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After experiencing extensive spamming, ad-hominem attacks, and trolling it became necessary to protect the site by preventing all Anonymous Coward (AC) comments by anyone who was not logged in. This was a reluctant measure but it proved to be 99.9% effective. It was however, far from ideal. It partially isolated many of the responsible ACs who contribute regularly to the site and provide a valuable input to many of our discussions. They are still able to use journals for posting as the editors of SoylentNews have no control over the content of journals or the comments made in them.
I sought an alternative solution and provided access to some of the stories on the front page and marked them as AC Friendly. I had hoped by demonstrating to those abusing the site that there was a simple solution that they would perhaps cease, or at least return to previously manageable levels. Unfortunately this was not to be. The abuse restarted almost immediately and has continued in every AC Friendly story that has been published. It has clearly demonstrated that this isn't a case of the abusers defending free speech or any other laudable and justifiable aim but simply an attempt to prevent the majority of the community from holding any form of discussion at all. I am not continuing the AC Friendly stories on the main page with the sole exception of this Meta story.
I next tried to switch the attempts to include our AC community around by providing stories from the front page initially to my own journal, but subsequently to the journal of a new account named 'AC Friendly'. This was rather labour intensive and was not something that I could continue to do in the long term. These efforts have been ignored and do not seem to be of any interest to the AC community. Likewise I will not continue this effort unless there is evidence that it is wanted.
There are many perfectly understandable reasons for wishing to post comments as an Anonymous Coward. This was recognised when the original Slashdot code was written and provision was made for such individuals in the software. It is a straightforward matter to log in to the site and then automatically post as AC from then on. This both protects the site itself and those using it. If your justification is that you do not trust the staff then I must question why you would want to remain on the site.
Free speech is an essential part of our ethos but it is necessary to realise that free speech and anonymity are not necessarily related. We want people to be able to express their views without fear of harassment, abuse, or unfair moderation. Only by doing so can we truly claim to have free speech. It means that even those with whom we strongly disagree have the right to express their opinions. Subsequent attempts to argue against those views should not involve any form of harassment of the individual making them. Any attempt to prevent someone from expressing their views is directly counter to the very concept of 'free speech'.
Likewise, anonymity is something to be valued. Attempts to unmask either named or anonymous accounts is unacceptable to this site's administration and will not be tolerated. Those who publish information that appears credible to us must be deterred from continuing by whatever means are necessary. We cannot verify every claim made regarding the personal information of a community member and we must therefore assume that it is has some basis in truth and is an attempt at doxing. It does not matter where the information stated in the claim originates or whether it has been stated on this site or elsewhere previously. If it has the potential to unmask a community member it will be treated as doxing. The site will do all it can to protect community members. We are also fortunate that in the 8 years we have been operating we have only had one account that felt it was an acceptable thing to do. That account has been closed.
There is absolutely no doubt whatsoever that the toxic environment that has developed on the site has cost us numerous valued community members - both staff and regular contributors of submissions and comments. It cannot be allowed to continue. There is also no doubt that there is a straightforward and simple solution, and that is to prevent AC participation without the creation of an account. The software was designed to do this and it is wasted effort trying to find alternatives when it is unnecessary to do so.
There has been quite a bit of discussion over the last week or so. We have had a former community member (who was also once a member of staff) return to the site with his own story. Initially he chose to remain anonymous but subsequently decided to continue his comments under his username. I encourage you all to read the link given and the subsequent comments given in reply. I am very grateful that has taken the effort to explain why he has did what he has done and I welcome him back to our community if he choses to stay. As part of my reply to him I made the following statement:
It is vitally important that everyone is able to express their own point of view without harassment or intimidation or even unfair moderation. We do not all agree with each other. That is the same in any community. But by full, frank and honest discussion we can at least understand each others point of view and possibly identify potential solutions. The freedom of expression is still essential on the site - but it can only exist if we can ensure that it can be conducted in a suitable environment.
I stand by that statement. Since that comment was published I have received other views and experiences of the toxicity of our site from a significant number of individuals, including regular community members and both current and former staff. Quite simply, if we do not change then in all likelihood we will not survive much longer. It is not too late to make the necessary changes but time is running out.
I promised you that no changes would be made to how the site operates without first giving you all the chance to express your own opinions. But you have to decide now which path you want the site to follow. This cannot be a simple vote - as an extreme example we have no way of verifying that AC comments are not the result of a single person, or if some sock-puppets are still active on the site. Everyone has the right to be heard. However, let me point out a few rules:
- Any attempt to disrupt this Meta by spamming, ad-hominem attacks or trolling abuse will count as someone expressing an opinion that we should insist on accounts for all those wishing to post as AC. If anyone thinks that by abusing the site they will be helping their case they are mistaken. However, such actions will clearly show to the community that those who have been making the most noise about being prevented from expressing themselves are not actually fighting for free speech, but rather they are determined to prevent you from exercising your right to it.
- It will be pointless to keep repeating the same views as an AC. We cannot separate them. You want to be anonymous, you choose to have the account ID #1, and this, unfortunately, is a direct consequence to that decision.
- All views will be collated and then a decision will be made based upon them by the staff. This will include the SN Board who may accept that decision, but who have the right to choose the path that the site eventually takes. It may not be the decision that any of us want.
