Fediverse Report #148: X is not a just platform problem anymore, it's a power problem, and why you cannot compete as platforms with power.
Joanna Rutkowska (@rootkovska) on X
Distrusts computers. Keeps embracing them anyway. Previously: Golem Foundation/Wildland, Qubes OS, hardware/virtualization/OS security research.
The Digital Services Act and Theories of Power
The European Commission put a 120M EUR fine on X for DSA violations. But as the European politicians cannot get themselves to leave the platform, it shows the issues with how they understand how power works on social platforms.
The State Department’s X Directive and the End of Platform Independence
A cable endorsing a social media platform by name as a tool of U.S. diplomacy and military psychological operations would have been unthinkable—until recently.
The future for platform holders is cooperation, not just competition | Opinion
When an industry changes -- even quite radically -- it can be hard to pinpoint the moment that the shift began. There a…
What is a “European Alternative” to X? – Open Future
European alternatives to Big Tech platforms must go beyond sovereignty—they need decentralized models, robust safety, and public funding.
Wayland vs X11: 2026 Comparison
The Linux display server landscape has been evolving dramatically over the past decade. Wayland,...
Protocols, Not Platforms: A Technological Approach to Free Speech
What is clear is that there is no simple solution to these challenges, and most of the ones that are normally presented tend not to deal with the reality of the problems or to understand the technical and societal challenges that likely make them impossible.
Xen Project FAQ Compatibility - Xen
To achieve such high performance, Xen Project requires that OSes are ported to run on it.
FOSDEM 2026 - How to level up the fediverse
The fediverse isn't done! Or, at least, that's the opinions of ActivityPub co-authors Christine Lemmer-Webber and Jessica Tallon! Discover how we could improve the fediverse with ActivityPub-compatible improvements to add more robust and secure communication/cooperation patterns, decentralized storage and identity, etc! Plus: how Spritely is starting to apply its technology towards exactly this goal, bringing Spritely's next-generation internet tech to the fediverse!
IBM PC
The ubiquity of IBM PC compatibles as well as the lack of a single corporation that controls the platform makes it a good candidate for a bedrock platform.
Platform as a Runtime - the Next Step in Platform Engineering
As systems become larger and more complex we need to take the concepts of platform engineering to a higher level – to the code level – by creating platforms and abstractions that will reduce cognitive load, help simplify and accelerate software development, and allow for easy maintenance and upgrades to the platform. Let’s move from “platform” to “Platform as a Runtime”.
There is no ethical case for staying on X
X has crossed a line it cannot uncross. This is no longer a debate about moderation or free speech trade-offs, but about predictable harm enabled by design. When a platform becomes ethically indefensible, outrage is not enough – walking away matters.
Platform Design: Interfaces, Incentives, Emergence & Second-Order Thinking
Platform design isn't just product design at scale. Learn the four concepts that set it apart—with a detailed Lego case study showing how great platforms enable creativity.
Everyone on here is arguing about X and Bluesky again. But no one ever talks about the two major issues with this platform, one cultural and one technical. And until both are solved, people are going to keep arguing about whether its relevant or not! garbageday.email/p/safe-and-cozy-in-your-dooms…
Ditch Platforms
Guides, stories, and reasons to leave platforms in favor of protocols
The Music Industry is Broken
Enshittification, Despotification, and the Open Internet
How to ACTUALLY Quit Spotify.
Kill Yr Substack | Jason Cosper
EFF is Leaving X
An Explanation (Which I Would Be Very Grateful If You Took The Time To Read)
