The Weight of Connection: Evan Hildreth on Community, Identity, and the Future of Smolblog
Evan Hildreth recently shared a candid reflection on the challenges of fostering online community, stemming from experiences running social platforms and informing a shift in direction for his project, Smolblog. The core issue,he argues,is the deeply personal investment users have in their online presence,a dynamic that makes even well-intentioned moderation feel profoundly impactful.
Hildreth describes a current online climate where attempts at de-escalation – calls for measured language or reminders of shared principles – frequently enough backfire,escalating tensions rather. This, he explains, isn’t simply a matter of bad faith actors, but a natural consequence of users viewing platform decisions as deeply personal. “These are people trying to assert agency over their online identities,” he writes. He draws a parallel between a site operator’s business decisions and a user’s emotional connection to their online space,stating that for a user,such decisions carry the weight of choices about ”where to live or what they believe.”
This basic disconnect – one party discussing business, the other experiencing something akin to a matter of faith - is, according to Hildreth, the root of much online conflict. He emphasizes he isn’t assigning blame, simply observing a reality where technical solutions fall short. “These aren’t technical problems; they’re personal ones,” he states, concluding that the only effective, though undesirable, solution to escalated conflicts is frequently enough user suspension or banning. “And I’m just not cut out for that.”
As a result of this realization, Hildreth announced the abandonment of plans for a paid, hosted service for Smolblog, originally outlined in a video posted in September 2024. He will not be offering Smolblog as a website users sign up for. He cites several factors contributing to this decision. While a paid service might encourage shared values,it wouldn’t guarantee them. Offering a self-hosted, open-source option feels disingenuous when users opt for the paid service specifically to avoid self-hosting. He also points to the potential for brand confusion, referencing the issues that arise when an open-source project shares a name with its hosted counterpart (citing WordPress.org and WordPress.com as an example). he acknowledges the inherent challenges of the web hosting business - high support demands and low profit margins.
Hildreth acknowledges the irony of discussing “digital serfdom” and comparing site owners to landlords, while simultaneously operating a site for others. He argues that this dynamic applies to anyone running a platform, irrespective of their intentions or the freedoms offered. Decisions made by operators inevitably impact users more significantly. He expresses admiration for those willing to take on this obligation, stating plainly, “I am not one of them.”
Despite abandoning the hosted service model, Hildreth reaffirms his commitment to the core mission of Smolblog: creating an adaptable content management system that empowers users to own their expression and engage with social media on their own terms. Though, the execution of this mission will evolve, moving away from a customary website signup model. He is currently working on separating some of the Smolblog code into a separate project, details of which he plans to share on cavatappi.dev at a later date.
