IFTAS

https://mastodon.iftas.org/@iftas

⁂ Independent Federated Trust and Safety - We support the people making the Social Web safer by convening and creating best practice, resources and services for open social moderators, community managers, and service admins.

#FediMods #FediAdmins #MastoMods #MastoAdmins #Moderation #TrustAndSafety

About IFTAS: https://about.iftas.org
SW-ISAC Social Web Advisories: https://mastodon.iftas.org/tags/SW_ISAC_ADVISORY
Shared Community Resources: https://about.iftas.org/trust-safety-services/
Support Our Work: https://about.iftas.org/donate/

Public Key

npub1y2r2mwt42zufw0dr9kmfz4sjdcan0f3azekpkpp2qlvf8x39cqsqx2kvzk

NIP-05 Address

[email protected]

Profile Code

nprofile1qqsz9p4dh964pwyh8k3jmd532cfxuweh5c73vmqmqs4q0kynngjuqgqpz3mhxue69uhhyetvv9ujuerpd46hxtnfduqs6amnwvaz7tmwdaejumr0dsunsm49

Publishing to

relay.damus.io

nos.lol

Author Public Key

npub1y2r2mwt42zufw0dr9kmfz4sjdcan0f3azekpkpp2qlvf8x39cqsqx2kvzk

Show more details

Last Notes

2026-10-21 13:49:31 GMT

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https://www.php.net/archive/2026.php#2026-10-21-5
How to update:
Update to PHP 8.5.12, 8.4.27, 8.3.36 or 8.2.35. Source downloads are at https://www.php.net/downloads.php?source=Y

2026-10-21 12:49:52 GMT

⚠️ #SW_ISAC_ADVISORY
Service providers operating PHP-based platforms please take note of PHP critical vulnerabilities, both rated CVSS v4.0 9.2
Major government and ecommerce services have shut down pending the patch. Exploits are already circulating.
Shut your service down now, and ensure it doesn't have Internet access on restart.
A patch is scheduled for Wednesday, 21 October 2026 at 14:00 UTC
0100 AEDT
2300 JST
1600 CST
1500 BST
1000 EST
0700 PST
https://cert.europa.eu/publications/security-advisories/2026-018/

2026-10-02 15:32:42 GMT

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See all bot bios observed so far:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1f7mUcRk_hlKH62jHUJcNZQjRwkYRyymwEYjymqCObSo/edit?usp=sharing
If you want a custom shirt, just DM us!

2026-10-02 15:31:59 GMT

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3. Buy the shirt! If you find the bot bios as hilarious as we do, why not wear it!
We've added the two bios mentioned in the episode and shamelessly added a #Forkiverse tag, but you can also pick your own favourite (full list below) and we'll make the shirt you want.
https://www.bonfire.com/store/iftas/

2026-10-02 15:19:47 GMT

A note for folks still on #Forkiverse - as per the most recent Search Engine episode at https://www.searchengine.show - here are the instructions on moving your account now that the shutdown is official: https://docs.google.com/document/d/18ux_KzIkoTQz_gAcEzwlro59gkSIdOA_ysdwz9VMz68/edit?tab=t.0
You have until December 31, 2026 to complete these steps, at which point all of the data stored in the Forkiverse will be deleted.
If you'd like to support the work IFTAS does, see the next post.

2026-09-19 11:18:09 GMT

#bpSpam source analysis and proposed solutions
https://ingo.lantschner.name/post/2026-09-18_mailrelay-mastodon/

2026-09-18 12:20:14 GMT

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I guess my sentence should have been "those that want the benefits (to them) of this"...
I'm still having a hard time understanding the pushback on a ZKP flag going to any given service provider, using a flag given to me by the very entity that governs me/issues my ID.
Government doesn't know I visited a given service/site.
Service doesn't know anything about me other than is_over_18=true
Assuming age-gating is unavoidable at some future point, what better solution?

2026-09-17 17:13:11 GMT

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if you open source forked a car, it would still need safety checks before being allowed on the road.
You retain all your freedoms. You never had the freedom to place an unsafe car on the road. You never had and will not have the freedom to require ad hoc acceptance of unvalidated identification, physical or virtual.

2026-09-17 17:02:54 GMT

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"but all of this is going to be moot when parents just hand their devices to kids"
That in my view is the system working as intended. This legislation is not out of thin air, it's from parents who want better options. Those that want them can use this. Those that don't can hand their devices to their kids.
Nothing here as far as I can tell makes it illegal to let your kid do something.
Best of both worlds.
https://mastodon-iftas-org.s3.bhs.io.cloud.ovh.net/media_attachments/files/117/287/455/528/412/319/original/a41eac522f7d8d9a.png

2026-09-17 15:42:39 GMT

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They have the right to modification.
They do not have the right to use those modifications as a state-recognised proof of age without gaining certified compliance.
These are two different things.
You are basically asking for the right to modify your driver's license and have the right to require nation states allow you to use it to drive a car.
You can modify your driver's license all you want.
It then becomes unusable in certain situations.

