A good online community does not have to be loud to be useful. BIMNY / Be It Me Not You is a Matrix community for people interested in technology that gives individuals more independence, ownership and control. Think freedom tech, open source, self-hosting, privacy, Web3, decentralisation, self-sovereignty, self-custody, AI, independent publishing and the open web. The aim is calm, thoughtful, practical conversation — not hype, pressure, or shouting into the void. If that sounds like your kind of space, you can join here:

matrix.org

Matrix.org

Matrix, the open protocol for secure decentralised communications

#Matrix #BIMNY #BeItMeNotYou #FreedomTech #OpenSource #SelfHosting #Privacy #Web3 #Decentralisation #DigitalSovereignty #OpenWeb #AI #Community

A tender moment from the wedding morning. Before the ceremony, before the formal photos, and before the day became busy, there were these quiet little scenes of care and connection. This is the part of wedding photography I always find meaningful: the moments when people are not performing for the camera; they are simply being themselves. The softest moments often become the ones that stay with you. What makes a wedding photo feel personal to you?

Be It Me Not You Photography

Michael J Burgess (@beitmenotyou@photos.beitmenotyou.online)

A tender moment from the wedding morning, with the bride sitting beside her daughter before getting ready for the day ahead. Away from the rush of ...

#Photography #WeddingPhotography #Pixelfed #Fediverse #CandidPhotography #WeddingMorning #FamilyPhotography #BeItMeNotYou

A beautiful little pocket of joy from the wedding morning. Before the ceremony, before the formal photos, and before the full pace of the day arrived, there were these small bursts of happiness that made everything feel alive. That is what I love about photographing weddings, not only the big set pieces, but the little moments of laughter, movement, and connection happening naturally around the room. Sometimes the joy of the day is found in the smallest scenes. What kind of wedding photographs stay with you most?

Be It Me Not You Photography

Michael J Burgess (@beitmenotyou@photos.beitmenotyou.online)

A beautiful little pocket of joy from the wedding morning, with the bride’s mother holding her granddaughter close before the ceremony. As the pr...

#Photography #WeddingPhotography #Pixelfed #Fediverse #CandidPhotography #WeddingMorning #FamilyPhotography #BeItMeNotYou

A quiet, joyful moment from the wedding morning. Before the ceremony and the formal parts of the day, there were these little flashes of happiness happening naturally in the room. The kind of moments you cannot really stage, because they come from people feeling comfortable, present, and part of something meaningful. That is what I love about candid wedding photography. It captures the feeling around the day, not just the event itself. What kind of moments make a wedding photo feel alive to you?

Be It Me Not You Photography

Michael J Burgess (@beitmenotyou@photos.beitmenotyou.online)

A quiet, joyful moment from the wedding morning, as the bride’s mother sits with her granddaughter before the ceremony. While the grown-ups get r...

#Photography #WeddingPhotography #Pixelfed #Fediverse #CandidPhotography #WeddingMorning #FamilyPhotography #BeItMeNotYou

A gentle family moment during the wedding morning. Among the getting ready, the movement, and the little bursts of excitement, there are always quieter moments that say just as much as the big scenes. This is the side of wedding photography I love most, the simple human details, the family connections, and the feeling of people sharing a meaningful day. Sometimes the softest moments carry the most weight. What do you think makes a family photo feel timeless?

Be It Me Not You Photography

Michael J Burgess (@beitmenotyou@photos.beitmenotyou.online)

A gentle family moment during the wedding morning, with the bride’s mother sitting close to her granddaughter as they play together before the ce...

#Photography #WeddingPhotography #Pixelfed #Fediverse #FamilyPhotography #CandidPhotography #WeddingMorning #BeItMeNotYou

A sweet family moment from the wedding morning. Before the ceremony, before the formal photos, and before the day fully gathered pace, there were these small moments of connection between generations. Wedding photography is often at its best when it catches the parts people do not perform for the camera, the play, the tenderness, the little family exchanges happening naturally in the room. These are the photographs that help a wedding feel remembered, not just recorded. What kind of family moments do you look for in wedding photos?

Be It Me Not You Photography

Michael J Burgess (@beitmenotyou@photos.beitmenotyou.online)

A sweet family moment from the wedding morning, as the bride’s mother sits with her granddaughter and shares a playful pause before the day moves...