This is an important issue. It cannot be a simple vote but I encourage as many people as possible to express their opinions. It might be the last chance for you to do so. The Meta will stay active for several days to at least mid-week - but if it is abused excessively then it will be taken down and we will be forced to make a decision base on whatever views we already have or can get from elsewhere. I will endeavour to move the Meta in the story queue so that it remains on the front page. Many of our community log on at different times of the day or only on specific days. I would like to give everyone a chance to see the Meta story and to make their views known.
This is your opportunity - please do not waste it.
[Ed's Comment: See bold text - warning 2022-07-10 12:36 UTC]
(Score: -1, Offtopic) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday July 09 2022, @11:36AM (5 children)
Well, he said:
So I gotta say, i hereby disrupt the Meta, by calling it farse. And I attack janrinok in his hominem, since this is all his idea, and his being so upset about some rather offtopic and ridiculus comments (Hey, APK! Your posts are stupid! And Janrinok thinks so! And, . . . ) So this whole thing is about janrinok's sense of order, the he got from being in the military. I say, time to retire all the Boomers from SN, they have become a liabilty in their later years, as janrinok, Runaway, and even the somewhat younger Phil o' Fat, slowly descent into the madness of the aged. Not an ad hominem>/i> if it is fact a true and relevent judgment.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday July 09 2022, @01:33PM (3 children)
The farce here is you.
There must be so much hate inside you for you to spend so much time and effort trying to kill this platform without any consideration for the collateral damage.
(Score: 2) by kazzie on Saturday July 09 2022, @03:20PM
Use the Farce!
(Or was it Force? I can never remember...)
(Score: 0, Disagree) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday July 09 2022, @08:26PM (1 child)
A shitposting idiot cannot kill the platform, even if he burst from misguided effort. The one who can (and is set to?) do it, is on the staff.
(Score: 4, Insightful) by Mykl on Sunday July 10 2022, @11:21PM
I disagree.
If the staff did nothing at all and let Ari (and APK et al) do whatever the hell they wanted the place would continue to devolve further and further. If you're into that sort of thing there is always 4Chan. I'm here for a bit more intelligence.
(Score: -1, Redundant) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday July 09 2022, @04:01PM
Agreed. He just can't help himself. Apparently he never heard of "don't feed the trolls.". And instead of allowing moderation to work he descends into typical British totalitarianism.
(Score: 5, Interesting) by anubi on Saturday July 09 2022, @11:38AM (13 children)
This place exists because a few dedicated individuals wanted to provide the world with a public forum to discuss the news of the day.
And I suspect too they wanted to create a live lab on optimizing computational infrastructures to support this kind of thing.
This is wonderful. Somehow they do this.
Why anyone would want to tear it down is beyond me.
But it's not just here. I see infrastructure destruction taking place everywhere. Seems like a Biblical thing ( actually, I think it is, for I seem to lack any insight to explain what I see going on in the world today, especially politics. )
We have a very unique thing here.
Do we really want to take it down over bickering?
Neither do I want to see Weinerschnitzel destroyed over what I feel is overpriced hot dogs. But I won't go there for that reason.
I like this place. There are a lot of really fine intelligent people here that offer their insight just for asking. Freely.
I am not posting this as AC because I want it on record I appreciate all the help and camaraderie I have received here.
"Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." [KJV: I Thessalonians 5:21]
(Score: 4, Interesting) by RedGreen on Saturday July 09 2022, @02:24PM
"Seems like a Biblical thing ( actually, I think it is, for I seem to lack any insight to explain what I see going on in the world today, especially politics. )"
The forces of darkness and destruction rear their ugly head yet again. They do so whenever good people let their guard down thinking they have managed to defeat them so can now sit back and do nothing. Unfortunately people are so stupid they never learn the lessons of history that being, unless you stay on top of the situation the money, contolling and power hungry among us will never give up. Their goal is always to cause chaos so the can use it to their advantage to keep their edge. Remaking the system to their advantage at the cost to everyone else if not burn it down in their quest to punish all who disagree with their God given right to rule over us plebs who have the stupidity to think we are just as worthy of anything they have. This cycle has been repeated forever. Every generation or two it costs many millions of dead fighting it off. We see it again right now as the scum among us make their push yet again to regain their ascendancy over all others.
For the current situation who cares. They AC have the ability to post without a username linked to them by creating account to do so. If it is not good enough for them then too bad go elsewhere. All this drama about their supposed right to do it without any trace is just plain foolishness on the part of those who even give it a seconds thought. Some supposed enlightened thinking giving the scum who will abuse the system all the advantages to abuse it freely all in the name of supposed freedom. What a crook of shit for even allowing it to happen let alone thinking about making allowances for the abusing morons to continue with their garbage.
"I modded down, down, down, and the flames went higher." -- Sven Olsen
(Score: 5, Insightful) by Kell on Saturday July 09 2022, @03:00PM (11 children)
I would like to second this - I will put my handle to my comments because I will stand and be counted. This is not the first time I have stood and voted for what was right for our community. We are here because other people cared enough to fight for it to exist. I've been a user of the site since the Buck Feta era, and I left the old place to start a new community that would respect its users. An early SN rallying cry was "We are not an audience" - we are a community that is intimately involved with the creation of content and the governance of the site, even more so than with its predecessor. In many ways, the issues we have here mirror those that afflicted the green site. Hell, some of the ASCII swastikas even look the same...
