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Michael Foster

@michaelfoster.bsky.social

770 followers 1.3K following 170 posts

Co-founder @newsmast.bsky.social. Discovering things, paths, people, ideas. Driving change through the social web. “A secret new internet you may not have heard of, a paradise to which we may all yet escape.” https://newsmastfoundation.org

newsmastfoundation.org

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Michael Foster @michaelfoster.bsky.social · Oct 22

“Atproto for public-global, activitypub for local semi networked communities seems like the most likely direction this space will go” [email protected] . Bluesky is on fire. What’s happening in the Fediverse? Here’s why 3 + 0 adds up to more than 2 + 1

#Fediverse

www.blog-pat.ch/addition-mag...

Addition, magic, community. Bluesky & the Fediverse.

How 3 + 0 adds up to more than 1 + 2 This week Bluesky added over a million users. It’s taken a lot of moving parts coming together to get to this. Over in the Fediverse the parts are still being man...

www.blog-pat.ch

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Reposted by Michael Foster

Erin Kissane @kissane.mas.to.ap.brid.gy · 2d

Vital, highly condensed, very well prioritized stuff on why the open social web matters so much—and how it can help people do the necessary work of society in our very rough moment—from @ben at #fediforum. The keynote is being recorded and I'm so glad, because I will be recommending it widely.

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Reposted by Michael Foster

Anuj Ahooja @quillmatiq.com · 3d

A Monday morning reminder to support @blackskyweb.xyz, @transrights.northsky.social, @slices.network, and anyone else building AppViews/AppView infra. We need redundant spaces yesterday, and these folks are doing the legwork to make it happen.

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Reposted by Michael Foster

Tim Chambers @timothychambers.net · 3d

As #Fediforum is tomorrow, and covers both #ATProto, #ActivtyPub and other open social web dev tech, good to remined all that I have the BlueSky feed for this live and updated: bsky.app/profile/did:... cc: @surf.social #surffeeds

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Reposted by Michael Foster

Erlend Sogge Heggen @erlend.sh · 5d

While the newest drama is playing itself out, here’s a great opportunity for us to lay an old one to rest:

github.com/swicg/activi...

@thisismissem.social has jumped in with an open and collaborative spirit already. If @danabra.mov can check in here too, we can bury this 🥩 and *get on with it.*

Integrate architecture from Dan Abramov Open Social post · Issue #17 · swicg/activitypub-api

Dan Abramov has an article about the architecture of ATProto: https://overreacted.io/open-social/ @ThisIsMissEm notes that there may be useful architectural notes for this TF.

github.com

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Reposted by Michael Foster

Rudy wants revolution. @rude1.blacksky.team · 6d

We want land, bread, housing, education, clothing, justice, peace and people’s community control of modern technology. 🏴‍☠️

Jon P @jdp23.thenexus.today · 6d

Not sure if you've ever read Rudy's three-part series "Blacksky: Expressing the Black Everyday in a New Digital Space" from a couple of years ago but it's great grounding for the work he and the team have done since then.

blog.rudyfraser.com/blacksky-par...

Blacksky: Expressing the Black Everyday in a New Digital Space (Part 3)

We want land, bread, housing, education, clothing, justice, peace and people’s community control of modern technology. - Black Panther Party 10 Point Program

blog.rudyfraser.com

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Reposted by Michael Foster

Ernie Smith @ernie.tedium.co · 6d

If the last three years of decentralized social media has taught me anything, it's that protocol just doesn't move the needle for regular folks, no matter the technical benefits. But the people who work on the technical end are really into it.

Getting them to meet in the middle is hard. (Thread 🧵)

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Reposted by Michael Foster

Anuj Ahooja @quillmatiq.com · 6d

Safely landed and posting from my own PDS 🛬😌

screenshot from pdsls.dev showing my repo migration from bsky's enoki.us-east PDS to my own pds.quillmatiq.com PDS

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Michael Foster @michaelfoster.bsky.social · 9d

Things are coming together at @newsmastfoundation.org. Here’s the big idea we’re working on:

What if every community could have their own social platform, driven by an own-branded mobile app, as easy to build as Facebook Groups?

#Fediverse #SocialMedia #Community

www.blog-pat.ch/building-app...

Building apps for social spaces

The Newsmast team was in Rome last week, working through our messaging and branding with a non-profit agency. It was hot, hard work, ending up with a lot of mosquito bites, some fabulous memories and ...

www.blog-pat.ch

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Michael Foster @michaelfoster.bsky.social · 11d

Bluesky Rome on #Flashes

Colosseum in Rome late afternoon with a clear blue sky

Reposted by Michael Foster

revolution.social Podcast @revolution.social · 13d

On big social platforms, moderation is a black box: if you get deplatformed, there’s little explanation & no one to talk to.

Blacksky is different. Community-led moderation means real people, real accountability, and rules shaped by the community.

Ep with @rude1.blacksky.team & @rabble.nz out now.

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Michael Foster @michaelfoster.bsky.social · 12d

Be warned - we have some apps on the way…. Hoping you’ll like them!

