This is currently my primary frustration with Connect: complete opaqueness regarding instances.
I understand that one design philosophy might argue that instances shouldn't matter, so why show it at all. But it does matter, especially on All, and in comments. I think at the current and near-term state of development, obscuring instances creates more confusion than it alleviates.
- In this example, I have no idea what community this is. Where is "here"? "General" is a super broad category (does a multi-community even make sense for this type of community name?). Is this /c/general for a general purpose instance, or /c/general of an instance dedicated to a very specific topic? Is that instance worth checking out? Who knows?
- Is this an instance I'm subscribed to yet?
- is this the same /c/general I was in last time with a moderation policy and moderators I didn't like, or a new one?
- Is my instance defederated from seal_of_approval and will they receive my message? Who knows?
- Are most responders coming from lemmy.world, from sketchy instances loaded with bots or is there good traction from smaller instances? Is there instance brigading going on?
- Is this an impersonator of seal_of_approval?
- is this a specific community that spams a lot and I should block it?
- What moderation rules apply to this instance?
I can't block entire instances myself...
I realize that a lot of these problems have some sort of workaround by drilling down into community details and profiles. Ain't nobody have time for that.
I realize that specific UI solutions could be introduced to tackle each of these problems individually in a user-friendly manner. But we're not there and who knows when we will get there.
Your take about users leaving is a bit optimistic. A more pessimistic view is some people may never realize or may just be too addicted to care. The reality will probably sit somewhere in between. Some people will leave, others will not.
BTW, the internet =/= shared user content. That stuff might wither, but the internet remains useful for a host of other applications: payment and shopping, file sharing, business, person to person communication, remote access, gaming, etc. Basically, any verifiable application. Which is what the internet should have been. These tech behemoths that have risen thanks to user content sharing are concocting the very poison to their own business in a race to the bottom.