2026-09-12 16:59:45 GMT

Mastodon and forks allow banning the use of certain usernames at /admin/username_blocks – this will stop emails going out as the username cannot be chosen, but it will stop any and all usernames (including valid requests) containing “bp” – this should be considered a temporary measure.
#bpSpam
https://mastodon-iftas-org.s3.bhs.io.cloud.ovh.net/media_attachments/files/117/259/131/110/178/163/original/d165a0b4854cd41f.png

2026-09-08 12:27:57 GMT

The following official accounts cannot be added to Collections. This may be intentional, but if there's a desire to be more broadly visible, and if your platform allows it, please consider enabling the ability to be featured in Mastodon Collections.
@npub1jth…7xp7
[@admin](https://app.wafrn.net/fediverse/blog/admin )
@npub1hpu…lxp9
[@hackerspub](https://hackers.pub/@hackerspub )
@npub14rp…za3l
@npub17gp…7p4g
@npub1n38…87gn
@npub13a2…k6ef
[@blackskyweb.xyz](https://bsky.brid.gy/r/https://bsky.app/profile/blackskyweb.xyz )
@npub1nfl…nul3
@npub1d43…jl5u
@npub1hj4…533m
@npub1peh…f5jm
@npub19jk…pymw

2026-08-09 05:33:28 GMT

#COSCUP continues with @npub1764…nuj0 from [@swf](https://socialwebfoundation.org ) talking about #ActivityPub 1.1
#COSCUP2026
https://mastodon-iftas-org.s3.bhs.io.cloud.ovh.net/media_attachments/files/117/063/916/411/024/049/original/960e9864000b5465.jpg

2026-08-03 21:24:25 GMT

If you haven't yet silenced the following domains, you are potentially federating non-stop pro-Russian state-sponsored spam and slopaganda.
Local timelines make it very clear these services are overrun, abandoned spam factories with 150-300 bot accounts posting 24/7.
https://zirk.us/public/local
https://sigmoid.social/public/local
https://social.roadfm.fr/public/local
todon.ploud.fr (appears to be offline at the moment)
https://truthsocial.co.in/public/local
See https://about.iftas.org/iftas-abandoned-unmanaged-denylist-output/ for suspend vs silence recommendations.

2026-07-29 21:08:37 GMT

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hrm, I'll be more explicit next year, the idea is if you put in incoming and outgoing costs they should be comparable. I'll work on ways to simplify that, but for now, fill i tout in any way which makes sense to you.

2026-07-29 20:55:54 GMT

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ach, that's both upsetting and true.
Best I can say is look yourself up on your node file eg https://mastodon.radio/api/v1/instance and search for user_count

2026-07-28 18:44:39 GMT

Only 2 days left to share your voice in our annual #Fediverse survey!
If you run, manage, or moderate a #SocialWeb service, your anonymised and aggregated feedback goes directly to lawmakers and regulators around the world.
If they don’t know our concerns, they can’t write laws that protect our mission.
Help shape the policies that impact us. Take 5 minutes to share your experience:
➡️ https://tally.so/r/81MW6k

2026-07-15 17:51:43 GMT

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depends on the platform, what are you using?

2026-07-15 15:43:14 GMT

A cluster of ~300 WordPress web sites have begun federating over ActivityPub and then bridging to ATProto, all Swedish, mostly blank.
Could be innocuous, could be the beginnings of an ad-farm, could be something more troubling.
We have no idea, but here's a list of domains in case anyone wants to poke around and see if there's anything to be gleaned. Please use all sensible precautions before visiting an untrusted domain.
https://pastebin.com/8PHQg0ZW

2026-07-11 18:15:06 GMT

IFTAS has now observed and reported over 4,000 inauthentic accounts created by the Portal Kombat/Matryoshka disinfo #FIMI team. This number is just the accounts manually observed and verified by humans.
Could be there's twice as many, ten times as many, who knows?
Each account spews non-stop automated slopaganda and inauthentic boosts.
Roughly 65% of our reports are acted on.
In other words, huge volumes of unchecked spam federating around the web.
Learn more: https://about.iftas.org/library/suspected-portal-kombat-accounts/
https://mastodon-iftas-org.s3.bhs.io.cloud.ovh.net/media_attachments/files/116/902/694/675/728/740/original/81333733af29c1e1.png
https://mastodon-iftas-org.s3.bhs.io.cloud.ovh.net/media_attachments/files/116/902/697/344/966/379/original/1d36052dcd77ebcf.png

