# Linux and Social Media - and How They Coexist? - source idea: > **NOTE:** > It is clear this was a simple explanation about leaving X/Twitter. > The link below is a scrapped commit message that was **NOT** used by Jean-Pierre Giraud. > > - Debian fosstodon: ### **The Social Media Dilemma for Linux Users** **Privacy concerns, tracking, and the open-source struggle** #### **I. Intro: The Eternal Conflict** - We love Linux because it’s private, open-source, and respects our freedom. - But... we also like doomscrolling and arguing online. - Social media and FOSS ideals don’t mix well — so what do we do? #### **II. Privacy? What Privacy?** - **Big Tech is Watching (Always).** - Every click, like, and scroll is tracked. - Your data isn’t just collected — it’s sold, analyzed, and used to keep you online longer. - **Linux Users Prefer to Be Ghosts.** - We disable telemetry, block trackers, and say "no" to anything closed-source. - But somehow, we’re still on Twitter ranting about it. #### **III. Tracking: Can We Actually Escape?** - **Social Media Knows More About You Than You Do.** - Even if you use Linux, tracking scripts, cookies, and fingerprinting follow you around. - **The Workarounds (That Almost Work).** - Firefox with privacy extensions (uBlock Origin, NoScript, etc.). - VPNs, Tor, and pretending incognito mode is enough. #### **IV. Open-Source Social Media: The Underdog Story** - **Mastodon, Pixelfed, and the Fediverse Dream.** - Decentralized? Yes. - Where does BlueSky fit? - Full of tech nerds and very little drama? Also yes. - Will your friends ever switch? Probably not. - **Self-Hosting: The Ultimate Power Move.** - Run your own Mastodon server and control your data! - Downside: Now you’re an unpaid sysadmin for your friends. #### **V. The Inevitable Conclusion** - Can Linux users ever find the perfect balance? - Do we accept some tracking for the sake of staying connected? - Or do we just quit social media and yell into the void (aka IRC)?