3 ms·
Why doesn't HN allow to delete our posts?
I've noticed that HN is pretty much the odd and unique one out here. Almost every major social network I know let's you delete or edit even a five or ten year old post. But HN posts are like carved in the stone and Frozen in time?
Whatever maybe the motivations for it, it's a bit authoritarian in the sense that the user isn't in control of her own data. Pretty sure RMS wouldn't like it even though it checks most of the other GNU boxes I think!
- Quinzel 2y agoMaybe it’s so that before people comment they think “do I want this to remain here forever?” I’ve definitely made comments where I have thought after the fact, damn, I should not have said that. And my overconfidence, arrogance or just general obnoxiousness is cemented in internet history unaltered forever.
- underseacables 2y agoProbably because of some idea of accountability. I'm sure they have everything linked with IP addresses, and if someone had that data, they could probably trace it back to an actual person.
- deleted 2y ago[deleted]
- mtmail 2y agoIt's listed in the FAQ under "Can I delete my account?" https://news.ycombinator.com/newsfaq.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsfaq.html Note the "More here" link. Unlike other social networks HN doesn't have direct messages, profile pictures, status message and a lot of engagement features either. Not sure I understand the GNU relevance, HN is run by a company.
- pvg 2y agoComes up fairly often, most recent modsplanation with lots of links https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=40732867 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=40732867
- nostrademons 2y agoIt's because it destroys the flow of conversation in comment threads. With other threaded comment sites that allow you to delete comments, a decades-old thread will usually look like "[deleted]...Comment lacking context...[deleted]...Reply that makes no sense...[deleted]...[deleted]." HN was supposed to be as much a repository of knowledge as a discussion forum or time-waster (which is why long-form responses are encouraged), so it defeats the purpose of the site if threads are missing half their content. Note that you can delete comments less than 2 hours old which have not yet been replied to, it's just the long-term comments that have become part of a thread that are set in stone forever.
- GaryNumanVevo 2y agoAuthoritarian? No. No one is forced to post here, if the terms of the social contract aren't amenable then the answer is simple: don't post here.
- Finnucane 2y ago>Pretty sure RMS wouldn't like it And we need to care about that for what reason?