2026-06-30 11:22:35 GMT

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there are several activities to identify FIMI, inauthentic behaviour, and coordinated botnets.
Two examples:
https://about.iftas.org/library/known-spam-fediverse-services/
https://about.iftas.org/library/suspected-portal-kombat-accounts/

2026-06-18 14:56:23 GMT

We're seeing a lot of account takeovers of old, unused accounts. If your account has elevated privileges (eg admin or moderator access) we strongly advise you enable multi-factor authentication.
Please boost for visibility.
#FediAdmin #FediMods #MastoAdmin

2026-06-08 21:05:16 GMT

⚠️ #SW_ISAC_ADVISORY
The following domains have been added to the IFTAS Abandoned/Unmanaged Domain denylist with a "Silence" (aka "Limit") recommendation:
mastodon.lithium03.info
zirk.us
https://about.iftas.org/library/iftas-abandoned-and-unmanaged-domain-list/
#Spam #CIB #FIMI

2026-06-03 11:53:39 GMT

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We're at 33 supporters on our "Power of One" campaign.
Keeping our research, open tools, and infrastructure free for the entire ecosystem requires sustainable support.
If you can you spare just 1 euro, dollar, pound a month, 12 a year to help us make sure we can keep the lights on it makes a huge difference.
And if you can't, please spread the word. Sharing our tools and resources is the most helpful thing you can do to support the network.
Join us, support us: https://givebutter.com/iftas-power-of-one

2026-06-03 11:49:37 GMT

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I will be traveling later today to attend the PublicSpaces Conference in #Amsterdam titled "Technology for Democracy" https://conference.publicspaces.net/en to collaborate with others building a safer, independent social web.
If you're attending, let's connect!

2026-06-03 11:46:02 GMT

Every year IFTAS surveys a broad range of community builders to learn what's working and what's not.
As we prepare for our upcoming annual survey, now's the perfect time to look back at the data driving our work. If you want to see the real challenges currently facing server admins, moderators, and community managers, you can read our full 2025 report here:
https://about.iftas.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Social-Web-Trust-Safety-Needs-Assessment-Report-2025.pdf
This data isn't just academic, it shapes what we work on, advocate for, and seek to support.
https://mastodon-iftas-org.s3.bhs.io.cloud.ovh.net/media_attachments/files/116/685/998/370/879/363/original/025efa1f2b3d9815.png

2026-05-30 23:12:21 GMT

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>it would be nice for admins to be made aware - we have reported over 2500 accounts to the admins in question, and published posts and blogs about the issue. 9,000 Mastodon servers to reach, many non-English speaking, it's a complex issue.
>OTOH what’s stopping a bad actor from hosting their own instance and populating it with 50K accounts of pre-slop?
https://fediverse.observer/pravda.me

2026-05-29 12:37:25 GMT

The Russian botnet has now created over 2,500 inauthentic accounts on 180 Mastodon servers. These accounts spam propaganda, follow each other to increase federation, connect to Bluesky via the bridge to spread their content there, and create unlimited invite links for their bots to follow.
IFTAS reports each one we find, and to date roughly 60% of these accounts have been suspended.
Our AUD denylist would silence or suspend the bulk of the remaining 40% of accounts.
https://about.iftas.org/library/suspected-portal-kombat-accounts/
#note1fu6…dwr3

2026-05-28 12:28:13 GMT

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If you value this work and want to see our safety resources stay online, independent, and active, please consider joining our Power of One campaign.
We are looking for 500 supporters to contribute just 1 (£, €, $) a month. Small change, big difference.
Support IFTAS here: https://givebutter.com/iftas-power-of-one
https://mastodon-iftas-org.s3.bhs.io.cloud.ovh.net/media_attachments/files/116/652/195/144/385/504/original/488fbba0d7315327.png

2026-05-28 12:23:00 GMT

⚠️ #SW_ISAC_ADVISORY
The following domain(s) are entering the IFTAS Abandoned/Unmanaged Domain (AUD) review process:
mstdn.at
paxation.info
sigmoid.social
zirk.us
These nodes are open registration, are being used by coordinated botnets, and are unresponsive to reports, DMs, and Email communications.
If you have contacts at any of these services, please reach out and let them know we have been trying to contact them for three weeks.
#Spam #FIMI #CIB
https://about.iftas.org/library/iftas-abandoned-and-unmanaged-domain-list/

2026-05-21 14:41:58 GMT

RE: https://masto.ai/@Nonilex/116612907554964438
#MastoAdmin #MastoMods community should be on the alert for hijacked accounts. We have observed some signals of dormant accounts suddenly being used in the past two or three weeks.
#note1s9e…vcv9

