Central Saanich Coun. Zeb King is challenging Canadian leaders to prove their commitment to digital sovereignty by adopting alternative social media platforms like the Fediverse.
This comes in the wake of concerns over the Canadian government's stance on the digital services tax for U.S. tech giants.
King argues that a concrete step towards demonstrating true leadership would be for government officials to actively engage with the public through platforms that are not controlled by American corporations, like Facebook or X.
“The fact that we don't have the digital services tax, it seems like a walk back on principle,” he lamented. So, individually, let's get off these platforms. Let's show that, as Canadians, our ‘elbows are up’ beyond just rhetoric. Let's take action.”
He proposes the Fediverse, a decentralized social network built on the ActivityPub protocol, as a viable and privacy-focused alternative. The Fediverse is a global network of interconnected platforms that allows users to seamlessly interact, share content and follow each other across different services.
Popular platforms within the Fediverse include Mastodon for microblogging (similar to X), Pixelfed for image sharing (similar to Instagram), PeerTube for video sharing (similar to YouTube) and Lemmy for link aggregation (similar to Reddit).
He believes embracing the Fediverse offers numerous advantages, including enhanced user privacy, greater control over personal data, increased resistance to censorship and community-driven governance.
"I would highlight it as the Canadian people's social media.”
King recently took to Mastodon, where he's maintained an account since November 2022, to announce his meeting with Saanich North and the Islands MLA Rob Botterell.
He sought Botterell's support in championing the use of the Fediverse among elected officials.
Following the meeting, King expressed optimism about Botterell's receptiveness to the idea.
"He was so gracious, kind, and willing," King shared. "Essentially, he said, 'I'm sold. I'm on board, let's do this,' and I thought that's the leadership we want."
The core concept of Mastodon (and the Fediverse) centres around utilizing a standard protocol to connect disparate communities.
King hopes his initiative will inspire other Canadian leaders to explore the benefits of decentralized social media and prioritize the digital rights and privacy of their constituents.
A platform controlled and hosted in Canada
King has sought out Chris Alemany, a member of the team that runs SocialBC.ca, to help Botterell's staff get on Mastodon.
Alemany, who also led a few efforts to raise the profile of Mastodon/Fediverse through an e-petition to Canada’s House of Commons says sovereignty and public information are the main reasons he is trying hard to convince government officials to sign up.
“The idea of the Fediverse finally provides the opportunity for politicians to have a public platform that can still be controlled/hosted in Canada, while still connecting to the wider world,” he said.
Alemany admits there is reluctance from the public because of a perception that other platforms have more immediate reach.
“Also, because the Fediverse works in a fundamentally different 'open' way with all its interconnections, that can act as a confusing part that can further deter people,” he added. “I switched from X to Mastodon in November 2022 when a large number of people made the jump. I haven’t looked back and found it very beneficial. Others have gone to Bluesky or even back to X.”
The bottom line, he says, “There is no big money behind any of this. It is a very organic and thus slower process. But there is still growth, and I think the inevitable end point will be that the likes of Meta, X and Bluesky will become part of the Fediverse once there are enough people there for them to deem it a ’threat’ to their business model.”
Green Party leader and Saanich-Gulf Islands MP Elizabeth May supports both Alemany’s and King’s vision and criticizes the government’s decision to backtrack on the digital sales tax.
"I think it’s absolutely right trying other platforms and moving off U.S.-based social media and frankly, moving off social media altogether would be good,” she said.
May admits it's not going to be easy getting people out of Facebook or X to try a new social media platform.
“I'm embarrassed to say that I started with Blue Sky. I'm trying to stop using X altogether. The problem is I already have 300,000 followers on X and the question is, do they migrate with you?”
The MP says she’s committed to continuing to pursue getting on the alternative platform like Mastodon.
"The traditional platform’s business model is predatory and destructive, corrosive to democracy,” she adds. “And that's how these corporations make money off of Canadians. They steal our privacy. They mine our lives and they undermine our media.”
King admits many people might consider the whole alternative social media platform as technical gobbledygook but emphasizes, it’s a way to get the conversation going among local leaders about the future of social media and its impact on Canadian society.
“If not now, when?” he asked.
