I have no tolerance for censorship, and find myself constantly moving and adapting to escape it.
As I posted months ago, I've been censored, shadowbanned, and had my numbers artificially reduced by Steemit (the company that produces Steemit.com, a site that interacts with the STEEM blockchain).
I was told at the time that Steemit cannot censor anything, and that the site is censorship-free, so my observations must be a result of my skeptical nature. Steemit had motive and opportunity to censor, but everyone believed they didn't have the means.
Yet here we are today with Steemit openly censoring content. An international group of hackers recently started an account here called @thedarkoverlord, to leak/sell insider information about the 9/11 World Trade Center conspiracy, especially about Building 7 (often known as the smoking gun, proving the use of demolitions).
Their account has been banned/blocked/censored (something we were told was impossible), and their posts are scrubbed from Steemit.com. Steemit was quiet about this move, but as the community has noticed what happened, a ripple of doubt is spreading across the site. What a horrible loss of opportunity. Will future whistleblowers and leakers choose Steemit, next time there's something big like this, knowing they're probably wasting their time?
Either there is freedom of speech or there isn't.
Knowing Steemit is able to, and IS, memory-holing people and ideas, implies this isn't the first or last time. They obviously prefer the community believes censorship isn't possible on Steemit, but after this, anyone who still believes that is questioning themselves.
Busy.org hasn't yet censored this information from the STEEM blockchain, so you can still view it here (as of time of posting).
Leaving Steemit.com
I'm looking for a new home for my online presence and content. As I've written dozens of times, including just 2 days ago, I will never tolerate censorship of any kind, and I will have true freedom of speech. I came to Steemit because I believed it wasn't happening here, but after putting a year and a half of full-time effort in, I realize I've been contributing and empowering my enemy - just as I did for 10 years on FaceBook and YouTube. Lesson learned, moving on, starting over. Again.
I may stay on the STEEM blockchain, using a different website and company to interface. Or I might try another blockchain. Or just a conventional website, as long as there's no censorship and I can reach people with my message. Whatever that message happens to be.
DRutter
Who the fuck cares?
Just use a better frontend than the shit produced by Stinc.
Posted using Partiko Android
Oh no! Don't get censored for talking about the censorship.
That's a FaceBook tactic! Surely Steemit wouldn't stoop so low, at least not yet!?
I don't necessarily see this as being a bad outcome. The STEEM Blockchain has not been censored at all. Steemit.com is just one way (granted the most common and well known way) to access the STEEM blockchain. The @thedarkoverlord account has just been hidden from steemit. As a US registered company, I imagine there would have been a significant legal risk for them to not take some action. What would be worse - Steemit hiding that account, or steemit being shut down by authorities? The posts and account are still visible, just not on steemit. I think this shows a strength of this system, whereby the chain itself cannot be censored, and there are multiple platforms to view the chain, so if one censors, others will not. There are plenty of alternatives to Steemit that will allow you to keep on STEEM, without needing steemit.
I don't necessarily see it as a bad outcome for everyone, either. But it's a bad outcome for me, since I'm completely intolerant to censorship.
Perhaps you skimmed my post? I already covered everything you commented.
Summary: I won't tolerate censorship. Steemit is ramping up censorship. I'm now looking for a way to escape that.
I don't disagree with your sentiment, and I also favour zero censorship. Shifting to another front end over this issue is your right, and taking a moral stand is to be applauded. My point is that this issue demonstrates the strength of STEEM, and that unlike mainstream social media the blockchain itself can't be censored. 1 companies actions (to protect themselves legally) have done nothing to censor the chain.
Posted using Partiko Android
You're right that the STEEM blockchain hasn't and won't be censored. I'm still quite favourable overall to the blockchain, just much-less-so for Steemit.com.
The answer is, No.
Agree, this is a lost opportunity for Steemit to differentiate itself by standing on principle.
And if they're going to avoid Steemit.com like the plague, and Steemit.com is how 80% of their audience interacts the STEEM blockchain, are they even going to bother with Steem?
I think it's a lost opportunity not just for Steemit but for the entire blockchain. This could have been our chance to make the bigtime, and maybe even be heroes.
I was about to post something similar to this but you said it so well. I'll just repost yours. Not that it matters. I started divesting myself from steemit yesterday. It's very sad.
Yes, sad. Well, I appreciate your support.
I would be super sad to see you go :( but I totally see your point. I moved over to Steempeak after I read about that. It is a damn shame and you are right, but right now they are not doing much better. You can get to the darkoverlord account, but all posts are saying "Content removed for copyright and or privacy violations." Have you checked out Minds.com? I haven't been on there long, so I am not sure if they censor anything, I have not heard of any censoring... but it's worth checking out at least.
Thanks for your sentiments. I've been talking about it with MediKatie and we came up with a few points.
A lot of us here appreciate the work you are doing so Thank you! Yes, Minds is certainly confusing and it doesn't help that there is very little information out there explaining the features and how the reward system works. What is out there is severely outdated. So I had to just start using it, making mistakes along the way. I haven't figured out all of it yet but enough to get by.
It seems to be like it wants to be facebook, twitter and medium at the same time. It's really active too. I have 3 times the subscribers on Minds than I do followers on Steemit (but Steemit is still my favorite). If you want to post a notification or something not super elaborate like a tweet you can use the posting feature on the front page, but if you want to write a blog entry you have to go to blogs at the top then write a new blog. From there, blog entries didn't used to post on your channel so you used to have to write a new post and link the blog for it to show up. It was dumb, but they seemed to fix that so it does now. Then you can add what ever hashtags you want to link and it will go from there.
You also have direct messaging to people as well as a messenger like facebook. It might be another solution for you and you brother too, now thinking about it. If you get on there you can always test stuff out with me if you want :) Also what about Gab?
This is absolutely wrong!!!
If you don't believe me then follow the link below.
https://busy.org/@thedarkoverlord
Please do your research before spreading FUD.
It's not a matter of research, and it's rude of you to insinuate I don't know what I'm talking about. Your emotional reaction aside, I'll change the word to "blocked" rather than "deleted".
It IS deleted as far as they're able to - the @thedarkoverlord account doesn't even exist on Steemit.com anymore (the message users get is "Sorry! This page doesn't exist!"), and nothing about the account or posts can be found. But technically it's probably closer to a "block", a "ban", or "censored" - than "deleted". I'll change it to avoid triggering anyone else into making personal attacks.
There is a big difference between a Condenser Node blocking an account and saying the account has been deleted. They are different words for a reason. They mean different things!
Saying the account was deleted sounds a lot like the blockchain has been altered; which it has not! Your comnent was pure FUD, intentionally or otherwise.
Fear, uncertainty, and doubt (FUD) are reactions. You're the one bringing those reactions.
Dude, you really have to step up your research game. 😎
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fear,_uncertainty_and_doubt
It makes even less sense by that definition.
"Fear, uncertainty and doubt (often shortened to FUD) is a disinformation strategy."
I'm sure you're not so misguided that you were claiming this post was a disinfo strategy. I'm a content-creator and I need to produce content where there isn't censorship. Steemit isn't that site. Your emotional reactions are irrelevant.
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Well dont run away yet! You still need to reach the goal for @edgargonzalez or give back the Steem donations!
I won't 'run away' at all, but Steemit.com won't be my front end much longer. See other comments. :)