2026-05-19 15:46:07 GMT

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the program appears to be attempting to convert times to my local times, but is only getting halfway. I think I have it figured out, but is there a just-show-NL-times option?
https://mastodon-iftas-org.s3.bhs.io.cloud.ovh.net/media_attachments/files/116/602/012/009/544/054/original/c3fc5c9bdb99f3d9.png

2026-05-14 13:45:27 GMT

Spot-the-not-a-bot! One of these profile bios is not a bot, can you tell which one?
Option 1. Born in Cook Islands, moved into Bartender after studying COBOL
Option 2: Graphic Designer focused on cordless with an eye for Aquamarine design
Option 3: Living by the sea, guided by the stars. Moon-minded. Tide-pulled. Alchemist.
Option 4: Low-fi 90's.
#BotWatching

2026-05-05 17:42:46 GMT

⚠️ #SW_ISAC_ADVISORY
The following domain(s) are being escalated to the Abandoned/Unmanaged Denylist (AUD) review process:
sigmoid.social
#CIB #FIMI #Spam
More about AUD: https://about.iftas.org/library/iftas-abandoned-and-unmanaged-domain-list/
https://mastodon-iftas-org.s3.bhs.io.cloud.ovh.net/media_attachments/files/116/523/168/144/754/178/original/5e5bf1c891171c10.png

2026-04-23 16:28:00 GMT

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Having a hard time figuring out which kind of message resonates with folks and/or figuring out if I should stop doing this work if nobody really needs it done.

2026-04-17 13:00:48 GMT

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Observed on 77 domains so far, eg
https://electroverse.tech/directory?local=true&order=new
https://darmstadt.social/directory?local=true&order=new
https://h4.io/directory?local=true&order=new
https://imastodon.blue/directory?local=true&order=new
https://mast.qixto.com/directory?local=true&order=new
https://todon.ploud.fr/directory?local=true&order=new
https://wehavecookies.social/directory?local=true&order=new

2026-04-17 12:58:49 GMT

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...and deeply fingerstache.

2026-04-17 12:51:27 GMT

The following domains have open registration, are being overrun by coordinated LLM bot spam, and are unresponsive to outreach requesting account reviews or refuse to remove these accounts.
These may be added to the Abandoned/Unmanaged Denylist. Anyone with opportunity to help alert these admins please do so.
https://iamveryti.red/directory?local=true&order=new
https://imastodon.blue/directory
https://h4.io/directory?local=true&order=new
https://zirk.us/directory?local=true&order=new
https://mastodon.lithium03.info/directory?local=true&order=new
https://organica.social/directory?local=true&order=new
https://wehavecookies.social/directory?local=true&order=new
#SPAM #CIB #FIMI

2026-04-14 13:49:27 GMT

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great work describing all the thought and care you've put in to the service in the form of a federation policy!
IFTAS believes every federating service should have one, learn more about federation policies at https://about.iftas.org/library/example-federation-policies/

2026-03-05 09:07:10 GMT

hf.space is a hosting service for "AI Apps" and is currently being used to generate large amounts of #Spam on federated networks. The subdomain seen in use is ali525-q.hf.space - however, numerous spam activities are paused, running, or being stopped by HuggingFace and at this time we recommend suspending federation with the hf.space domain entirely.
ref: https://huggingface.co/ali525/spaces
to report the HF user see https://huggingface.co/content-policy

2026-02-25 21:43:38 GMT

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No, I don't see that. I see that in tightly constrained timelines of mutual follows, but I don't see it on fedi writ large.
We are all prisoners of our own chronological bubbles.
Run a few accounts on a few different servers on a few different platforms with a few different denylists, or none.

2026-02-25 20:38:42 GMT

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im personally a proponent of a standard list so we can share lists. If I share a list with undefined labels, who would ingest it? We have more moderators than Twitter, but without a shared vocabulary we cannot coordinate, collaborate, communicate

2026-02-25 20:33:19 GMT

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I'm biased, we use industry standard terms available under creative commons. These are not IFTAS labels btw, these are DTSP labels.

2026-02-25 19:32:32 GMT

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WordPress and BridgyFed offer it as a default option, would love to see more platforms educating their admins as to the basic why-you-might-want-a-denylist and offering recommended options.

