💾 Archived View for gemlog.blue › users › cy_gu › 1638486815.gmi captured on 2023-05-24 at 18:32:27. Gemini links have been rewritten to link to archived content
⬅️ Previous capture (2021-12-04)
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Although I have not found specific posts that really draw my attention in the Gemini community, after reading many posts and articles, I am aware that Gemini exhibits some inclination towards challenging the current structure of the Internet in both the technical and political-economic aspects. Technically speaking, Gemini is based on a much simpler coding system than the traditional computational language that our universal HTML websites are based on. Gemini web pages are all text-based without any images and videos, not to mention complex interactive interfaces that contemporary web developers aim to incorporate. Also, a Gemini website requires viewers to install a specific browser that allows them to access it, which helps confine the Gemini community and their online production to a certain group who may be geeks or unconventional Internet users. On the other hand, from the political-economic perspective, Gemini's simple web interface challenges the current popular business model on the Internet. Without pictures and videos, it is hard to display advertisements on a Gemini website, and the technical limitations also hinder advertisers from placing cookies to collect user data for business profits. The Gemini community and their cultural production reflect on the past notion of the Internet as a democratic platform where everyone is equal to speak as there are no powerful actors, such as advertisers and platforms providers themselves, to exert overtly strong influences on the community members and content. Furthermore, since there are no typical centralized categorical indexes that are popular among for-profit Internet platforms such as Reddit, any topic can pop up on the main page based on its time of publication. The decentralized Gemini community leads to more opportunities for different voices and narratives to be heard on the Internet, which is significant when we consider current concerns with the Internet such as online right-wing populism and the information cocoon. I expect to explore more specific posts in the community that correspond to the points that I have made above in the following week.