🔊 🎉 🔊 MetaFilter Events: Week 4 🔊 🎉 🔊 December 13, 2022 2:27 AM   Subscribe

Welcome to our final week (Week 4) of 2022’s Metafilter Events - MetaFilter Week! Get to know Jessamyn and the admin, meet the Steering Committee, discover the secret sauce in MetaFilter's approach to moderation, check out creative performances by fellow Mefites and participate in Metafilter Trivia Night! Along the way, learn more about internet communities and content moderation - and how technology is shaping the way we communicate and act collectively.

🔊 What's MetaFilter Events? For those that missed our first post, second post and third post: As one of our closing initiatives under Metafilter’s Fundraising Drive, our online events series features sessions across a fascinating range of topics, themes and perspectives - from Mefites and friends-of-Mefites that have generously volunteered to speak and/or teach on these subjects. We’re offering a mix of free and paid events - and this week most events are free. Tickets, bundled passes and gift cards are available now. You can also sign up for the chance to receive a randomly-sponsored ticket to an event of your choice, or sponsor fellow Mefites to attend paid events you choose.

🔊 Remember: if you can’t make it for the event you want, recordings will be available to all ticketholders for most events. Register a ticket so you don’t miss out: we’ll send you access to the recording after the event.
(That said, it’s a lot more enjoyable attending these sessions live (and for some sessions a very different interactive, participatory experience to attend live) - so if you can be there, join us!)

Also! If you missed a session and didn’t get a ticket for it, you can still get the recording by registering a ticket, even after the event has passed.

This week, most events are free! We hope you’ll join these sessions live - especially because most of these sessions are centred around Metafilter itself. (When else would you get to hang out with Jessamyn and chat, realtime?)



🔊 Week 3 Wrap-Up

Thank you to our insightful Week 3 speakers: Duy Huynh, jenettsilver, cupcakeninja, Chris Gray, Annette Koh, travelingthyme, Wali Khan, Amanda Bligh, Brooke Brod, Maurreen Skowran, adrianhon, Kaitlin Costello, Emily Weerts and CollectiveMind!
Here’s what some participants had to say about Week 3’s sessions:

🇮🇷 What's Going On in Iran: An Iranian-American's Perspective on the Current State of Iran
  • ”Great explanation of the history of the issue, and how it culminated.”


  • 📜 Threads of History: Historical Research for the Writer and Reader
  • “It was so useful to see some research tools used in context. Really fantastic, super informative talk.“


  • 🖍️ Let's Draw Together, MetaFilter!
  • "The presenter was knowledgable and engaging. I believe she had fun - and we had fun! Good prompts, great instructions. I would love to do this soon again!"


  • 🏠 “Housing Is a Supply and Demand Issue...” And Other Policy Myths
  • "Covered topic well. Also glad the speaker is putting up the slides for later."

  • ”Data rich. Lots of sources.”


  • 🎮 A Conversation about The Gamification of Everything with Adrian Hon
  • “Great conversation. Good dialogue. Interactive.”

  • “[This event is] the second one I've been to, and both have felt like an hour's worth of "flagged as fantastic" content.”

  • If you missed Week 1, Week 2 or Week 3’s sessions, you can still access their recordings by getting a ticket here. Week 1 recordings and about half of Week 2 recordings are currently available. The remainder of Week 2 recordings will be available by this week, and Week 3 recordings will be available by next week.

    🔊 What's Happening - This Upcoming Week

    Week 4 (Dec 12 - Dec 18)
    This final week for 2022, we’ll discuss MetaFilter itself, with some additional perspectives on internet communities, technology-enabled communication and content moderation.
    We kick off the week with a free-to-attend Meet Jessamyn session on Tuesday evening (EST). Stop by for an informal chat with Jessamyn herself, ask any questions you may have and get to know Metafilter’s new owner!
    Right after that, we have another free session to Meet the Steering Committee, where you can meet and speak with some members of Metafilter’s inaugural SC.
    Wednesday evening (EST) is MetaFilter Trivia Night (also free to attend!). Come along for a virtual pub quiz featuring questions inspired by MetaFilter discussions, hosted by jacquilynne from the SC. It’s a general interest quiz (not a quiz about the site itself), so non-Mefite friends and family are welcome to play along!


    Further on in the week, learn more about balancing content moderation and community regulation with user growth in a session by a former content moderator and policy activist, and find out more about MetaFilter’s own approach to content moderation in a free session with loup and restless_nomad.