2026-02-18 17:31:53 GMT

Decentralised social media isn't just a tech experiment, it's critical infrastructure for a resilient democracy. Bertelsmann Stiftung's latest report explores how open protocols like ActivityPub can break tech monopolies.
How do we scale? The report calls for better usability & lower entry barriers; mandated interoperability via EU policy; public institutions hosting their own instances.
https://www.bertelsmann-stiftung.de/de/publikationen/publikation/did/decentralized-social-media-platforms-as-a-path-to-a-more-resilient-information-ecosystem
Thanks to @npub1mf6…g967 and @npub1evt…xdke Clara Ruthardt and Charlotte Freihse

2026-02-05 21:31:22 GMT

⚠️ SW-ISAC Advisory
The IFTAS Do Not Interact domain denylist has been updated.
This newly added domain(s) are identified as federating illegal content, based on human review.
If you are a user of the IFTAS DNI denylist, please update accordingly.
https://about.iftas.org/library/iftas-dni-list/
#SW_ISAC_ADVISORY #CSAM

2026-02-05 21:12:59 GMT

⚠️ SW-ISAC Advisory
The following domain(s) have been added to the IFTAS Abandoned/Unmanaged List:
m.pupu.moe
social.sengeis.priv.at
https://about.iftas.org/library/iftas-abandoned-and-unmanaged-domain-list/
#SW_ISAC_ADVISORY #Disinformation #CIB #Spam

2026-01-16 22:58:56 GMT

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I can now only pronounce "IFTAS" as "IFTAHSSS"

2026-01-09 02:08:39 GMT

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Just by the by, Mastodon, Pleroma, Friendica, GoToSocial all have allowlist options for federation as I understand it. Maybe others, maybe Bonfire?

2026-01-08 20:19:03 GMT

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here's what I think might be an illuminating factoid:
The IFTAS CARIAD observatory monitors the domain blocks put in place by the largest servers.
5,868 domains have been blocked by at least one of the observed sources.
Not a single one of those 5,868 instances is blocked by all of them.
Only eight domains are blocked by over 90% of the sources.
I think that speaks volumes about this network's ability to govern itself.

2026-01-08 20:10:18 GMT

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To your second point, I find it odd when people start leaning toward requiring - or wanting to require - others to hear them.
There are already large fractures, eg global north to SE Asia/Japan instances. You have every right to publish your content, and everyone else has every right to see or not have to see it.
This is how civil society, and our freedoms of expression and association work. Those freedoms include the freedom to not express and to not associate.

2026-01-08 20:08:46 GMT

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I can't personally imagine a world where large services go to allowlist, we've not seen them be overly blocky with their denylists, it would be very odd to see any large service move to allowlist.
In general the larger they are, the more permissive they are, I think that's a natural and probably desired result.
Federation is a privilege, not a right.

2026-01-08 19:50:59 GMT

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that is definitely a danger we need to work to avoid, and there's plenty of lessons learned we need to not ignore from email's lifecycle.

2026-01-08 19:46:42 GMT

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there will undoubtedly be pushback to any structural changes, but as the network grows, so do the vectors for harm and conflict.
It's a messy network and we all only see the parts of it we're aware of. As more and more companies, people, services join, some communities will likely seek to shrink their visibility or exposure, I think this is a natural outcome.

2026-01-08 19:39:34 GMT

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I think the point would be that no-one will force /you/ to do it, but some (mostly smaller) communities seem to want it, and that's their choice, just as much as your choice is yours.

2026-01-08 19:24:56 GMT

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thanks for the feedback!
I think as with all things global, some things will work for some, other things for others. A mix of denylist, greylist, and allowlist options would let every community pick what's best for them.
And, even with allowlist, one probable outcome would be "allow what these other servers I trust allow" and greylist everything else - the possibilities are pretty wide.

2026-01-08 17:00:13 GMT

The 2025 Social Web Trust & Safety Needs Assessment Report is now available.
Volunteer moderators are burning out. Spam is rising. Legal threats are growing.
The 2025 Report reveals where things stand, and what must change.
Read it now: https://about.iftas.org/2026/01/08/the-2025-social-web-trust-safety-report-is-here/
#TrustAndSafety #Moderation #FediAdmin #MastoAdmin #Moderators #FediMods #MastoMods
#note1dmk…9v3d

2026-01-07 20:37:59 GMT

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domains are sometimes added as a catch-all for numerous subdomains.
This domain is blocked for spam and DDOS issues; separately CARIAD shows 87.5% of observed sources blocking the domain at this level.

