We heard you.

[apps@toot.fedilab.app]

We heard you. #HolosDiscover has been shut down, all indexed data deleted, and the source code removed. We apologize for the misunderstanding. Our approach was built with the deepest respect for user consent, but we understand it could rightfully be seen as misusing the indexable flag that many users didn't consciously enable. This highlighted a real conversation the Fediverse needs about default settings. Thank you for the feedback.

[hurricaneweasel@mastodon.world]

@apps
I'm sorry it went that way.

[thibaultmol@en.osm.town]

@apps that's unfortunate; it seemed like a cool concept. Mastodon probably should just implement a clear flag or something yeah

[rompe@mastodon.social]

@apps
It's saddening that users (well, *one* user if I counted correctly) are ok with Google and OpenAI harvesting their stuff but not a thoughtfully and respectfully designed project.

[apps@toot.fedilab.app]

@rompe
We actually received links to heated discussions about the project beyond what was visible here. It was taking a dimension we didn't anticipate. We preferred to shut it down rather than let it escalate further.

[srtcd424@mas.to]

@apps thank you for trying! As a community I feel we're going to have to figure this out eventually :( I hope you manage to find an alternative acceptable way to solve the problem somehow.

[rompe@mastodon.social]

@apps
I'm sorry, that must be so frustrating for you. Take another donation as motivation for your other projects.

[futureisfoss@fosstodon.org]

@apps

I'm sad that it got shutdown before it even had a chance to work for its intended purpose.

Also keep in mind that social media discussions and comments will always have a bias towards the loud and angry voices, no one will make a post saying "You know that HolosDiscover project, I don't really mind it because they respect my settings". It is similar to the survivorship bias if you're familiar with that, your data points are incomplete.

[andi@snac.sonnenmulde.at]

This is sad because from everything I read you really tried to do it right.

And I say this from the perspective of a person who would NOT have allowed to be in the index. Still some people are just around for destruction. This is why we cannot have nice things.

[snork303@toot.community]

@apps
If I had cared enough to pay attention I might have formed an opinion, but I do admire your solution.

@rompe

[hwll@sunny.garden]

@apps sounds like the right call from what I'm reading

[tragivictoria@mastodon.catgirl.cloud]

@apps@toot.fedilab.app thats why fedi will always be niche. Anytime someone tries to improve something they are met with countless opposition.

People like to forget that before Bluesky, people tried to move here.

[74@101010.pl]

@rompe
Users are not ok with that.
Ther are just helpless.
@apps

[csolisr@hub.azkware.net]

@apps That reminds me - is there a FEP that extends the permissions system to make it granular per site? That would have solved one of the main concerns of people with your index (wanting to be searchable, but also wanting to limit which databases have the permission to index them and being able to revoke that permission retroactively)

[csolisr@hub.azkware.net]

@apps In the meanwhile, you might be interested in using OAuth as your opt-in mechanism

[bobkmertz@techhub.social]

@apps
I'm really sad to see this happen. I thought it was a great project that respected users.

#HolosDiscover

[juergen@treff.jyrgi.de]

@apps@toot.fedilab.app
Not sure if I see this as good or bad. My 2 cents: You might be the only one who is respecting any flag at the fediverse. I'm pretty sure big tech is scraping everything they can get from the fediverse.

[mapache@hachyderm.io]

@apps I am sorry, I saw a glimpse and thought it was cool.

Remember, that sometimes the loud voices do not represent everyone here.

[bredroll@mas.to]

@tragivictoria @apps I'm trying to figure out what the objections really were. That stuff people post publically to fediverse servers was indexed? i can see robotic scraping of servers being problematic for instance owners, but how much privacy can we really expect in fediverse posts? its small and niche, it feels like a safe corner of a clubhouse, but its the internet, we need to remind our users that stuff isnt confidential and even that "disappearing" posts is only really cosmetic.

[bredroll@mas.to]

@juergen @apps agree, it feels like one of those missing horse / stable door things.

its like robots.txt again