    Along the way, discover more about the digital side of the Russian War in Ukraine through the eyes and personal experience of a Ukrainian journalist, as he talks about the way social media and other digital platforms have shaped and facilitated Ukrainian dialogue, communities and action on the ground in response to Russia’s invasion.


    At the end of the week, enjoy a showcase of Mefite performances / creative work, with a quick overview of MetaFilter's financial situation and discussion of MetaFilter as both a business and a community.


    Session recordings for Week 4's events will be available to all ticketholders - so while we’d encourage you to attend in person if you can, you’ll still be able to catch up on things if you're unavailable for these session times or located in another timezone.
    🧭 Meet Jessamyn, MetaFilter’s New Owner
    13 December 2022 | 7:30 PM - 9:00 PM EST
    Presented by Jessamyn

    Meet MetaFilter’s new owner. Jessamyn’s been around since forever but maybe you still have some things about her you’d like to know. Come to this informal chat with Jessamyn and have your questions answered.

    Recording will be available to all ticketholders.

    About the Speaker
    Jessamyn West is a librarian and community technologist who lives in Central Vermont. She owns MetaFilter.


    Meet MetaFilter’s Steering Committee
    13 December 2022 | 9:00 PM - 10:00 PM EST
    Presented by MetaFilter's Steering Committee


    Come meet Metafilter’s inaugural Steering Committee! Stop by for a chat, and get to know some of the people behind the MeTas. (Free to attend.)

    Recording will be available to all ticketholders.

    About the Speakers
    MetaFilter's Steering Committee is a group of Mefites who set and implement site policies and priorities, direct and approve budget expenditures, and act as spokespeople, champions, and mediators for concerns of community members.
    The Steering Committee was formed in August 2022, in order to move towards a more community-governed model for MetaFilter.


    MetaFilter Trivia Night: Everything I Know I Learned on MetaFilter
    14 December 2022 | 8:30 PM - 10:00 PM EST
    Presented by jacquilynne


    Join Jacquilynne for a virtual pub quiz featuring questions inspired by MetaFilter discussions. This is a general interest quiz, not a quiz about the site itself, so even non-Mefites are welcome to play along!
    This event is free to join, though donations are welcome. Attendees can choose to participate or spectate. Participation will be open to the first 50 people/households joining the live session that want to play - all other attendees may spectate.

    Recording will be available to all ticketholders.

    About the Speaker
    Jacquilynne is a member of the MetaFilter Steering Committee and she writes a lot of trivia questions.


    🤹 Finding the Sweet Spot(s): Content Moderation and Maximising User Engagement
    15 December 2022 | 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM EST
    Presented by Chris Gray


    As well as needing to balance freedom of speech with public safety concerns, community and social media has another challenge when it comes to content moderation: how do we build engaging communities and create welcoming spaces for disparate constituencies? How do we find the right balance between intentional community-building and organic growth, how much should we regulate in pursuit of growth, and how do we reconcile the needs of those communities with the needs of wider society?
    Join Chris Gray - former content moderator and now policy activist - in exploring these questions.

    Recording will be available to all ticketholders.

    About the Speaker
    Chris Gray is an author and activist, and advocates for policy-makers to better understand how moderation policy is formulated and implemented on the front lines, in order to make rules that are actually enforceable.
    His book The Moderator describes life as a content moderator, examines the business case for content moderation and the mechanisms employed, and investigates how the work can be done safely at global scale given the mental health risks from viewing large amounts of extreme content.
    He is the lead plaintiff in a group action lawsuit at the High Court in Ireland, seeking compensation and punitive damages from multiple big tech companies and their contractors, for potentially thousands of content moderators across the EU suffering from PTSD and other harms.


    🇺🇦 The Digital Side of the Russian War in Ukraine
    16 December 2022 | 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM EST
    Presented by Vladyslav Alforov


    The Russian aggression in Ukraine swiftly transformed Ukrainian social media and other digital platforms from mere spaces for public dialogue and information sharing into a political milieu for officials to create national unity, solidarity and fighting spirit.
    However, wartime digital media communication has both positive and negative effects on the social mood across Ukraine. Since the warfare itself has evolved to a mind-boggling degree as well, the totality of technological changes and the unprecedented scope of their influence on communication, war and society in Ukraine and abroad call for a closer look at the recent developments.
    Join Vladyslav Alforov, a Ukrainian journalist, as he explains how technology has impacted and mobilized communities and communication in wartime Ukraine.