2026-01-07 15:56:43 GMT

⚠️ SW-ISAC Advisory
The IFTAS Do Not Interact domain denylist has been updated.
This newly added domains are identified as serving illegal content, based on human review.
If you are a user of the IFTAS DNI denylist, please update accordingly.
https://about.iftas.org/library/iftas-dni-list/
#SW_ISAC_ADVISORY #CSAM

2026-01-06 22:54:43 GMT

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This domain is an ad farm along the lines of other known fediverse spam servers, with 45 accounts creating 6,500 posts per day leading to ad-laden web pages using content scraped and repurposed as news articles or blog posts.
The Mastodon service in use has hidden any local feeds, profiles, admin contact details, and exists purely to inundate feeds with posts that might lead to ad clicks.
A list of known spam services that federate their content is available at https://about.iftas.org/library/known-spam-fediverse-services/

2026-01-06 21:18:17 GMT

The IFTAS CARIAD Domain Observatory monitors the domains blocked by 51% or more of the observed sources.
Mastodon administrators can browse the database (and compare their blocked domains to the CARIAD database) at https://cariad.fedicheck.iftas.org
Three lists are publicly available in JSON format:
Blocked by 51% or more: https://cariad.fedicheck.iftas.org/api/v1/denylist/domains/by-threshold?threshold=51&api_key=2f8189cc6dbeeb15908c189eb58f4b9450c00b0be85e4a1d52de6be2f0d84f91
Blocked by 66% or more: https://cariad.fedicheck.iftas.org/api/v1/denylist/domains/by-threshold?threshold=66&api_key=2f8189cc6dbeeb15908c189eb58f4b9450c00b0be85e4a1d52de6be2f0d84f91
Blocked by 80% or more: https://cariad.fedicheck.iftas.org/api/v1/denylist/domains/by-threshold?threshold=80&api_key=2f8189cc6dbeeb15908c189eb58f4b9450c00b0be85e4a1d52de6be2f0d84f91
https://mastodon.iftas.org/system/media_attachments/files/115/850/226/337/936/565/original/f63280d3615d5b09.png
https://mastodon.iftas.org/system/media_attachments/files/115/850/228/832/039/291/original/5bda8fc904d5c779.png

2026-01-06 20:00:35 GMT

⚠️ SW-ISAC Advisory
The following domain(s) have been added to the IFTAS Abandoned/Unmanaged List
channels dot im
https://about.iftas.org/library/iftas-abandoned-and-unmanaged-domain-list/
#SW_ISAC_ADVISORY #Spam

2026-01-02 21:01:35 GMT

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IFTAS would be happy to enter into a 30-day caretaker agreement of some kind if that helps.

2025-12-29 19:04:31 GMT

⚠️ SW-ISAC Advisory
The account "oscarolg" continues to proliferate across federated services, with over 50 accounts observed today
#SW_ISAC_ADVISORY #Spam #CIB
https://mastodon.iftas.org/system/media_attachments/files/115/804/399/354/211/422/original/366d685aaaf8fbb3.png

2025-12-28 17:45:16 GMT

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everything we can say publicly is at https://about.iftas.org/2025/10/05/coordinated-pro-russian-propaganda-network-targeting-activitypub-and-atproto-services/
#note1rs0…97et

2025-12-24 18:28:38 GMT

💙 Season’s greetings to all the Fediverse moderators, admins, and community builders.
Thank you for the time, care, and emotional labour you give to keeping online spaces safer, fairer, and more humane.
Your work often goes unseen, but it truly matters.
Wishing you rest, solidarity, and kindness over the holidays and into the new year.
And for everyone else... send your mods a note today! Let them know you appreciate them 💙
https://mastodon.iftas.org/system/media_attachments/files/115/775/945/041/038/096/original/9888f5675fdce92c.png

2025-12-22 13:50:54 GMT

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Thousands of people across the EU are already building exactly this - spaces where people come before algorithms.
You and I are both posting on one right now.
The Commission has shown leadership by joining the people-not-platforms Fediverse. Please consider reflecting that commitment by adding the Mastodon logo to the "Follow Us" section of your public website.
https://mastodon.iftas.org/system/media_attachments/files/115/763/537/071/488/487/original/51affba093d834a2.png

2025-12-17 19:29:59 GMT

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Wow! That looks like a one-click IFTAS DNI list subscription, is that correct?
Thank you for these updates, and for considering the DNI list in your approach, greatly appreciated!

2025-12-17 19:25:54 GMT

⚠️ SW-ISAC Advisory
The following domain(s) have been added to the IFTAS Abandoned/Unmanaged List
vive dot im
https://about.iftas.org/library/iftas-abandoned-and-unmanaged-domain-list/
#SW_ISAC_ADVISORY

2025-12-17 14:30:11 GMT

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The screenshot included above demonstrates a range of often re-used avatar icons, and a general sense of how to identify these accounts. In almost all cases the follows/following will be hidden, the newer accounts will have only the bridgyfed account followed, and newer accounts will sit unused for a number of days.
More information here: https://about.iftas.org/2025/10/05/coordinated-pro-russian-propaganda-network-targeting-activitypub-and-atproto-services/
#note1rs0…97et