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Reposted by Michael Foster

Laurens @laurenshof.online · 17d

some thoughts on explaining atproto by comparing it to news wire services like AP or Reuters

(h/t @seabass.bsky.social)

atproto is wire services for user generated content

another way to explain atproto

connectedplaces.leaflet.pub

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Reposted by Michael Foster

George Monbiot @georgemonbiot.bsky.social · 20d

Power is the rock on which truth founders. The mainstream media, with a few exceptions, is a single-issue lobby group, whose purpose is to assert the rights of capital.
Here's what I've learnt about the industry in 40 years in journalism.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

I have now been a journalist for 40 years. The forces ranged against my profession have never been so powerful | George Monbiot

Once, I believed that humanity’s problem was an information deficit. Now, I know you can’t speak truth to power if power controls your words, says Guardian columnist George Monbiot

www.theguardian.com

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Reposted by Michael Foster

Tim Onion @bencollins.bsky.social · 22d

Becoming increasingly clear we’re gonna have to build a parallel infrastructure for all the media we really love. The reason all of this is happening under the color of law is hyperconsolidation, dissent being traded straight up for merger approval, or fear of harassment.

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Reposted by Michael Foster

George Monbiot @georgemonbiot.bsky.social · 22d

I'll be speaking at the Stop Trump demo in Parliament Square today. A fascist autocratic clearly itching to declare martial law is not welcome here.
share.google/sWEe8YGl3euj...

Trump Not Welcome | 17 September 2025

Stop Trump Coalition

share.google

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Michael Foster @michaelfoster.bsky.social · Aug 28

Users today want instant immersion. From Blacksky to a hometown Group, Anisota to the Provincetown Indie, feed readers to blogging newsletters, there are collective, curated ways to create immersive online experiences, connecting users to communities.

www.blog-pat.ch/homes-from-h...

Homes from home

I’ve been away from home, on holiday. A good time to ruminate on open social web homes from home. Here’s five takeaways from the last couple of weeks. One. Blacksky Blacksky is winning aclaim for i...

www.blog-pat.ch

Reposted by Michael Foster

Anuj Ahooja @quillmatiq.com · Aug 25

I'm so excited for our Bounce Beta launch today, not just because everyone can finally try it out, but also because of the foundations it lays for what we can build next. (1/4🧵)

A New Social @anew.social · Aug 25

Today, we're launching the first Beta of Bounce, a tool that lets you migrate your social graph across protocols!

We got such a positive response from our announcement, and we're so excited for folks to try it out.

Here's what you need to know when you Bounce: blog.anew.social/bounce-beta-...

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Michael Foster @michaelfoster.bsky.social · Aug 24

Hello WAFRN! #punk

youtu.be/iaT9QDw4YNo?...

The Adverts - One Chord Wonders (1977)

YouTube video by cpunctn

youtu.be

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Michael Foster @michaelfoster.bsky.social · Aug 20

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Reposted by Michael Foster

Newsmast Foundation @newsmastfoundation.org · Aug 14

"The tech products, curation, content, education and support are all part of a bigger process of community onboarding, building and growth." - @michaelfoster.bsky.social

Part 3 is live now! This one takes a look at the Newsmast Foundation and our work 👀

www.blog-pat.ch/newsmast-unp...

#SocialWeb

Newsmast unplugged: FediCon Part III

Travelling nine and a half hours around the world is one way to get a different perspective. Made easier by finding a welcoming Third Space to call home for a few days. FediCon was the perfect place…

www.blog-pat.ch

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Michael Foster @michaelfoster.bsky.social · Aug 14

@newsmastfoundation.org has many moving parts, and it hasn’t always been clear how it all fits together.

Now we’re aiming to simplify things. Slow down, become comfortable with what we’re doing, and fit it all together in one #SocialWeb onboarding programme.

www.blog-pat.ch/newsmast-unp...

Newsmast unplugged: FediCon Part III

www.blog-pat.ch

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Reposted by Michael Foster

Newsmast Foundation @newsmastfoundation.org · Aug 12

"The more the Fediverse can be baked into systems already in use, as with the Wordpress plugin and Ghost 6.0, the easier it will be to make connections without platform or protocol battles." - @michaelfoster.bsky.social

Part 2 of the post-FediCon blog series is out now! Check it 👇

#SocialMedia

Third Spaces in the Fediverse: FediCon thoughts Part II

The day after FediCon, Vancouver waterfront was overtaken by hundreds of cosplayers at Anirevo - the Anime Revolution convention. Power Rangers, One Piece pirates and classic Japanese anime…

www.blog-pat.ch

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Michael Foster @michaelfoster.bsky.social · Aug 12

The most piratical thought at FediCon was presented by @j12t.org

Stop battling oligarch-owned big-tech walled gardens in their own space, where they have all the power. Move away, to open, unexplored territories. Third Spaces mix this growth with a grassroots vibe.

www.blog-pat.ch/third-spaces...

Third Spaces in the Fediverse: FediCon thoughts Part II

The day after FediCon, Vancouver waterfront was overtaken by hundreds of cosplayers at Anirevo - the Anime Revolution convention. Power Rangers, One Piece pirates and classic Japanese anime characters...

www.blog-pat.ch

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Reposted by Michael Foster

Jemima Kelly @jemima.bsky.social · Aug 9

I spent the day with Curtis Yarvin and the "dissident right" at a garden party in Surrey and wrote quite a few words about it.

My cover story for today’s FT Magazine

on.ft.com/4ooXS4t [GIFT LINK! 🎁]

Sunday at the garden party for Curtis Yarvin and the new, new right

[FREE TO READ] What you learn at a gathering of neoreactionaries, Very Online rightwingers and the formerly cancelled

on.ft.com

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Reposted by Michael Foster

Bylines Network @bylinesnetwork.co.uk · Aug 10

Being part of nature is good for us. A nature writer and lecturer has spent 15 years rewilding land in Essex and says that even small acts of renaturing can impact on our well-being and local wildlife.

@eastangliabylines.co.uk

How to create your own little pocket of paradise

James Canton explains how he made his wildlife heaven in rural North Essex, and how we can all do something for nature

eastangliabylines.co.uk

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