ActivityPub, the protocol that powers the fediverse (including Mastodon – same caveats as the first two times, will be used interchangeably, deal with it) is not private. It is not even semi-…
A counterpount: You can be a young user and not realize yet how wide is public sharing, you may be in an altered state (griefing, drunk) or be pushed around by disability (adhd, or other cognitive impairements). IMO these are not all qualifying as “being a dumbass”.
Additionnally, it’s possible nobody is able to correctly predict the future. Are your thoughts today going to cause you grief tommorrow, in a year, in 10? How about you post today about how good the orange juice you had was, but that is later on an excuse to put you in a labor camp with others due to the fact that eating fruits is now seen as unholy and that you are a sinner, in need of correction?
There is a balance to be struck between “all is public and it is your own fault”, and privacy nightmare. There should be some teaching happening. As somebody else mentions, having a habbit to use Matrix for DMs and more personal matters is one of these good habbits.
Everyone who grew up with the early internet were in those kinds of danger. It is up to the parents to ensure their kid acts responsibly on the internet, not everyone else’s. If you cannot be sure your child knows how to safely and properly navigate the internet you shouldn’t give them access to it.
Teaching people responsibility and that there are consequences to their actions they cannot always fully grasp is an important cautionary lesson people need to learn.
A counterpount: You can be a young user and not realize yet how wide is public sharing, you may be in an altered state (griefing, drunk) or be pushed around by disability (adhd, or other cognitive impairements). IMO these are not all qualifying as “being a dumbass”.
Additionnally, it’s possible nobody is able to correctly predict the future. Are your thoughts today going to cause you grief tommorrow, in a year, in 10? How about you post today about how good the orange juice you had was, but that is later on an excuse to put you in a labor camp with others due to the fact that eating fruits is now seen as unholy and that you are a sinner, in need of correction?
There is a balance to be struck between “all is public and it is your own fault”, and privacy nightmare. There should be some teaching happening. As somebody else mentions, having a habbit to use Matrix for DMs and more personal matters is one of these good habbits.
Everyone who grew up with the early internet were in those kinds of danger. It is up to the parents to ensure their kid acts responsibly on the internet, not everyone else’s. If you cannot be sure your child knows how to safely and properly navigate the internet you shouldn’t give them access to it. Teaching people responsibility and that there are consequences to their actions they cannot always fully grasp is an important cautionary lesson people need to learn.