We built Holos Discover, a 100% ActivityPub search engine, to solve a problem: Holos servers start with empty search indexes.

Fedilab Apps

@dnkrupinski
Sorry about that, we'll investigate this quickly. The expected behavior of the "unfollow" command is immediate deletion of all indexed content, with no possibility of re-indexing anything, even if someone we follow boosts one of your posts.

In the meantime, blocking @HolosDiscover will guarantee instant and complete removal.

mei

@apps@toot.fedilab.app Seeing the "how-it-works" URL, I kinda braced myself for corpospeak, but it's incredibly readable. not the kind of thing you see often.

Fluffy :neocat_rainbow:

@apps
As long as it respects indexing preferences, it's fine. Even better than many crawlers. But an outcry is to be expected on Mastodon. Introducing quotes was very controversial too.

Grant_H

@apps @HurricaneWeasel Public content is being indexed by the big guys anyway, by and large. This is at least accessible to the people who own the data!

Fluffy :neocat_rainbow:

@grant_h
Yes, I've seen posts of mine on some strange sites despite indexing being turned off. You would probably have to post followers only to avoid that. Also, some servers won't update posts or bio. From that perspective, this search index sounds great. Still, I'll keep indexing off for now.
@apps

Fedilab Apps

@grant_h
Exactly, The big guys don't care about consent and keep deleted content cached for days or weeks. We don't index behind anyone's back, we check multiple criteria before following anyone, and every deletion, edit or block is processed instantly. 100% ActivityPub, playing by the Fediverse rules.
@HurricaneWeasel

FinchHaven sfba

@apps

[here we go again]

"Only public posts from consenting users are indexed. We respect every signal available."

But there is the entire problem in a nutshell:

What about people who have never heard of Holos Discovery and who never will unless they receive a Follow request?

Allegedly only consenting users are indexed

I have #NoIndex #Nobot set on my profile and I have to approve Follows

But during the convo I had earlier that person said:

"Your content has been removed from our index and you won't be contacted again."

To which I replied:

"So you've --> already <-- "scraped my content" without my knowledge or permission..."

I then asked about second-party scraping -- someone I Follow and interact with has been "Discovered" and Indexed -- and thus my content has been indexed too, without my knowledge or consent

At that, they never returned to answer

The core point is, historically a lot of people have not wanted to found, scraped, and indexed for unknown third-party use

Here we go again...

FinchHaven sfba

@apps

[now waiting for that years-old

"Well you know everything on the Internet is public anyway..."

Which explains nothing because the vast majority of people both lack the desire to be indexed and the technical knowledge to do it themselves

But it was always the excuse that was given two-three-four years ago]

DNKrupinski 🧡🏴‍☠️

@apps @HolosDiscover

If i block [HolosDiscover] your account is also blocked because in your answers your mention the blocked account.

Bob K Mertz :distressedUS:

@apps
I am OK with it now that I'm aware. I think the biggest problem was that this all kind of took people by surprise and it seemed really scammy.

player_03

@FinchHaven @apps It seems likely that your posts were, in fact, not indexed in the first place. The person running the account didn't realize you had the tags in your profile or follow requests enabled, and described how the system would have worked if you didn't.

FinchHaven sfba

@player_03

Whatevs...

I've been ID'd as a "Known Bad Actor" for my unpopular opinions so I'm out

Typical open-minded Fediverse

cc @apps