I've watched the ebbs and flows of this place over the years. SN is a good place, and though I often differ in opinion with other folks here I have a genuine respect for many of them. The ACs also make valuable contributions, too, though the trade-off is less clear to me. I ask myself what contribution of ACs is so valuable that we would prefer reams of spam and vicious negativity rather than do without it? What are people posting that is so desperately critically sensitive that the risk of censure or identification is worth the cost, now thrown into such stark relief? The closest I can recall to such a thing actually happening was when the Scientologists tried to get documents removed from /. and sought the identity of "Anonymous Coward". It served its purpose then, but I feel it is a diminishingly small use-case.
I don't believe that allowing non-logged-in ACs are worth the trade-off. Requiring account log-in to post lets us to mitigate one problem at a relatively niche cost; I have felt that the quality of the non-"AC Friendly" comments have been much higher. I think it is the right course. From my own experience moderating online spaces, the longer you tolerate bad behaviour, the more people will leave before you fix the problem. It is best to act quickly and decisively to cut out the rot before it becomes entrenched. Perhaps in 5 years time we can quietly switch back and see how it goes.
To the site maintainers, editors and management: you do us a valuable service for no payment and evidently more than a little grief. You do not deserve the stress you have faced, but your willingness to bear it is appreciated. Thank you.
Scientists ask questions. Engineers solve problems.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by khallow on Saturday July 09 2022, @10:03PM (4 children)
(Score: 4, Interesting) by coolgopher on Saturday July 09 2022, @11:52PM (3 children)
I'll add my handle to this view.
In an ideal world it would not be necessary, but I guess we have been successful enough to have outlived our honey moon. I pity the mind trapped in such limiting rage and hope they do get professional counselling.
(Score: 4, Insightful) by Recovery One on Sunday July 10 2022, @04:12AM (2 children)
And I will add mine.
I don't post (maybe once or twice, who knows). I rarely log in. I never posted on the green site. I came here from the beta disaster, just never created an account in those early days. I waited a while. I enjoy reading the site, and a lot of the comments. One point in time I thought I'd try and contribute more, but as I look at the stories, a lot of what I would have wrote has been addressed in the comments by someone else. I just didn't feel the need to parrot their sayings. A lot of of those comments are put more eloquently than I could.
To the admins and the community that keep this site running and the stories flowing:
Thank you for providing this service. For donating your time and other resources.
I understand that the time has come to start looking at what can and cannot take place under the AC's. The least harm would require them to at least log in. I do not want to see this place torn down.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by boltronics on Sunday July 10 2022, @06:12AM (1 child)
I must agree also. These days I have little time and often only get to catch up on articles via the daily emails.
When I do load the site, comments from people logged in are on average far more valuable, and have been for a while now. While it's sad that it has come to this, I can accept it.
I also would like to thank the hard working admins and the community for the work that has kept the site running so well and active all this time. It's quite amazing.
It's GNU/Linux dammit!
(Score: 1) by Maddog on Monday July 11 2022, @09:28PM
I'll chime in with general agreement here.
In light of the current lack of technical resources to throw at this problem, disabling comments without logging in (full A/C mode) makes the most sense. Having anonymous posts (while logged in) allows people contribute and be shielded, the site can continue (for now), and spam can be managed. Better to have a site with some community hanging on than trying to rebuild from ashes.
I think this truly underscores the fact that a live site cannot continue in perpetuity without programming resources. Administrators can only keep it afloat for so long. The long term goal is to keep the site up until resources are available to truly tackle the problem.
(Score: 2) by DECbot on Monday July 11 2022, @07:55PM (5 children)
I would agree to this as well.
Ideologically, I'm inclined to let everyone have a voice without the account restriction--however, people must be held accountable to their actions. Deliberately shitposting to sabotage an online community and abusing moderation mechanics are likely the worst offences one can do against it without breaking any laws. Regrettably, without a new technological solution or more un-paid hours of our staff to directly moderate the community, it appears the only remedy is to ban AC to negate the abuses of the few motivated individuals. Banning non-logged ACs is a crude bludgeon, but it is past time to use it to expunge the rot from the discussion. I'm tired of seeing political discourse devolve into literal childish name calling in a discussion on a tech or science article. The fever the past year has been unbearable. It is well understood that the anonymity that social media provides facilitates malicious speech in ways not socially acceptable for face-to-face conversations. While I don't think forcing pseudo-anonymity will correct those interactions, having ACs login before posting I hope will discourage the worst of it.
cats~$ sudo chown -R us /home/base
(Score: 1) by Runaway1956 on Wednesday July 13 2022, @01:33PM (4 children)
Ahhhh, but - when it suits government purposes, bypassing a site's security measures DOES break laws. At this point in time, SN could refer all this to a prosecuting attorney. It would likely go nowhere, because SN (presumably) doesn't know who or where the offender is, but that offender could be prosecuted.
(Score: 3, Informative) by janrinok on Wednesday July 13 2022, @03:31PM (3 children)
If you know one who works pro bono give me the details please.
In 2014/15 some people were not as circumspect as they are today. It was a different environment and nowhere near as adversarial. Almost every discussion was intelligent, many contained genuine humour, and as has been noted elsewhere, the signal-to-noise ratio was much higher than today. People were more willing to give information (some of it being PII) in discussions than they are today. Of course, this is just 'in general'. We have promised to protect everybody's personal information and we will do exactly as we have promised within the law as it stands in the state of Delaware.
