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Sure. If you don't like your opinions being hidden, you just have to go build your own community of millions of people. Simple. And of course, nobody should be

by timr 6y ago

Sure. If you don't like your opinions being hidden, you just have to go build your own community of millions of people. Simple. And of course, nobody should be concerned that the communication channels for ~all forms of public debate are privately owned. Look: I don't mind being downvoted. I don't care about karma points. But the HN system is one where downvoted comments are hidden, which is itself a form of censorship. Marginal opinions are routinely buried -- and I'm not even talking about my own. I upvote unfairly grayed-out comments that I disagree with, all the time. It is deeply ironic, for example, that my parent comment about censorship is now hidden at the bottom of the page, in light gray, because one person downvoted it.

eyelidlessness 6y ago
> Sure. If you don't like your opinions being hidden, you just have to go build your own community of millions of people. Simple. No less simple than someone building it for you while you reject the idea that they might have conditions on sharing it with you. > I don't mind being downvoted. I don't care about karma points. But the HN system is one where downvoted comments are hidden, which is itself a form of censorship. Moderating a private property isn’t censorship. It’s not. If HN or FB or whatever controlled your access to basic internet protocols sure. That would be dystopian and would be an example of censorship. You’re just failing to meet social expectations in a community you’re willingly participating in, and experiencing the consequences of that. It’s no more censorship than not being invited to someone’s birthday party. > It is deeply ironic, for example, that my parent comment about censorship is now hidden at the bottom of the page, in light gray, because one person downvoted it. That... isn’t how the algorithm works, and I’ve been downvoted enough to know it. You’ve likely gotten a lot of upvotes and downvotes leaving an average of -1 (which is -2 btw, you start at +1), but the volume of downvotes is much greater than average. I don’t know the precise formula but I know with certainty that one downvote doesn’t get me greyed.
- timr 6y ago
  "Moderating a private property isn’t censorship. It’s not." Yeah, I get it. That's why I said what I said about all public debate being moved to private property. "I don’t know the precise formula but I know with certainty that one downvote doesn’t get me greyed." I don't know, and don't care. The graying out of comments happens quickly, and people use it to hide comments they don't like.
  - eyelidlessness 6y ago
    > Yeah, I get it. That's why I said what I said about all public debate being moved to private property. Huh? No one captured you in a web browser and made you go to any website. There’s a whole world out there, go talk all you want. > I don't know, and don't care. The graying out of comments happens quickly, and people use it to hide comments they don't like. Yes. You’re not the only person who gets to have opinions. Part of having disagreements is the people who react negatively to your opinions may also want to minimize your opinions’ presence in their life. You’re not entitled to their audience. I mean this sincerely: did you not learn that you can’t demand friendships before now?

by timr 6y ago

eyelidlessness 6y ago

> Sure. If you don't like your opinions being hidden, you just have to go build your own community of millions of people. Simple. No less simple than someone building it for you while you reject the idea that they might have conditions on sharing it with you. > I don't mind being downvoted. I don't care about karma points. But the HN system is one where downvoted comments are hidden, which is itself a form of censorship. Moderating a private property isn’t censorship. It’s not. If HN or FB or whatever controlled your access to basic internet protocols sure. That would be dystopian and would be an example of censorship. You’re just failing to meet social expectations in a community you’re willingly participating in, and experiencing the consequences of that. It’s no more censorship than not being invited to someone’s birthday party. > It is deeply ironic, for example, that my parent comment about censorship is now hidden at the bottom of the page, in light gray, because one person downvoted it. That... isn’t how the algorithm works, and I’ve been downvoted enough to know it. You’ve likely gotten a lot of upvotes and downvotes leaving an average of -1 (which is -2 btw, you start at +1), but the volume of downvotes is much greater than average. I don’t know the precise formula but I know with certainty that one downvote doesn’t get me greyed.

timr 6y ago
"Moderating a private property isn’t censorship. It’s not." Yeah, I get it. That's why I said what I said about all public debate being moved to private property. "I don’t know the precise formula but I know with certainty that one downvote doesn’t get me greyed." I don't know, and don't care. The graying out of comments happens quickly, and people use it to hide comments they don't like.
- eyelidlessness 6y ago
  > Yeah, I get it. That's why I said what I said about all public debate being moved to private property. Huh? No one captured you in a web browser and made you go to any website. There’s a whole world out there, go talk all you want. > I don't know, and don't care. The graying out of comments happens quickly, and people use it to hide comments they don't like. Yes. You’re not the only person who gets to have opinions. Part of having disagreements is the people who react negatively to your opinions may also want to minimize your opinions’ presence in their life. You’re not entitled to their audience. I mean this sincerely: did you not learn that you can’t demand friendships before now?