#Photography #WeddingPhotography #Pixelfed #Fediverse #FamilyPhotography #WeddingMorning #CandidPhotography #BeItMeNotYou

A relaxed moment from the wedding morning. Before the ceremony, before the formal photos, and before the pace of the day picked up, there was this quieter side of the wedding. These are the moments I enjoy capturing, the natural pauses where people are simply present in the room, getting ready, chatting, laughing, and easing into the day. Wedding photography is not just about the big dramatic shots. Sometimes the softer in-between moments tell the story best. What kind of wedding photos stay with you most?

Be It Me Not You Photography

Michael J Burgess (@beitmenotyou@photos.beitmenotyou.online)

A relaxed moment from the wedding morning, with one of the bridesmaids sitting at the dressing table while the hairdresser stands behind her, finis...

#Photography #WeddingPhotography #Pixelfed #Fediverse #CandidPhotography #WeddingMorning #DocumentaryPhotography #BeItMeNotYou

The wedding morning begins in the soft glow of getting ready. There is something special about these early moments, before the ceremony, before the full rush of the day, when everyone is still settling into the emotion of what is about to happen. Wedding photography is not only about the big scenes. It is also about the quiet build-up, the light, the movement, and the feeling in the room. What do you love most about candid wedding photography?

Be It Me Not You Photography

Michael J Burgess (@beitmenotyou@photos.beitmenotyou.online)

The wedding morning begins in the soft glow of the dressing room lights, with the bride’s mother having her hair styled before the ceremony. It i...

#Photography #WeddingPhotography #Pixelfed #Fediverse #CandidPhotography #WeddingMorning #BeItMeNotYou

A joyful little moment before the wedding day properly got moving. Before the dress, the getting ready photos, and the ceremony, there was play, laughter, and family. These are the small honest moments I love capturing most, the ones that sit around the edge of the big event but often hold the deepest feeling. What little details do you notice first in a photograph?

Be It Me Not You Photography

Michael J Burgess (@beitmenotyou@photos.beitmenotyou.online)

A joyful little moment before the bride began getting ready for the wedding. In the middle of the morning preparations, her daughter lifts her arm ...

#Photography #WeddingPhotography #Pixelfed #Fediverse #FamilyMoments #Bride #CandidPhotography #BeItMeNotYou

Before the rush of the wedding day fully began, there was this quiet little moment between the bride and her daughter. No posing, no pressure, just a small piece of real life before the dress, the details, and the ceremony took over. These are the photographs I love most, the ones that hold the feeling of the day. What do you think makes a wedding photo feel truly honest?

Be It Me Not You Photography

Michael J Burgess (@beitmenotyou@photos.beitmenotyou.online)

A tender moment before the bride began getting ready for the wedding, captured as she sits with her young daughter in the quiet buzz of the prepara...

#Photography #WeddingPhotography #Pixelfed #Fediverse #FamilyMoments #Bride #CandidPhotography #BeItMeNotYou

if you’re interested in technology that gives people more independence, BIMNY is a Matrix community for calm, practical conversation about freedom tech, open source, self-hosting, privacy, decentralisation, Web3, self-sovereignty, self-custody, the open web, AI, and independent publishing. The aim is simple: thoughtful discussion without hype, pressure, or culture-war noise. Just people exploring how to build and use tools that offer more ownership, resilience, privacy, and control. Join here:

matrix.org

Matrix.org

Matrix, the open protocol for secure decentralised communications

#Matrix #BIMNY #BeItMeNotYou #FreedomTech #OpenSource #SelfHosting #Privacy #Decentralisation #DigitalSovereignty #OpenWeb #AI

We’ve launched our new Matrix community for people who care about privacy, freedom, self-sovereignty, self-custody, Web3, decentralisation, Linux, self-hosting, and digital independence. Matrix gives us a more open, decentralised way to build community, with rooms organised around focused topics rather than one noisy feed. As major platforms move further into age assurance, ID checks, and tighter centralised controls, spaces like this matter more than ever. This is about having somewhere we can talk, learn, share, and build without giving up our autonomy. Join us here:

You're invited to talk on Matrix

You're invited to talk on Matrix

What kind of room or topic would you like to see added? #Matrix #Privacy #SelfSovereignty #Decentralisation #SelfHosting #Linux #Web3 #DigitalFreedom #FreedomOfSpeech #SelfCustody

