Amplify Your Organization’s Voice: Embrace Radical Transparency and Authentic Connections
Dear Leaders of Nonprofits and Public Organizations,
In our digital age, social media platforms have become indispensable tools for communication, outreach, and community engagement. However, the landscape of these platforms is evolving, it’s crucial for organizations like yours to rethink where and how you engage online.
The Challenge with Centralized Platforms
Centralized social media platforms, such as X (formerly Twitter), operate under profit-driven models that can influence the dissemination of information. Studies have shown that Twitter’s algorithms tend to amplify content from right-wing politicians and news outlets more than from the left. Regardless of political orientation, algorithmic biases driven by profit interests are incompatible with the public interest.
This inherent bias can inadvertently skew public discourse, affecting the visibility of crucial information.
For public entities — such as fire departments, police departments, universities, and other essential services — this presents a significant concern. Relying on platforms where private entities control content algorithms poses risks, as these algorithms may inadvertently delay or obscure urgent messages. For instance, during recent emergencies, platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and X/Twitter were inundated with disaster-related content, yet they often failed to provide timely, practical assistance to those affected. Even worse, the algorithms can also amplify misinformation, further complicating efforts to deliver accurate, life-saving information.
This underscores the challenges of relying on algorithm-driven platforms for emergency communications.
I don’t like that public entities are giving power to private individuals, but I am even more troubled that these individuals have used this power indiscriminately for self-benefit. We gave them too much power, and now it is time to demand that such organizations embrace open standards and open platforms. In an ideal world, public entities would self-host services for video, microblogging, alerts, newsletters, and more — just as they self-host or contract email and web services. I am okay with platforms like YouTube offering a white-label platform, free from algorithm-driven motivators that work against public self-interest. But for organizations like Amtrak or NOAA to rely on X/Twitter for alerts or YouTube for videos is akin to using a @gmail email address or hosting their website on Geocities. We deserve better.
The Public Discourse in the Control of Individuals
The centralized control of influential digital platforms has empowered individuals like Elon Musk to significantly influence political discourse. Independently if you agree or not with views of the individuals, their dual role as a senior adviser to Government and owner of X has raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest, especially regarding decisions like influencing federal contracts to favor his business interests.
This convergence of media ownership and political advisory roles exemplifies how centralized control over digital platforms can enable private individuals to shape public discourse and policy decisions, often aligning with their personal or corporate interests.
The Decentralized Alternative
Decentralized platforms, such as Mastodon, offer a compelling alternative. By distributing control among users rather than centralizing it within a single entity, these platforms enhance transparency and reduce the likelihood of algorithmic manipulation serving specific agendas. This structure ensures that communications remain unbiased, and engagement with communities is authentic and free from corporate interference.
Moreover, decentralized platforms provide greater ownership over personal data and improved control over user-generated content. Nonprofits, for example, can migrate to different servers or even run their own Mastodon instance, just as they manage their websites and email services. This gives them the ability to communicate directly with their audience, without relying on third-party platforms that may prioritize profit over public interest or restrict their reach.
A Word on Emerging Platforms
While new platforms like Bluesky present themselves as decentralized social networks, it is essential to approach them with caution. Despite their decentralized architecture, they remain for-profit entities, which could influence their operational decisions and priorities. As such, the potential for profit motives to impact content visibility and platform policies cannot be entirely dismissed.
What is next?
Given these considerations, we urge nonprofits and public organizations to reevaluate their social media strategies critically. Transitioning away from platforms that enable oligarchic control and corporate interests over the public square is a step towards preserving the integrity and efficacy of your communications.
We understand that this process is not easy or simple. That’s why we encourage nonprofits to adopt Mastodon alongside their existing social networks while migrating or condensing their social media presence. It’s important to start building that presence now so your audience knows where to find reliable, unfiltered information about your organization — without interference or misinformation.
Embracing decentralized platforms like Mastodon can empower your organization to maintain direct, unbiased, and effective engagement with the communities you serve.
By making this shift, you not only safeguard your organization’s mission but also contribute to a more equitable and transparent digital ecosystem.
There is a whole community ready to help you, and I am eager to assist your nonprofit or public organization in migrating to a more sustainable and independent platform.
With commitment to change,
and unwavering support,
Sincerely,
Maho Pacheco