(Score: 1) by Runaway1956 on Wednesday July 13 2022, @04:37PM (2 children)
>URL:https://www.probono.net/about/>
They almost look made to order. They specialize in online harassment, etc. And, they specifically mention working with nonprofits.
The other initial find wouldn't work, they're in the UK. https://harassmentlawyer.co.uk/internet-harassment-and-cyberstalking-help [harassmentlawyer.co.uk]
Lemme scroll through a couple more pages . . .
These guys seem to be peripheral to the problem https://www.minclaw.com/our-services/internet-defamation/ [minclaw.com] Or, maybe not? Since IANAL, I don't know would be appropriate here.
Looking further afield, maybe we want a pro bono sex crimes lawyer? I mean, he does keep fucking with us, right?
*pages later*
If we could somehow classify it as domestic abuse, there seem to be millions of lawyers ready to take the case. Not so much internet harassment, stalking, etc. Another if: If I had a legal beagle type of mind, I could probably craft a better search term.
(Score: 2) by janrinok on Wednesday July 13 2022, @06:12PM (1 child)
You would be better off looking for a pro bono lawyer in Delaware. I am not personally going to be doing this. The board and site are incorporated in Delaware. But I doubt that they will pick up the ball and run with it, particularly as there is an obvious solution that we can take today. The lawyer might be pro bono, but the members of the board are volunteers just like the rest of us. They also have jobs, and lives, and families.
(Score: 1) by Runaway1956 on Wednesday July 13 2022, @06:46PM
Understood.
(Score: 5, Informative) by janrinok on Saturday July 09 2022, @11:44AM (19 children)
He sent it by email and asked me to publish it on his behalf. I have done so.
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday July 09 2022, @11:56AM (10 children)
He emailed me the opposite, or he didn't. How is this at all relevant? If we are not going to do an actual respectable pool. [which we can't, 'cause we ain't got no Perl programmer], then what does it matter what mechanicjay says? Or is he the one that can pull the plug?
(Score: 3, Informative) by janrinok on Saturday July 09 2022, @12:07PM (9 children)
Well, I suppose he probably could literally pull the plug (the clue was in 'sysadmin'). His role is to keep the servers on line (as well as lots of other things too ). If he decides to walk away there is no site - but he is not making that threat. He is entitled to have is view known.
I don't know how many staff you think are making SN work but I can guarantee it is far fewer than you imagine.
(Score: 3, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday July 09 2022, @12:37PM (8 children)
>. I don't know how many staff you think are making SN work but I can guarantee it is far fewer than you imagine.
I imagine it's two plus a hamster on a wheel to power the Raspberry Pi.
(Score: 5, Touché) by janrinok on Saturday July 09 2022, @01:47PM (6 children)
Cheap shot - there are 2 hamsters!
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday July 09 2022, @02:02PM
I'd mod this +Informative. If I could.
(Score: 2) by Kell on Saturday July 09 2022, @03:02PM (4 children)
Please, please tell us their names! :D
Scientists ask questions. Engineers solve problems.
(Score: 2) by tangomargarine on Saturday July 09 2022, @03:50PM (3 children)
Sqwealzxznkxx and Bob?
"Is that really true?" "I just spent the last hour telling you to think for yourself! Didn't you hear anything I said?"
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday July 09 2022, @08:26PM (2 children)
OMG! I can't believe you just doxxed the hamsters.
(Score: 2) by Kell on Sunday July 10 2022, @02:37AM (1 child)
Don't worry - "Sqwealzxznkxx" isn't his real name. His real name is unpronounceable by humans. If anyone ever did speak it, it would bring about the Quickening and rebirth of the Great Green Sqweeglemoose which will presage the End Times. And Bob? Nobody gives a shit about Bob - not even Bob!
Scientists ask questions. Engineers solve problems.
(Score: 3, Informative) by Reziac on Sunday July 10 2022, @03:55AM
I see the problem. It's a *hamster* name. You have the =squeak= it.
And there is no Alkibiades to come back and save us from ourselves.
(Score: 2) by MIRV888 on Saturday July 09 2022, @04:04PM
You're thinking of Fark.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday July 09 2022, @02:00PM (4 children)
Jesus, how much more surreal can it get? The sysadmin cannot post his own thoughts by himself, he needs JR to mediate? Really ?
(Score: 2) by janrinok on Saturday July 09 2022, @02:11PM
In which case, you have just used the Anonymous Coward's comment up - so no more comments from them from now on. Is that what you meant? After all, there is only 1 AC account...
(Score: 3, Informative) by janrinok on Saturday July 09 2022, @02:27PM (2 children)
When do you last see mechanicjay (7) log on to the main site? He has explained why.
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday July 12 2022, @02:51PM (1 child)
The sysadmin can't access his account and nobody on the team can code in the language it's written in. Yes this is all very reasonable.
It seems very clear to me that Buzzard was literally the only person keeping this shit heap functioning.
(Score: 2) by janrinok on Tuesday July 12 2022, @03:43PM
(Score: 5, Interesting) by Ingar on Saturday July 09 2022, @02:01PM (2 children)
Throughout the years I've administered a number of websites, game servers, forums and the likes. I've always considered myself reasonably tolerant and tried to stay away from community politics to concentrate on the actual administration.
From a technical point of view, my rule of thumb has always been "Don't annoy the admin." I never liked wasting time on cleaning up spam, griefing and the likes.