This is one of the darkest directions tech can take. We are being told AI can sit inside systems that help generate strike recommendations, while humans supposedly stay in control. But if a machine can flood operators with targets under pressure, that is not meaningful oversight. That is automation laundering responsibility. What makes it even more chilling is how easily this gets framed as normal progress. AI was sold as a tool to help people write, learn, organise, and create. Now it is creeping into surveillance, warfare, and state decision chains where the consequences are irreversible. This is what the ascension of AI looks like, not some dramatic sci-fi moment, but a quiet climb into institutions of power where accountability gets thinner and thinner. That should scare everyone. Who gets blamed when the machine helps choose death, the operator, the developer, the state, or nobody at all? #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #MilitaryAI #Surveillance #Ethics #DigitalFreedom #Privacy #WarTech #HumanRights #Automation

Age checks, digital ID, and "government by app" are being sold as conveniences and safety measures. But once proving who you are becomes the price of using everyday digital tools, privacy stops being a right and starts becoming a permission slip. In the UK, Apple now requires some adults to verify they are 18+ for certain account actions, Ofcom says more services are introducing age checks under the Online Safety Act, and the government is consulting on a national digital ID tied to future public services. Will you accept digital life being gated by Identity checks, or will you push back now? #Privacy #DigitalID #OnlineSafetyAct #UKPolitics #Freedom #DigitalAutonomy #SelfSovereignty

US age verification just got worse. A new House bill, H.R. 8250, would push age checks down into the operating system itself. That means the device becomes the checkpoint, not just the website or app. Once you normalise controls at that layer, it becomes much easier to expand them into broader identity checks, access controls, and surveillance by design. Do you trust your phone, tablet, or computer to become the new gatekeeper for what you can access online? #Privacy #DigitalRights #AgeVerification #Surveillance #SelfSovereignty #FreeSpeech

The Third-Party Doctrine is one of the biggest privacy traps of the digital age. Use a Bank's, phone company's, email host's, cloud service's, or app's services because modern life leaves you little choice, and the state argues that the moment your data touches a third party, your privacy protections weaken. That logic may have started in a different era, but in today's world, it creates a massive surveillance loophole. Your data should not lose constitutional protection just because someone else stores it for you. Should using modern Technology really mean giving up your rights? #Privacy #FourthAmendment #Surveillance #DataBrokers #DigitalRights #SelfSovereignty #Decentralisation

Using a VPN should not be enough to make you look foreign to the surveillance state. This week's Surveillance Report is a sharp reminder that the privacy fight is connected. Questions around Section 702 and VPN use, the Axios supply chain compromise, malware in Google Play apps, device-level age checks, and Europe only just pushing back on chat scanning all point the same way: the internet is being redesigned to treat privacy as suspicious and gatekeepers as normal. Are we building a future where basic self-defence online is treated like suspicious behaviour? #Privacy #VPN #Section702 #Surveillance #CyberSecurity #DigitalRights #AgeVerification #ChatControl #OpenSource #Android

The US-Iran ceasefire already looks less like peace and more like a pause before the next shock. Hormuz is still choked, shipping is still constrained, and the argument over Lebanon shows how thin this deal really is. If the terms are disputed this early, markets, civilians and the wider region stay stuck in the blast radius. Does this end in a wider war, or a face-saving exit? #Iran #USA #Geopolitics #MiddleEast #StraitOfHormuz #Oil #War #Ceasefire

Mastodon's new Collections feature feels like a thoughtful way to make Fediverse discovery easier. Instead of leaving new users to hunt around for good accounts, Collections let people curate shareable bundles of recommended profiles around a topic. The first version is intentionally small: up to 25 accounts, Public or Unlisted sharing, notifications when you're added, and the option to remove yourself. No follow-all button yet, either, which honestly feels like a sensible choice if Mastodon wants to avoid stale, low-quality list culture. Would you use Collections to help people find the right corner of the Fediverse?

Mastodon Blog

Designing Collections

A new way to share and discover accounts on Mastodon

#Mastodon #Fediverse #Decentralisation #SocialMedia #OpenWeb

America can pump record oil and still be exposed. That's the refinery trap. The US produces loads of light sweet crude, but many refineries were built for heavier, sour imports. So when a chokepoint like Hormuz gets hit, this stops being a distant geopolitical story and becomes diesel, food, flights and inflation at home. Energy independence sounds strong. Energy security is something else entirely. What do you think matters more: raw output, or whether the system can actually refine what it gets? #Energy #Oil #EnergySecurity #Refining #Geopolitics #Inflation #USA #SelfSovereignty