    Recording will be available to all ticketholders.

    About the Speaker
    Vlad Alforov is a journalist striving to broaden public awareness of international conflicts, human rights violations and corruption. Born and raised in Cherkasy, Ukraine, he is currently a second-year Erasmus Mundus masters student in Central and Eastern European, Russian and Eurasian studies at the University of Glasgow and University of Tartu in Estonia. He also holds a Bachelors in Journalism from the University of Oklahoma.


    🎙️ The MetaFilter Variety Show
    16 December 2022 | 8:00 PM - 8:30 PM EST
    Presented by brainwane and a MeFite musician


    Come for a short session of stand-up, interactive improv and music brought to you by two very talented MeFites.

    Recording will be available to all ticketholders.

    About the Performers
    Brainwane is a project manager and writer who works in the tech industry managing open source projects. She performs stand-up comedy about tech, scifi fandom, and similar topics.

    Reeya Banerjee is a musician, writer, and voiceover artist based in New York’s Capital District by way of the Hudson Valley. Her debut album The Way Up, produced by Luke Folger, was released on January 27, 2022. Her songs have been featured on The Local 518 Show at WEXT Radio, The Heavy Light Show at Radio Kingston, and NY Slice at WFUV Radio, as well as two episodes of the Women of Substance Music Podcast.


    🎚️ How MeFites are Helping Me turn my Book about Public Radio into a Musical
    16 December 2022 | 9:00 PM - 10:00 PM EST
    Presented by Don Merrill


    "Pledge Drives are driving me crazy" was Don Merrill’s motivation to start writing a book about them in 2014. He finished and published it in 2019, and it is a doorstop. After creating an audiobook and an e-book, his wife thought the story could be told better onstage. This presentation is about that progression and where things stand right now.

    Recording will be available to all ticketholders.

    About the Speaker
    Don Merrill spent seven years with Armed Forces Radio and Television. Eleven years as a public relations specialist for the Federal Government. Four years with commercial radio and newspapers. Four years as a freelance writer specializing in feature and investigative reporting. Since 2014, he has been jointly passionate about political interviewing AND telling the story of the public radio pledge drive.


    🌳 Metafilter: business x community
    18 December 2022 | 2:00 PM - 2:30 PM EST
    Presented by aielen


    A quick overview of MetaFilter's financial situation and history, and a discussion on MetaFilter as both a business and a community.

    Recording will be available to all ticketholders.

    About the Speaker
    aielen is a member of the MetaFilter Steering Committee.


    🔮 Also to come:
    - A session by loup and restless_nomad about what MetaFilter mods do (15 December 2022, 7:30 PM EST)

    🔊 For FAQs and more information on how the events work - read our first post about Metafilter Events.

    If you have more questions about MetaFilter Events, you can also get in touch with us at metafilter.events@gmail.com
    (We also have an Instagram now.)

    To stay updated on ticket deals and MetaFilter Events that interest you, sign up for our mailing list! (we promise not to spam - and you can unsubscribe at any time).

    If you’re keen on presenting or sharing interesting topics or skills for future MeFi events, let us know! It’s not too late to drop us a note, and we’d love to bring your perspective and insight to our online events.
    posted by aielen to MetaFilter-Related at 2:27 AM (18 comments total) 4 users marked this as a favorite

    MeFi Events will also return at the beginning of 2023 - and we’re looking for a more sustainable way to make updates available without banner issues.

    Thank you to everyone who’s been supporting the events in one way or another - whether it’s through speaking, or participating, signing up for the recordings or telling more people about the events.
    There will be a more substantial update closer to the end of December, but for now I just want to say how very, very grateful (and in awe) I am to everyone who has helped make this possible and participated in one way or another. I’ve loved seeing the variety of topics and perspectives we’ve showcased throughout these weeks - and even for an events series put together on very short notice, within a very limited timeframe, it’s been amazing to see what Mefites can do and be and offer in terms of insight, knowledge and interesting opinions. And it’s been so lovely to meet and interact with more Mefites through these sessions.
    posted by aielen at 2:56 AM on December 13, 2022 [6 favorites]


    Are there limited tickets available? I signed up for both (free) events tonight but realized I might not make the first part of the "meet Jessamyn" event and I don't want to take up a slot of it might fill up.
    posted by bondcliff at 12:06 PM on December 13, 2022