Free speech on the internet is a different can of worms. There is limited social feedback. If you're having a free speech conversation in person and you cross the line, you get punched in the face. The internet has no such limitations and it has been proven ad nauseam that any sufficiently large community will attract people with a low self-control threshold.
It's like opening your garden to the public and telling them to enjoy and relax, but keep it civilized. Until the graffiti artists and the midget arsonist** come along. Then rules get made, and will attract the kind of people who love testing the boundaries of the rules.
Free speech and community clash on a fundamental level: community implies a certain set of rules of behavior, free speech implies statements which challenge those rules. I'm with the the people who have to clean up both sides' mess.
**Obscure Firefly reference
(Score: 4, Interesting) by pdfernhout on Saturday July 09 2022, @05:07PM (1 child)
Great insight: "Free speech and community clash on a fundamental level: community implies a certain set of rules of behavior, free speech implies statements which challenge those rules."
In Code 2.0, Lawrence Lessig wrote about how human behaviors are shaper by rules, norms, prices, and architecture. So, to generalize your point, people in groups sometimes want to talk about changing any of those four things. They also may in general just want to do things that clash with any of those four things -- with various consequences for themselves and the group.
This all relates to something Clay Shirky wrote about in 2003:
"A Group Is Its Own Worst Enemy "
https://web.archive.org/web/20131130191257/http://www.shirky.com/writings/group_enemy.html [archive.org]
"So these are human patterns that have shown up on the Internet, not because of the software, but because it's being used by humans. Bion has identified this possibility of groups sandbagging their sophisticated goals with these basic urges. And what he finally came to, in analyzing this tension, is that group structure is necessary. Robert's Rules of Order are necessary. Constitutions are necessary. Norms, rituals, laws, the whole list of ways that we say, out of the universe of possible behaviors, we're going to draw a relatively small circle around the acceptable ones.
He said the group structure is necessary to defend the group from itself. Group structure exists to keep a group on target, on track, on message, on charter, whatever. To keep a group focused on its own sophisticated goals and to keep a group from sliding into these basic patterns. Group structure defends the group from the action of its own members. ...
This pattern has happened over and over and over again. Someone built the system, they assumed certain user behaviors. The users came on and exhibited different behaviors. And the people running the system discovered to their horror that the technological and social issues could not in fact be decoupled. ..."
Originally mentioned by me here: https://soylentnews.org/comments.pl?sid=50120&cid=1257270 [soylentnews.org]
Another aspect is that living organisms (including communities) tend to attract parasites (or predators) over time that exploit them for their own purposes. The longer groups are around, the more time there is for parasites to find them. The group then either dies of the parasite load or finds a way to keep the parasite load to a survivable level. When a group dies, people then generally spend their time instead in other groups -- which may in turn eventually persist long enough to accumulate their own parasite load.
The original wiki system Ward Cunningham created and had at c2.com and had no login requirement eventually kept getting vandalized consistently so much by one vandal it essentially got locked for editing years ago.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WikiWikiWeb [wikipedia.org]
https://wiki.c2.com/ [c2.com] (old content with new software)
Ward eventually moved towards the idea of a federated wiki, which can support a situation where people host their own content which interrelates in a fine-grained way to that of others. But that is a different sort of "architecture" than SN uses right now.
The biggest challenge of the 21st century: the irony of technologies of abundance used by scarcity-minded people.
(Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday July 12 2022, @12:54AM
Feel free to fart as much as you like in the forest (just beware of bears [vox.com]) but, if you keep farting in crowded elevators, better prepare yerself for consequences.
(Score: -1, Offtopic) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday July 09 2022, @12:57PM
Try dating ugly women. They'll be grateful for the attention and less likely to laugh at your undersized manhood.
(Score: 5, Insightful) by crafoo on Saturday July 09 2022, @01:01PM (32 children)
I'm on the side of whatever is practical for you guys. If moderating and filtering is too much work, just remove AC posting. Better to have to site continue on than to shut it down due to lack of resources.
There are definitely some bad actors using this site, as I've discovered first-hand. Having an unpopular opinion has always been dangerous. I was actually thinking of posting AC more often.
If AC is banned, discussions will naturally move towards the progressive-majority as people self-moderate. I wouldn't assume all the people posting Hitler memes are not actually leftist, communist activists. They use this tactic frequently to shut down open discussions, as they know their arguments cannot win in that environment.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday July 09 2022, @01:06PM (8 children)
Creating an anonymous account isn't very hard. A temporary email account is sufficient it probably works deter spam bots a bit but probably not the two jerks that caused this mess.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday July 09 2022, @01:36PM (7 children)
Some have claimed that this is a bridge too far, but it's easy to create a throwaway email with ProtonMail. ProtonMail did give up an IP to the French authorities last year, but I have seen no issues creating and using a ProtonMail account with a VPN. Gmail and others will sometimes detect a VPN as suspicious and demand a phone number.
Anonymity continues to linger on the Web. We might be ten years away from it being legislated out of existence, and then we'll have to move onto horrible decentralized platforms, HAM radio, USB drives in public restrooms or something.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday July 09 2022, @02:10PM (3 children)
I'd prefer steganography on amateur porn photos published on horrible decentralized platforms that one can access through HAM radio.
I advise against using USB drives, hard to come with a plausible denial if found in one's possession.
Public toilets... ugh, but whatever floats your boat.
