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Yeah, I'm not really sure why my submission was flagged. This is related to internet freedom and laws surrounding that. Maybe it's a taboo subject?

by netule 3y ago

mandmandam 3y ago
I hate to say it, but maybe that's been added to the unwritten list of third rail topics. This recent post [0] in the same vein was flagged for hours, for no discernible reason. It was then quietly unflagged, after all algorithmic momentum was sucked out. Even the adjacent comment itt [1] pointing out the bizarre flagging recently has been flagged to death. You might not see it without showdead on. 0 - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=36452226 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=36452226 1 - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=36482768 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=36482768
- _a_a_a_ 3y ago
  I think that's a bit conspiracy, "an unwritten list". If there was, DanG would preview them first, and there aren't that many so it would be quick and they'd never get on the front page. My guess is it's down to HN posters doing the flagging, and I am aware that some of them – who don't like porn or drugs – will simply use any method to try and kill discussion (these people are a bloody nuisance). Dan reviews then unflags them, I think that's all that's happening. I had one of mine recently flagged, then finally deleted after a few days – it took days. Dan is a busy guy here. I have to admit, I am getting pissed off that when it comes to discussions of sex and drugs, where abusive flagging occurs and other misbehaviour like injecting negative comment or claims without providing any backup, there seems to be no dealing with the culprits and they're allowed to continue. Then again I don't know what goes on behind the scenes. Dan does a good job and is very busy. But I wish he would handle it, or at least open up a discussion with us on how it might be handled.
  - mandmandam 3y ago
    Don't take me too literally. I'm not saying Dan keeps a list of banned topics, and checks posts one by one before approval. However, there are groups who monitor this site for keywords, and flag posts that the community would otherwise be interested in discussing. They have a number of ways to do this, ranging from subtle to heavy handed. It's not hard to accomplish, technically speaking. You've seen what LLMs can do; and those tools have been available for years to some people. The benefits of doing so far outweigh the negligible risk for the groups involved. The meta discussion around those topics is closed. Even posts asking for a discussion around them get removed, despite their immediate relevance to the tech and entrepreneur fields.
    - _a_a_a_ 3y ago
      Thanks. I'll ask a mod, see what they say. Things can look very different from the other side.

Yeah, I'm not really sure why my submission was flagged. This is related to internet freedom and laws surrounding that. Maybe it's a taboo subject?

by netule 3y ago

Yeah, I'm not really sure why my submission was flagged. This is related to internet freedom and laws surrounding that. Maybe it's a taboo subject?

mandmandam 3y ago

I hate to say it, but maybe that's been added to the unwritten list of third rail topics. This recent post [0] in the same vein was flagged for hours, for no discernible reason. It was then quietly unflagged, after all algorithmic momentum was sucked out. Even the adjacent comment itt [1] pointing out the bizarre flagging recently has been flagged to death. You might not see it without showdead on. 0 - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=36452226 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=36452226 1 - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=36482768 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=36482768

_a_a_a_ 3y ago
I think that's a bit conspiracy, "an unwritten list". If there was, DanG would preview them first, and there aren't that many so it would be quick and they'd never get on the front page. My guess is it's down to HN posters doing the flagging, and I am aware that some of them – who don't like porn or drugs – will simply use any method to try and kill discussion (these people are a bloody nuisance). Dan reviews then unflags them, I think that's all that's happening. I had one of mine recently flagged, then finally deleted after a few days – it took days. Dan is a busy guy here. I have to admit, I am getting pissed off that when it comes to discussions of sex and drugs, where abusive flagging occurs and other misbehaviour like injecting negative comment or claims without providing any backup, there seems to be no dealing with the culprits and they're allowed to continue. Then again I don't know what goes on behind the scenes. Dan does a good job and is very busy. But I wish he would handle it, or at least open up a discussion with us on how it might be handled.
- mandmandam 3y ago
  Don't take me too literally. I'm not saying Dan keeps a list of banned topics, and checks posts one by one before approval. However, there are groups who monitor this site for keywords, and flag posts that the community would otherwise be interested in discussing. They have a number of ways to do this, ranging from subtle to heavy handed. It's not hard to accomplish, technically speaking. You've seen what LLMs can do; and those tools have been available for years to some people. The benefits of doing so far outweigh the negligible risk for the groups involved. The meta discussion around those topics is closed. Even posts asking for a discussion around them get removed, despite their immediate relevance to the tech and entrepreneur fields.
  - _a_a_a_ 3y ago
    Thanks. I'll ask a mod, see what they say. Things can look very different from the other side.