    I think I do not see the variety show listed yet on Eventbrite. Am I missing it?
    posted by brainwane at 1:47 PM on December 13, 2022


    bondcliff:
    Tickets are not limited (or rather, to be precise, the limit has been set at something like 100 million).

    brainwane:
    The variety show's Eventbrite listing was delayed waiting for some additional information. It should be up within the next 20 minutes - I'm sorry for the delay!
    posted by aielen at 4:43 PM on December 13, 2022 [1 favorite]


    How meta!
    posted by NotLost at 8:45 PM on December 13, 2022


    Today's events with jessamyn and the SC were both informative and fun, thank you guys for doing this.
    posted by Meatbomb at 3:44 AM on December 14, 2022 [4 favorites]


    Trivia night was great fun. Thanks to the organizers! (And it was fun to see and hear other participants and put voices to names.)

    I've been to a lot of pub trivia events and have nearly always been very disappointed. This was a perfect balance on the challenging and the interesting axes. (Even the ones about reality shows that I had no idea about.) I guess I shouldn't be surprised. It was fun. Looking forward to future events.
    posted by eotvos at 9:34 PM on December 14, 2022 [2 favorites]


    I'm so sorry that I missed the trivia night (we had family visiting).

    Will there perhaps be another one?
    posted by Rabarberofficer at 9:45 AM on December 15, 2022


    There could be other trivia nights in the future. They are a bit of work to put together but I could imagine doing one every few months. They might not be quite as MeFi-inspired in the future though, just because that was actually quite difficult to find enough relevant yet knowable questions.

    Maybe next time I will even proofread the questions.
    posted by jacquilynne at 2:27 PM on December 15, 2022 [4 favorites]


    That was super fun, thanks for having me!
    posted by restless_nomad (retired) at 7:18 PM on December 15, 2022 [3 favorites]


    I don't have time to do it, but if someone could take the initiative to post the Dec 16th Variety Show to the IRL [event] subsite, I would appreciate it it!
    posted by brainwane at 10:03 PM on December 15, 2022


    brainwane - it's now posted! Thanks for reminding us.
    posted by aielen at 6:12 AM on December 16, 2022 [1 favorite]


    How does the ticketing work when it says Free to $10. Going to the checkout automatically puts $10 on the bill and doesn't seem to give you an option to pick free.
    posted by sardonyx at 10:02 AM on December 16, 2022


    Since someone asked in MeMail, you can play the trivia night questions as just a solo quiz for yourself. It doesn't give you access to the information screens about how each question connected to Metafilter, but it's better than nothing.
    posted by jacquilynne at 10:26 AM on December 16, 2022 [3 favorites]


    sardonyx:
    If you click on the "Get tickets" red button, it takes you to a checkout page where you can choose the tickets you want. Different sessions have different tickets - some individual sessions are free and some individual sessions are $10. I hope that makes sense.

    Re Trivia Night - the Trivia Night recording will be available eventually too, so maybe people can play the solo quiz alongside the recording. That way you still get to hear jacquilynne's narration and MeFi-connected explanations while doing the quiz.
    posted by aielen at 10:30 AM on December 16, 2022 [1 favorite]


    I saw in another thread that you get the recording from the zoom link, how does it work for people outside the time zone of the event, where the zoom link has closed by the time we can access it? Do we wait for an email of the recording? Thanks!
    posted by ellieBOA at 1:16 AM on December 17, 2022


    ellieBOA -

    The recording is accessible from the same area/page that the original Zoom/live session link was displayed. It takes some time for recordings to become available. Right now all Week 1 and Week 2 recordings are available (and ticketholders for those sessions have been notified of this through email). Week 3 recordings will become available sometime next week.

    If you have a ticket to a Week 1 or Week 2 session, you should have received an email notification about viewing the recording. Either way (even if the email notification went to spam etc) you should still be able to view the recording when you log into Eventbrite and look on the same page the Zoom links were on.
    If you have a ticket to Week 3 or Week 4 sessions, those recordings are not yet available but you will be notified (through email) when they become available.

    I hope this helps!
    posted by aielen at 5:50 AM on December 17, 2022


    It does, thank you!
    posted by ellieBOA at 8:36 AM on December 17, 2022


    « Older MetaFilter Fundraiser Auction - How it went and...   |   Pony Request for FanFare Newer »

    You are not logged in, either login or create an account to post comments