(Score: 2) by DECbot on Monday July 11 2022, @08:05PM (2 children)
So, you're not into USB gloryholes [wikipedia.org]? USB type-A connector embedded in the wall for any old PC to jack into it to pilfer the contents.
cats~$ sudo chown -R us /home/base
(Score: 1) by Runaway1956 on Wednesday July 13 2022, @01:36PM (1 child)
LOL - I'm picturing myself installing USB connectors in all the bathroom stalls. Just the plug, no wiring or anything. Wonder how many people come in, sit down, and plug in, expecting - something.
(Score: 2) by kazzie on Thursday July 14 2022, @10:04AM
... a download, perhaps?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday July 09 2022, @04:54PM (1 child)
and protonmail requires another goddamn email address to set up your account with them. if this were just about requiring accounts why does soylent require an email at all? oh yeah, no programmers for a web site. who knew you needed that? fusking Normals.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday July 09 2022, @11:33PM
I don't remember needing another email address to set up my last 2 ProtonMail accounts. Did you get trapped by an optional question?
(Score: 2) by Reziac on Sunday July 10 2022, @04:00AM
Why use a real email provider? Wouldn't a pure throwaway like Spamdecoy work?
And there is no Alkibiades to come back and save us from ourselves.
(Score: 4, Insightful) by Opportunist on Saturday July 09 2022, @01:21PM
Why would you think so?
I have opinions. True, most of them lean towards the left, but that doesn't mean I don't call out a batshit progressive as much as I call out a batshit conservative. This ain't Reddit, so far at least I didn't get squelched for simply stating when someone is batshit insane.
And even if, so what? My ego is big enough that I think this site would lose if it lost me, more than I would lose if I can't post here anymore. I contribute sensible input. Yes, I'm convinced of that. If the owners of this site disagree, I'll leave.
That's the thing about online boards. Always has been, always will be. You will have the audience you shape. If you don't moderate at all, your board will descend into trolling and spamming. Simply because you don't weed out the unwanted crap, people who won't put up with the bullshit leave, until all that's left is spams and trolls. For reference, see some unmoderated newsgroups.
If you moderate anything that doesn't fit your preferred narrative, you'll get your comfy filter bubble. While nice, it is doomed to fail in the long run as well because all you can attract is insecure kids who can't handle a diverging opinion and who need to retreat to their "safespace" filterbubble where everyone only tells them what they want to hear.
Only the boards that can find a moderation in between survive for long. And I'm effin' glad i'm not responsible for that kind of shit this time. So pass the popcorn, please.
(Score: 4, Funny) by srobert on Saturday July 09 2022, @01:34PM (1 child)
There are no paid progressive trolls. But did you know you can save money by bundling your home and auto insurance?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday July 09 2022, @01:43PM
Money is beyond redemption, there's nothing one can do to save them.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday July 09 2022, @09:13PM (15 children)
Maybe you are seeing progressive posts, because that is the bulk of the country and you are in the minority?
(Score: 2) by Username on Saturday July 09 2022, @11:45PM (14 children)
The internet is international.
Even if it wasn't, the majority of people lean conservative on every issue. A highly vocal minority, isn't a majority. It's just one guy with a megaphone and money vs 99 without.
(Score: 2) by c0lo on Sunday July 10 2022, @12:49AM (4 children)
Thanks for the LOL in a sunny Sunday morning.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday July 10 2022, @01:55AM (3 children)
https://soylentnews.org/~c0lo/ [soylentnews.org]
*Tuesday June 07, @11:06AM
*Tuesday June 07, @08:06AM
*Tuesday June 07, @05:05AM
*Tuesday June 07, @05:03AM
*Tuesday June 07, @02:57AM
*Tuesday June 07, @01:26AM
*Tuesday June 07, @01:11AM
*Monday June 06, @10:13PM
*Monday June 06, @09:32PM
*Monday June 06, @06:29PM
*Monday June 06, @05:15PM
*Monday June 06, @05:07PM
*Monday June 06, @03:00PM
*Monday June 06, @02:57PM
The astroturf squad never sleeps. Too cheap to register a separate account for every worker, or what?
(Score: -1, Flamebait) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday July 10 2022, @07:19AM (1 child)
Dear lord you Nazis are insufferable.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday July 10 2022, @11:08AM
Dear bot, your script is stale. Get an update already.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday July 12 2022, @01:04AM
Mmmm, so I got at least 8 hours of sleep that night
Other than that, transform those in AEST timezone, that's where I live.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday July 10 2022, @03:15AM (7 children)
So is progressivism. Progressives in the US didn't blossom in a vacuum. They have a taproot going directly back to Marxism.
(Score: 3, Touché) by Azuma Hazuki on Sunday July 10 2022, @05:08PM (6 children)
Can you shrieking cupcakes pearl-clutching about "Marxism" even *define* Marxism?
I am "that girl" your mother warned you about...
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday July 10 2022, @05:59PM
With or without acess the the internet ;) though even more accurate definitions probably will not be sufficiently unhinged for the nazi lovers.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday July 10 2022, @09:00PM (3 children)
Marxists are the ones who want to keep elephants out of their pajamas - even if some shooting is involved.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday July 10 2022, @09:46PM (2 children)
(Dear nostyle: the above post was not by who you think it was. Cargo pants forever!)
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday July 11 2022, @03:10AM (1 child)
-Sting, It’s Probably Me [genius.com]
(Score: 2) by nostyle on Monday July 11 2022, @03:16AM
I have approved this
messagethread.(Score: 0, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Monday July 11 2022, @09:51PM
We know it when we see it. Just like when you shriek about nazis.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by kazzie on Sunday July 10 2022, @07:09AM
This is a good point to remember, and that megaphone-toters may be advocating policy on either side of the political centre.
(It also gets complicated in parts of the world where there's a "Conservative Party", leading people to have to specify "small 'c' conservatism" to describe this phenomenon.)
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday July 10 2022, @03:48AM
Agreed. I like this site, even though all I do is lurk. Do whatever is necessary to stop wasting time dealing with this nonsense.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday July 11 2022, @05:18PM (2 children)
That someone marked your extremely excellent post "troll" is, for me, the core problem with this site. Or at least the indicator of the problem: ad hominem.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday July 12 2022, @12:07PM
ad homimem is subject.
And as a "paid progressive troll", WTF happened to my cheque?
(Score: 2) by janrinok on Tuesday July 12 2022, @01:25PM
The system sorted itself out - it is currently 5 insightful. Don't worry about where it is at any instant, let the community take action. You are correct - it never deserved a 'Troll' but maybe a 'Disagree'.
(Score: 5, Interesting) by HiThere on Saturday July 09 2022, @01:22PM (16 children)
Perhaps you could ban anonymous posting for the first...O, say seven hours...that a story is up. And then enable it. Would that address the problem? Would it be difficult?
Javascript is what you use to allow unknown third parties to run software you have no idea about on your computer.
(Score: 4, Insightful) by rleigh on Saturday July 09 2022, @02:09PM
There needs to be a corresponding cost for the privilege of posting anonymously. A time delay is a cost. Giving up privacy and posting publicly is a cost. Paying money is a cost.
Other sites (e.g. LWN) only allow paying subscribers to read and post messages on articles at the point they are published. Non-paying readers have to wait seven whole days to read and comment. By that time, some discussion is still possible but for most people it's old and stale by that point, and most of the discussion has already happened. Anonymous posting is not permitted at all. If you want to participate actively in the discussions you have to both pay and post publicly. That's how that particular site makes its money and funds its staff. And it makes a lot of sense if you have quality articles and quality discussion which are worth paying for.
If you want to go down the delayed submittion route, I think seven hours is a good improvement, but several days if not a week would be better. If it's truly important to publish a comment completely anonymously then the cost of the privilege of doing that needs to properly counterbalance the full extent of the widespread abuse which we see today. One could argue that such a long delay is nearly a complete ban on anonymous posting entirely, and I'd agree. Personally, I feel it's at the point where I agree with the original message in the article. Banning anonymous comments entirely is the simple and practical solution to the problem at hand.
It's worth looking at what other popular discussion-based websites are doing. None of the popular and high-quality ones permit posting without an account, and why would they? The result of anonymity is always rampant abuse. And that abuse stems from the fact that the cost of abusing the system is precisely zero in the absence of any abuse prevention or penalty for abuse.
(Score: 5, Informative) by janrinok on Saturday July 09 2022, @02:17PM (13 children)
A good idea but impossible without a Perl programmer on the team. We've not had one for coming up to a year now.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by Kell on Saturday July 09 2022, @03:07PM (9 children)
If this is a critical capability gap for the site, could we run a Gofundme or something to engage one?
Scientists ask questions. Engineers solve problems.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by Common Joe on Saturday July 09 2022, @06:04PM (8 children)
I don't want my limited funds to be dedicated to battling trolls, spammers, and nut jobs playing whack-a-mole over the long term. I'd rather have people login to comment which, according to janrinok, can be done fairly easily without hiring anyone.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by Kell on Sunday July 10 2022, @02:41AM (7 children)
I get that (and frankly I agree), but we still have to keep up with bit-rot and it would be nice to occasionally have new, cool features and improvements. I wonder if maybe some of the CS/IT academics in our bunch would be able to exploit hire students to help implement nice-to-have features. It won't ever be the best quality work, but if it's for a senior project or thesis then at least it's "free"! :D
Scientists ask questions. Engineers solve problems.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by Common Joe on Sunday July 10 2022, @03:08AM (6 children)
You have a low user ID, so you should remember. The "cool new features and improvements" is why so many people came here in the first place. ("Fuck Beta.") We aren't a bunch that are into the bling. A lot of forums forget that at their heart, they should simply be forums.
As for bit-rot, I'd rather not have students jerking off in the code base without close supervision. I've worked with so-called-professional-programmers who couldn't figure out an if-then statement. (That is not a joke. The dude was paid almost twice as much as a me.) Students are worse. And students (wisely) are not going to want to learn Perl. They need to keep up with the latest and greatest because the world pays for "cool new features and improvements" and not for solid, functional code. One of the fastest ways to kill off Soylent News is if we can't post stuff on a regular basis.
As for a "free" programmer working on a senior project or thesis, there are two problems with this: 1) Most people forget that "free" always cost something. Always. If you think something is free and harmless, you haven't looked hard enough. How will it cost Soylent News? That brings me to point number... 2) Even if we manage to find a bunch of Perl-loving students, this idea will encourage a revolving door of programmers. That is exactly what we don't want. It brings instability to code bases. And requires that someone senior watch them and teach them. It is time consuming for the people who stay here and maintain SN. And (surprise) we don't have someone senior when it comes to Perl. And if we had someone who knew what they were doing and had time, they would be in the code base doing this stuff.
