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Slashdot started introducing features like this 20 years ago. We thought ”web of trust” would be the future of content moderation, but subsequent forums have mo

Slashdot started introducing features like this 20 years ago. We thought ”web of trust” would be the future of content moderation, but subsequent forums have moved further and further away from empowering users to choose what they want to see and towards simple top down censorship.

bombcar 4y ago
Web of trust works too well and unfortunate ideas can be entertained by someone you trust, which is a no-no once you have top-down ideas. Almost everyone has someone they trust so much that even the most insane conspiracy theory would be entertained at least for awhile if that trusted person brought it up.
- SV_BubbleTime 4y ago
  Can't have people being exposed to diversity of thought! Not by people they like, what if someone is wrong! ... I'm all about low hanging fruit in moderation, and not trying to fix human behavior. I'll keep waiting to see when that is back in vogue.
- TMWNN 4y ago
  >Almost everyone has someone they trust so much that even the most insane conspiracy theory would be entertained at least for awhile if that trusted person brought it up. What's wrong with that? If someone you trust brings up a crazy idea, it should be considered. Maybe for a day, maybe for an hour, maybe for a half second, but it shouldn't be dismissed immediately no matter what.
  - bombcar 4y ago
    There's nothing wrong with it, but it is NOT desired at scale. And as individuals we should build up those relationships in reality (not online) because they're incredibly helpful.
- rdtwo 4y ago
  I mean remember when the wuhan lab thing was a total conspiracy theory. Or when masks were supposedly (not airborne) not needed and you just had to wash your hands more. All sorts of fringe stuff sometimes turns out to be true. But you know sometimes you get pizzagate but it’s the price we pay.
guelo 4y ago
It's not censorship, it's about optimizing for advertisers instead of users. Which means users can't have too much control. But since users won't pay advertising is the only business model that works.
- rewgs 4y ago
  I wish we'd just stopped at "users won't pay" and realized that, if people aren't willing to pay for it, maybe it's not a product worth building.
- rdtwo 4y ago
  True you don’t want to advertise on anti China stuff (even if true)
chupchap 4y ago
Doesn't that just create echo-chambers?

bombcar 4y ago

Web of trust works too well and unfortunate ideas can be entertained by someone you trust, which is a no-no once you have top-down ideas. Almost everyone has someone they trust so much that even the most insane conspiracy theory would be entertained at least for awhile if that trusted person brought it up.

SV_BubbleTime 4y ago
Can't have people being exposed to diversity of thought! Not by people they like, what if someone is wrong! ... I'm all about low hanging fruit in moderation, and not trying to fix human behavior. I'll keep waiting to see when that is back in vogue.
TMWNN 4y ago
>Almost everyone has someone they trust so much that even the most insane conspiracy theory would be entertained at least for awhile if that trusted person brought it up. What's wrong with that? If someone you trust brings up a crazy idea, it should be considered. Maybe for a day, maybe for an hour, maybe for a half second, but it shouldn't be dismissed immediately no matter what.
- bombcar 4y ago
  There's nothing wrong with it, but it is NOT desired at scale. And as individuals we should build up those relationships in reality (not online) because they're incredibly helpful.
rdtwo 4y ago
I mean remember when the wuhan lab thing was a total conspiracy theory. Or when masks were supposedly (not airborne) not needed and you just had to wash your hands more. All sorts of fringe stuff sometimes turns out to be true. But you know sometimes you get pizzagate but it’s the price we pay.

guelo 4y ago

It's not censorship, it's about optimizing for advertisers instead of users. Which means users can't have too much control. But since users won't pay advertising is the only business model that works.

rewgs 4y ago
I wish we'd just stopped at "users won't pay" and realized that, if people aren't willing to pay for it, maybe it's not a product worth building.
rdtwo 4y ago
True you don’t want to advertise on anti China stuff (even if true)

chupchap 4y ago

Doesn't that just create echo-chambers?