For those of you on Fosstodon (UPDATED) UPDATE, April 30: [there are some encouraging changes happening at Fosstodon](https://hub.fosstodon.org/update-from-gina). That's good! So, I've updated this post accordingly -- and added a new reply about [the Nazi bar analogy](https://infosec.exchange/@thenexusofprivacy/114428582929221897) Still, even though things are much more hopeful now than a week ago, it's still too early to know how things will work out. So here's a few thoughts for people who are on Fosstodon ... 1) let your new admins know what direction you want to see the instance moving in -- and, if you've got the time, consider offering to help! 2) if you're still considering potentially moving, now's a good time to start exploring. It really is hard to pick a compatible instance, and you'll want to take the time to scope things out. Don't feel like your next choice is necessarily your permanent new home -- you can always treat it as an interim and move again if necessary. Asking friends for recommendations is a great place to start but not bulletproof (would you have recommended fosstodon if somebody had asked you about it a month ago?) ...[Resources for choosing the right fediverse instances](https://privacy.thenexus.today/resources-for-choosing-instances/) has links to directories and instance catalogs that can help you find out more 3) You can set up new accounts on other instances without moving -- so this is a good way to explore. One option is to export the list of people you're following (on the Preferences / Import and Export tab ), and import it on your new account. Or, if you feel like you're following too many people, this can also be a good time to experiment -- either start from scratch, or edit the CSV file before importing. You'll probably also want to export-and-import your blocklists, mutelists, domain blocks, and lists if you have any. Unfortunately there isn't any way to export and import your filters, so you'll need to recreate those manually. 4) If you're planning on "migrating" your account, make sure to read [Cutie City's guide to Migrating Servers](https://guide.cutie.city/the-fediverse/migrating-servers/?ref=privacy.thenexus.today) and Erin Kissane's [Notes From a Mastodon Migration](https://erinkissane.com/notes-from-a-mastodon-migration?ref=privacy.thenexus.today) first to avoid unpleaant surprises. It really sucks that Mastodon migration doesn't let you move your posts, but things are getting better. Check out [Posty](https://writer.oliphant.social/oliphant/posty-this-is-how-you-take-your-posts-with-you) and [Slurp](https://github.com/VyrCossont/slurp) 5) if you're up for having your own instance, it's really worth checking out GoToSocial. My experience with gotosocial.thenexus.today: setup and configuration were straightforward and well-documented, and upgrades have been smooth. There are also hosted options available. And, Slurp works really well with GoToSocial! If you decide to stay on Fosstodon, you can either keep it around as a secondary account ... or just view it as an interesting experiment and delete it. #fosstodon #fediverse