIR) Post #APyRUElHYjLHZ3GRpg by Arne_radelt@troet.cafe
       2022-11-25T20:55:56Z
       
       0 likes, 0 repeats
       
       @DecaturNature you got my attention, but I would like to hear/read the other side/opinion
       
 (DIR) Post #APyS6Qp3ALNdyTEtSy by DecaturNature@qoto.org
       2022-11-25T21:02:51Z
       
       0 likes, 0 repeats
       
       @Arne_radelt As far as I can tell, the anti-search arguments sum up to the fact that trolls/harassers use search engines to identify conversations and people who they don't like, and then disrupt those conversations or harass those people. That is a legitimate concern of course, and it may be an accurate description of how people have behaved on Mastodon in the past, but we need to consider what will likely happen if/when Mastodon becomes more popular.For references, here's a thread describing why the search engine was taken offline:https://infosec.exchange/@jerry/109311187050279476Here's some comments from the lead developer:https://mastodon.social/@Gargron/4947733
       
 (DIR) Post #APyWXggGiEfsnGNr8K by 101101000@qoto.org
       2022-11-25T21:52:36Z
       
       0 likes, 0 repeats
       
       @DecaturNature> someone set up a server to provide full text searches for Mastodon, but soon took it down after getting feedback that it was rude to provide this serviceHuh? Rude? In what way? Using too many resources?(Where's me head scratching #emoji?)
       
 (DIR) Post #APzsuIwBY1bRxtyin2 by 101101000@qoto.org
       2022-11-26T13:37:55Z
       
       0 likes, 0 repeats
       
       @DecaturNature@Arne_radeltWe had solved that problem 20+ years ago with `X-No-Archive`.
       
 (DIR) Post #AQ2AorscuEqY5in6eW by DecaturNature@qoto.org
       2022-11-27T16:08:02Z
       
       0 likes, 0 repeats
       
       There's been some additional discussion of these issues at ycombinator: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=33545541