That's just because a significant amount of people are awful. And now everyone is on the web, including the awful ones.
It's not social media, it's us.
Silicon Valley corporations, whether for profit or by ideology, have pushed nazi/conspirationist propaganda to everyone in the form of recommendations for many years. To be fair, so have traditional media outlets, neither of which is excusable in my view.
If you want a community without bad actors, bigots, cranks, etc, then it has to have rules and moderation, which means censorship. If you want free speech, you're going to get the bigots, cranks and bad actors. "Speak(ing) and think(ing) in a relatively free and neutral sense without ending up in some ulterior trap" requires curation and tone policing, which is censorship. Otherwise, the bigots and the cranks are also free to speak and think in the same way as everyone else, ruin the community and drive everyone else away.
You can't have your cake and eat it too, you have to pick one.
There are alternatives to rules, moderation and censorship that are still effective at filtering out undesirables.
As far back as more than 25 years ago, usenet news readers had kill files, scoring and filtering at the client level.
For various reasons, the mainstream social media platforms chose not to give their users these tools, but that doesn't mean they don't exist.
People are called bigots for all sorts of reasons that have nothing to do with bigotry. And it's done intentionally to weild power over wrong-thinkers.
The bad actors are at all levels and of all persuasions
There are a number of problems with the model (including finding such a server). But censors flexing their agenda isn't a real problem in my experience.
Also what can't you say on, say, Twitter that you want to say?
If you're a conservative or so you will probably have a hard time finding an instace you feel at home at, but the defederation of mastodon instances from instances that allow hate speech, racism, homophobia, etc. are precisely what prevents it from being a dumpster fire.
The Fediverse is not without issues but I think it is an example of fuctioning decentralized social media.
Headline was:
A Vivafrei video on Trudeau rescinding Emergency Orders Act
Editors Picks were:
Mudroom Remodel + Vacuum Charging
Very old COFFE GRINDER restoration
This Is Why They Did It, by Russell Brand
Wife CHEATS, Wants CHILD SUPPORT For Illegitimate Daughter?
In the News Section:
Trudeau announces end of Emergencies Act
Shaffer: Biden Telegraphing Ukraine Moves
Trump: Biden's America is getting bum-rushed
Ukrainians express support for state of emergency
Puppy gets super excited when it's time to open presents
Mother cat adorably hugs & kisses her kitten
Tired man & his puppies fall asleep together for nap time
Woman hilariously struggles to fit balloons in her trunk
Freedom Fighters Forced Trudeau to Revoke The Emergency Powers Act
Pfizer Withdraws Application for Covid-19 Vaccine in India
Stand For Freedom: Why one gym owner pushed back against tyranny and now is running for Congress
Saagar Enjeti CAUGHT LYING About Russia & Ukraine On Breaking Points
The Dive With Jackson Hinkle
Rumble, voat, parler, gab, even as I feel like the left has left me these days, these places still largely look like dumpster fires to me.
The centralized web is awful. Getting away from it is awful.
I don't know what's worse - the endless corporate censorship or the insanely explicit content, outright bigotry, and anti-science quacks who fill up spaces rebelling against it.
My ethics says the Corp censorship is far more problematic (when taking in the big picture) , but as someone wanting to participate in a free and constructive community it leaves one with no where to go.
Social media was a mistake. Allowing tech companies to become as big as they are were too.