2025-12-17 14:23:21 GMT

⚠️ SW-ISAC Advisory
The following domain(s) have been added to the IFTAS Abandoned/Unmanaged List
gs dot leftic dot club
https://about.iftas.org/library/iftas-abandoned-and-unmanaged-domain-list/
#SW_ISAC_ADVISORY
https://mastodon.iftas.org/system/media_attachments/files/115/735/295/375/073/509/original/54da7298a5ec6ecf.png

2025-12-16 14:10:56 GMT

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The article describes a concerted, deliberate attack by a nation state. They are very much interested in these networks, and are using it now, today.
Roughly 40% of all known accounts remain online, follow each other to ensure good federation, and are spamming 100's of posts.
Roughly 5% of servers have blocked the known sources that are unmanaged and now completely dominated by these accounts.
>how a decentralised system will react
Not very well

2025-12-16 00:23:26 GMT

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For reference: https://about.iftas.org/2025/10/05/coordinated-pro-russian-propaganda-network-targeting-activitypub-and-atproto-services/

2025-12-16 00:23:00 GMT

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In possibly related news, many servers saw a massive scraping session over the past week by a known LLM provider. So all those posts have been scraped up and used for training now.
I will not be sending any more reports. I may publish a list of accounts for people to review, and file their own reports or take their own action.
This is really silly, and easily dealt with.
Review the accounts people are creating on your free web hosting services.
Simple as.
Just do that.

2025-12-16 00:21:19 GMT

I just sent the 1,000th report of an account created by a Russian state-sponsored contractor building a network of accounts all across the Fediverse, simply to regurgitate pro-Russian sentiment in the hopes of being scooped up by LLMs to seed their responses when asked about Russia, Ukraine, the US and UK, Israel, and a host of other talking points Russia would like to see swayed in public opinion.
cont'd

2025-12-15 23:29:06 GMT

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J'ai revu les rapports et je confirme que la note habituelle décrivant le problème n'etait pas ajoutée. Desolée pour ca, m'excuser.

2025-12-15 23:24:30 GMT

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merci Renaud, est en plus IFTAS parlent français! Enfin, pas trop bien...
Les comptes j'ai marqué generalement sont pas utilisee pour une semaine environ, il y a encore a lire sur le blog (anglais, desolée)
https://about.iftas.org/2025/10/05/coordinated-pro-russian-propaganda-network-targeting-activitypub-and-atproto-services/

2025-12-15 21:34:52 GMT

social[.]5th[.]ro is a free speech/minimal moderation and SEO advertorial farming business, connected to a WordPress plugin that provides "Auto Boosting" to its customers - which requires third party service accounts.
Be on the lookout for accounts being registered for this purpose by the custom app "Mastodon Account Creator", and accounts created using MX domains 5th[.]ro, advertorialsromania[.]com, e-agentie[.]ro
https://plugin[.]5th[.]ro/en/wiki?page=auto-boost
#SW_ISAC_ADVISORY

2025-12-15 20:00:50 GMT

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I'm the wrong side of a particular border to apply, but I am happy to partner / support any Canadian project where IFTAS can be helpful.

2025-12-15 17:39:30 GMT

⚠️ SW-ISAC Advisory
The following domain(s) have been added to the IFTAS DNI List
parcero[.]casa
tsundere[.]love
https://about.iftas.org/library/iftas-dni-list/
#SW_ISAC_ADVISORY

2025-12-15 15:46:41 GMT

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this is a farming service/SEO ads thing.
social[.]5th[.]ro is a free speech/minimal moderation and SEO advertorial farming endeavour, that is connected to a WordPress plugin that provides "Auto boosting" which requires third party service accounts. Be on the lookout for accounts being registered by a custom app "Mastodon Account Creator", and for accounts registered with emails at the following MX domains: 5th[.]ro, advertorialsromania[.]com, e-agentie[.]ro.

2025-12-15 15:17:18 GMT

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domain will be reviewed for inclusion, thanks for the heads up.

2025-12-09 05:05:20 GMT

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roughly half my spam shows up on SFS, we are a common target for SEO spam that also targets forums. Nothing's perfect, but it's a decent signal for a chunk of the issue.
Now, imagine if we automatically submitted data to to SFS when we suspend for spam, and other instances auto-checked SFS on new account signup...

2025-12-09 02:34:57 GMT

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do you use stopforumspam or anything similar?

2025-12-08 21:28:48 GMT

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yep, looks like 5-10 days it's left blank to see if it's removed, then it gets bridged to Bluesky and left alone again, then it gets connected to the spam firehose. If 1 follow (the bridge) and follow/followers is hidden from public, that's a strong signal.

2025-12-08 18:06:23 GMT

I'm getting a lot of "please use the Mastodon report function to tell us about the Russian disinformation accounts we are hosting".
With all due respect, if you have three or more, I'm not sitting here and clicking through each and every account to create a report, you're going to get a DM or an email.
Today I've spent five hours identifying, tracking, verifying, documenting, and reporting accounts.
Five hours.
If you take five minutes to review new accounts, I don't need to do this.

