Mastodon

Social media policy

This page aims to formalize my policy on social media. It will be regularly updated based on my situation and how my relationship with social media evolves.

Except in exceptional, explicitly stated cases, I speak in my own name on social media. My statements therefore obviously commit only myself, not any of the organizations that employ me. On a professional network like LinkedIn, that boundary can be particularly blurry. I'd appreciate it if you'd respect, in good faith, this essential separation between my working life and my exercise of citizenship (and more specifically, of free speech).

I try to keep some distance from social media. It's not my preferred channel for socializing. I prefer email, video calls, Mattermost channels, and so on. It's not my preferred information channel either. I prefer RSS feeds and newsletters. Someday I might do without social media altogether. If I'm there, it's mainly to share my articles, pass along things I've curated, and contribute to discussions on my two main areas of activism: digital literacy education and acceptable digital practices.

I don't comment on current events on social media, except rarely, and especially not when those events are violent, emotional, or hard to sit with. Don't mistake this for indifference. I'm very affected by these things. I just don't use social media to express my emotions.

I share little of my political opinions on social media, and on the web generally. I stick to the causes I'm publicly active in: popular, political, emancipatory, technocritical digital education on one hand, and acceptable digital practices on the other. Here too, don't read this as a lack of interest in public affairs, or a lack of commitment. I'm very interested, and I'm actually quite engaged. But just as I don't publicly comment on the news on social media, I don't feel the need or see the point in systematically sharing my political views, or reacting to political events. Someday, maybe, I'll write on this site about topics broader than the digital world and its impact on society. But it is not this day!

a man with long hair and a beard is saying but it is not this day .

I find it very hard to "debate" on social media. The need for reactivity on one hand, and the asynchronous written format on the other, feel like two fairly contradictory realities to me. On top of that, being someone with a "highly sensitive" temperament, I think written exchanges affect me more than an in-person conversation, where I can hear and see the person I'm talking to, and pick up on annoyance versus interest, sarcasm versus simple disagreement, and so on. In short, if you want to "debate" with me, I strongly prefer a synchronous format (video or phone call, ideally an in-person meeting), or failing that, the slower pace of email.

I use social media to share my articles and the things I curate. I'll admit it: I use social media to spread the word about my articles and blog posts. If you're interested in what I write, I regularly encourage people to subscribe to my RSS feed or my newsletter instead. But to reach a wider audience, I share my articles on a few chosen platforms. Namely, Mastodon, Bluesky, and LinkedIn.

I treat social media as ephemeral. I don't rely on social media to "build up" followers or stockpile content. Besides, these networks aren't built for that anyway, since information there flows through a stream. On Mastodon, my posts are deleted after three months. Wherever possible, I follow the POSSE strategy for my content: Publish On your Site, Syndicate Everywhere. Here again, my site and this blog serve as the archive and backbone of my web presence. You'll find my articles, the things I curate, my resources. You can follow me directly, with no algorithms and no trackers.

My choices when it comes to social networks

My digital ecosystem is my alternative to social media. I control this ecosystem end to end. I host it with Infomaniak, but I can switch hosts at any time. I run it through several CMSs (Publii, Ghost, Yeswiki, or Shaarli), but I can switch those at any time too. I'm the one in charge of this ecosystem, which isn't the case on LinkedIn.

Mastodon

I currently have a Mastodon account. To understand what I do there, or don't do there, you can read my social media policy. So yes, I have a Mastodon account, but that could change at any time. There are other spaces on the web where we can interact. Spaces that respect us, that make us better.

LinkedIn

I currently have a LinkedIn account. No need for a link here, you'll find me easily. So yes, I have a LinkedIn account, but that could change at any time. There are other spaces on the web where we can interact. Spaces that respect us, that make us better.

Bluesky

I currently have a Bluesky account. No need for a link here, you'll find me easily. So yes, I have a Bluesky account, but that could change at any time. There are other spaces on the web where we can interact. Spaces that respect us, that make us better.

Twitter

I closed my Twitter account on November 16, 2022. Fortunately, there are other spaces on the web where we can interact. Spaces that respect us, that make us better.

The thinking that accompanied, and continues to accompany, that decision: