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I seems you are right, it got killed. But not flagged or anything, it just simply disappeared right after landing on the front page 3 hours ago: https://hnranki

I seems you are right, it got killed. But not flagged or anything, it just simply disappeared right after landing on the front page 3 hours ago: https://hnrankings.info/38048372/ https://hnrankings.info/38048372/ Weird, I haven't seen that before. It's like some sort of "shadowflagging", visible to people who have commented or with a direct link, invisible to everyone else. edit: ok, so now it got flagged, too.

jjgreen 3y ago
Yep, seen this on several occasions.
kcplate 3y ago
If you consume HN with a feedreader that pulls the feed fairly often you will see posts get flagged and “disappeared” which is what I call it when HN deletes the link from a post (but my feedreader still has it). Usually when the post’s link disappears I can see why if I hit the link in my feedreader, but I would say that at least a third of the time when I see a post flagged, it’s hard to see why logically, so I usually assume it’s some zealot who feels the duty to protect all of us from hearing or reading things they don’t like.
- stareatgoats 3y ago
  > I usually assume it’s some zealot It might be that, but the power to completely delete posts from the front page (or any page) doesn't reside with users AFAIK. My theory is that either a moderation bot or someone with superuser privileges did it, and not really because the information was distasteful per se, more likely because there is an assumption that the HN crowd wouldn't be able to handle the topic with nuance and rationality, and therefore hurt the overall experience here. I can understand it: topics related to wars where people have had relatives, friends, acquaintances and/or tribesmen killed and maimed will obviously tend to devolve, badly. But it would be a difficult balance in that case - it might lead to vital information being suppressed, here on HN as well.
  - kcplate 3y ago
    I was referring to the flagged posts, not the removed. Like I said, most of the time those removed are understandable to the TOC of the site. It’s the flagged where I suspect the zealotry. Interesting topics and great discussion can get suppressed and essentially killed.

jjgreen 3y ago

Yep, seen this on several occasions.

kcplate 3y ago

If you consume HN with a feedreader that pulls the feed fairly often you will see posts get flagged and “disappeared” which is what I call it when HN deletes the link from a post (but my feedreader still has it). Usually when the post’s link disappears I can see why if I hit the link in my feedreader, but I would say that at least a third of the time when I see a post flagged, it’s hard to see why logically, so I usually assume it’s some zealot who feels the duty to protect all of us from hearing or reading things they don’t like.

stareatgoats 3y ago
> I usually assume it’s some zealot It might be that, but the power to completely delete posts from the front page (or any page) doesn't reside with users AFAIK. My theory is that either a moderation bot or someone with superuser privileges did it, and not really because the information was distasteful per se, more likely because there is an assumption that the HN crowd wouldn't be able to handle the topic with nuance and rationality, and therefore hurt the overall experience here. I can understand it: topics related to wars where people have had relatives, friends, acquaintances and/or tribesmen killed and maimed will obviously tend to devolve, badly. But it would be a difficult balance in that case - it might lead to vital information being suppressed, here on HN as well.
- kcplate 3y ago
  I was referring to the flagged posts, not the removed. Like I said, most of the time those removed are understandable to the TOC of the site. It’s the flagged where I suspect the zealotry. Interesting topics and great discussion can get suppressed and essentially killed.