2025-12-03 22:32:31 GMT

Australia's eSafety Act comes into force on December 10. Here's a guide for federated service providers including some practical advice on how to demonstrate good faith compliance.
For now, no federated services are on the list for enforcement, but being prepared is easy, simple, and way better than frantically responding to a takedown or other message from eSafety.
https://about.iftas.org/library/online-safety-act-2021-australia/

2025-12-03 15:02:22 GMT

The following domain(s) have been added to the IFTAS DNI List
gimmeloli[.]cc
https://about.iftas.org/library/iftas-dni-list/
#SW_ISAC_ADVISORY

2025-12-03 14:42:28 GMT

⚠️ SW-ISAC Advisory
The following domain(s) have been added to the IFTAS Abandoned/Unmanaged List
formosa[.]aspa[.]idv[.]tw
todon[.]ploud[.]fr
https://about.iftas.org/library/iftas-abandoned-and-unmanaged-domain-list/
#SW_ISAC_ADVISORY

2025-11-25 19:01:04 GMT

⚠️ SW-ISAC Advisory
The following domain(s) have been added to the IFTAS Abandoned/Unmanaged List
abyss[.]fun
liberdon[.]com
https://about.iftas.org/library/iftas-abandoned-and-unmanaged-domain-list/
#SW_ISAC_ADVISORY

2025-11-21 20:43:44 GMT

[@swf](https://socialwebfoundation.org ) has announced the Social Web Devroom at #FOSDEM2026 - with three formats for various size projects to showcase ActivityPub protocol or API services; advocacy efforts; libraries, toolkits, frameworks... if it's Fediverse related we'd like to hear from you!
Submissions are open through Dec 1, see:
https://socialwebfoundation.org/2025/10/31/fosdem-2026-social-web-devroom-call-for-participation/

2025-11-21 19:58:47 GMT

⚠️ SW-ISAC Advisory
The following domain(s) have been added to the IFTAS Abandoned/Unmanaged List
circus[.]town
https://about.iftas.org/library/iftas-abandoned-and-unmanaged-domain-list/
#SW_ISAC_ADVISORY

2025-11-18 09:48:36 GMT

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IFTAS remains focussed on supporting the volunteers, moderators, community managers and admins who make the Fediverse possible.
This transition is not a change of direction, but is a moment of renewed alignment, one where the infrastructure, culture, and values of decentralised social can continue to grow with care, transparency, and accountability.
To the Fediverse: messy, resilient, decentralised, and ours. May it always remain a place shaped by the people who care enough to show up.

2025-11-18 09:46:08 GMT

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Passing that responsibility on is never easy, and it speaks to Eugen's trust in the future of this movement.
I’ve known Felix for some time. We’ve sat together, talked at length, and I’ve always been struck by his thoughtful, principled approach. His belief in non-profit models, in strong trust and safety foundations, and in community-led governance is exactly what this moment calls for.
IFTAS looks forward to working alongside him and the Mastodon team as this next chapter begins.

2025-11-18 09:45:10 GMT

Today marks a significant moment in the life of the Fediverse. Leadership of Mastodon is transitioning from Eugen Rochko @npub1vl7…f6g0 to Felix Hlatky @npub10gc…0m2k who steps into the role of Executive Director.
Eugen’s contribution to the web cannot be overstated. His vision, persistence, and commitment built the foundation so many of us now stand on — including thousands of independent communities committed to better social spaces.

2025-11-18 08:24:21 GMT

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"I’ve always thought that one of the most important responsibilities I had was to say “no”."
And when it needed to be said, you said it with love and care and intention. Not a single one of us is perfect, but your personal ethics and integrity always shone through, and that's what builds trust.
Thank you 🙏

2025-11-18 08:02:51 GMT

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Congrats, Felix! Your commitment to privacy and ethical sustainability shines through. It’s heartening to see a continuation of leadership grounded in care for community wellbeing and a refusal of extractive models. On a very auspicious day for digital sovereignty, I wish you, [@haubles](https://hachyderm.io/@haubles ) and @npub1zu5…pytj steady hands and shared vision as you guide Mastodon into its next mission-driven chapter.

2025-11-15 18:23:29 GMT

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some additional incor here; https://about.iftas.org/2025/10/05/coordinated-pro-russian-propaganda-network-targeting-activitypub-and-atproto-services/

2025-11-15 18:15:30 GMT

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Congratulations, so happy to see all this effort and support!

2025-11-14 09:45:53 GMT

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I don't have any plans, would have to read up on how to approach, but happy to look into it when I get done with travel