Has anyone else noticed this, across the fediverse, Lemmy specifically. A lot of new users, but also a lot of first posts that are very inflammatory/rage baity.

Do we have another legit influx of new users? Or do we just have some bad actors trying to stir the pot? Or maybe I'm imagining it.

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[–] Schwim@lemmy.zip 38 points 1 week ago (2 children)

I don't think it's an uptick, it's been around for as long as I've used the Fediverse.

I've never understood the mindset that this social site is made up of a different mix of personalities than any other. It's not. There's very nice people here and there's very mean people here. Often, the very nice are quiet so you won't always notice them but the meanest are usually very outspoken and everyone comes across something left by them. Hatred, ignorance and toxicity is not something that's left at the door of the fediverse.

[–] SorteKanin@feddit.dk 3 points 1 week ago

We ought to moderate well and do better than elsewhere though. Well, at least I would hope that users would gravitate towards instances that moderate their users better, so we get more civil behavior.

[–] comfy@lemmy.ml 2 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

I’ve never understood the mindset that this social site is made up of a different mix of personalities than any other. It’s not.

On the other hand, this is often the case in small communities. Most Lemmy instances are general-purpose or large enough to have a typical mix, but I have been to a few sites which will moderate away any hostility whatsoever, and that does make the site unusable for some personalities. These kind of sites have rules like "No politics. No insults. No drama." Toxicity isn't inevitable, there's nothing forcing community staff to tolerate mean people or mean outbursts, but it does take a mixture of design decisions and careful micromanagement which most communities, and especially most large sites, don't bother with.

edit: and on the flipside, there are also communities where toxicity is expected and it's amazing to see someone acting nice there, it might even be done as a trolling method.