say there are three instances, A, B and C. if A is not federated with B, users from those two instances can’t interact (right ?) but what if both are federated with C ? would both indirectly be able to interact ? if there is a post on instance C and a user from B comments on it, would that comment be visible on all three instances ?

  • @[email protected]English
    11•1 year ago

    Yes, comments from users on instances A and B on a post on C are visible to users on all three instances. De/federation is a way for admins of a specific instance to control which users can interact with posts on their instance. Eg: beehaw defeds sh.itjust.works so users from sh.itjust.works cannot interact with posts on beehaw. Users from both instances can interact with each other on posts on lemmy.world though.

    Edit: In reality, beehaw has defederated both sh.itjust.works and lemmy.world. In my theoretical example, only sh.itjust.works has been defederated.

    EDIT: I actually tested it and I’m wrong! I logged into my beehaw alt account and came to this thread but I can’t see this comment as it’s from sh.itjust.works. Because my comment is hidden, I also couldn’t see the thread attached to this comment section so the comment thread looked empty.

    Sorry for confusion.

    • Gone QuillEnglish
      6•1 year ago

      (except for that Beehaw is also defederated from lemmy.world)

        • Gone QuillEnglish
          4•1 year ago

          Basically, every major instance that isn’t sh.itjust.works, lemmy.world, lemmygrad.ml, or exploding-heads. They moderate in favor of “federate by default, defederate if it becomes a problem, refederate if the problem is addressed”

      • @BitingChaosEnglish
        3•1 year ago

        What’s the deal with Beehaw defederating with so many?

        If they don’t want to be part of the wide fediverse, why pick software designed for it?

        • @ShadyGroveEnglish
          1•1 year ago

          I think they are using it exactly as intended, the software is specifically designed to be decentralized and gives instance admins the power to de/federate as they choose.

          Let’s say when meta releases their activitypub thing, should everyone federate with them just because they are on the fediverse and will likely have a lot of users?

    • db0MEnglish
      5•1 year ago

      I was under the impression that A won’t see comments of B even if posted in a community in C

    • @[email protected]English
      2•1 year ago

      Wait, so if I am from A and comment on a post on B and a user@c from C (which A has defedrated) comments on my comment, I get a message/notification indirectly from user@c via B?

      So defederation blocks direct interaction but not discourse on “neutral ground (B in this case)”?

    • SoullionessEnglish
      2•1 year ago

      Fun fact: Beehaw defederated with Lemmy.world as well.

  • @[email protected]English
    1•1 year ago

    I think it depends. Not entirely sure though. Now given the context of Lemmy right, you can certainly post to instance C from both A and B. Even if your instance (either A or B) will not fetch messages from each other (due to not federating) you can always go see the messages through instance C (not logged in). That probably works for all defederation scenarios but that is also a very loosely defined interaction as both parties will have to do the same.

    A diplomatic answer I know.