And finally,
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Kell on Sunday July 10 2022, @09:26AM (1 child)
Sure, but I've been hearing "yes, but we lack a perl programmer" a lot in these threads, so there legitimately seems to be a need - if not for new-and-shiny, then at least for "stuff that we really could benefit from". And, believe you me I've experienced both ends of the student work spectrum. I've had students in my lab who would stick the soldering iron in their eye if you didn't stop them, but I've also had students who did amazing work and who went on to publish their shit in journals. The trick is to apply a degree of critical care when selecting them and using anything they build. Nobody pushes student code direct to production without having someone knowledgeable look at it first...
Anyway, I'm trying to posit solutions - I invite your suggestions.
Scientists ask questions. Engineers solve problems.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday July 12 2022, @03:48AM
I agree with the time delay feature, though I would go for an independent bitcoin bounty over gofundme(tm).
I really, really, would like to see such a fund, even starting at $1, and just leave it open, and see how long it takes to be claimed. I mean seriously- adding a time delay? How hard could that possibly be? How much could you possibly have to make the bounty to see it claimed? I'm truly fascinated to see it just as an experiment with such a simple test case.
(Score: 2) by coolgopher on Monday July 11 2022, @01:07AM (3 children)
I'm still waiting for the conclusion to the "And finally," part - don't leave me hanging like this! :D
(Score: 3, Interesting) by Common Joe on Monday July 11 2022, @02:48AM (2 children)
You made me laugh. In truth, it was a typo. There is no "And finally" conclusion.
Unfortunately, my mind races in a thousand different directions and a single comment can go through several major revisions. I try saying a comment one way, don't like it, so I try saying it another way, and I like it better. In this case, what I thought were three ideas were actually better said as only two. Some people can quickly say what they want and be done with it, but not me. Every comment takes a lot of work. But, since I left you hanging... ahem... [cracking knuckles]
And finally, as a point in conclusion, the lastly bit of wisdom that I wish to give in summary when all is said and done, can be summarized on the whole and in a nutshell for all intents and purposes. To put it bluntly so that we may come to the point and to wrap things up, it is thus indeed essential to say:
(Score: 2) by coolgopher on Monday July 11 2022, @03:02AM
My thanks *grin*
(Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Monday July 11 2022, @07:34AM
Reminds me of a student I had that gave a presentation. At the end he advanced to his last side that said, "Thank you for your attention." He then says, "In conclusion," grabs his stuff and sits down. It must have felt like an eternity before my brain finally clicked and I broke the awkward silence by thanking him and asking for the next student.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Tork on Saturday July 09 2022, @08:08PM (1 child)
ps My apologies to HiThere, I made the same suggestion you did after you had posted.
🏳️🌈 Proud Ally 🏳️🌈
(Score: 3, Informative) by janrinok on Sunday July 10 2022, @06:41AM
Currently it is an option for each story we publish. It is selected when we are processing the story. We still make mistakes by leaving some stories at the default setting but we are getting more used to it gradually. If the change to logged-in users is accepted then we will have to look at changing the default to that particular field on the editors UI.
There may simply be a switch in the Perl code that enables the same function - I just haven't had time to go looking for it since the current problem started.
(Score: 1) by invis on Saturday July 09 2022, @10:17PM
One step at a time. Would blocking AC comments for $hours get close enough to solving the problem it makes sense to do it?
Perl isn't an issue, but wasting time on a false solution is.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by Runaway1956 on Saturday July 09 2022, @04:02PM
I rather like that idea. But, I think 12, 18, or even 24 hours would be better than 7 hours. 7 hours is less than many people's workday. Assuming that Ms. Workman is in her shower when the story is posted, then she commutes to work, puts in a full day, then commutes home, AC will have had an opportunity to spam the story before she can log in to read it. 12 hours (or more) would give Ms. Workman the opportunity to post her thoughts before AC spams hell out of things.
(Score: 5, Insightful) by mrchew1982 on Saturday July 09 2022, @01:22PM
There are enough ways to cover your tracks that requiring a simple username/password isn't a big deal. One could always start a new account everytime if you desire anonymity that much... Sure it's more work, freedom isn't free.
But to echo previous comments, the admins really should have the biggest say in this matter, please do whatever is easiest for you. Without you we have no site.
(Score: 5, Insightful) by SomeGuy on Saturday July 09 2022, @01:34PM (36 children)
All the drama this has created is exactly what the trolls wanted.
I've mentioned before, but from my experience moderating elsewhere, the only way to deal with this is just to delete garbage posts. In many cases I don't even have to ban users or block IPs addresses, they just see their troll attempt failed and move on.
How do you handle regular spammers? I mean bots that post links to fake online pharmacies, porn sites, or whatever?
I get it, on a site like this you don't want to delete a post just because it is politically incorrect. But when there is a real problem you don't have much other choice. (Delete can also mean "moving" or "hiding" a post so the public can not access it, that can also enable administrators to restore a post later if they change their mind).
This is not AC specific either. There is not that incredibly much stopping a real troll/spammer from making multiple accounts from multiple IPs and continuing their business.
If administrators had just deleted the posts in question, the troll would almost certainly have given up and gone crawling back to their mommies by now.
I know screening posts like that can be a big job, but most regular forum software permits promoting a few well trusted community members to "moderator" status, that lets them just move/delete/edit posts.
The world and the modern internet are toxic. Don't let them continue polluting your river.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday July 09 2022, @02:42PM (30 children)
I have made simple, factual posts as replies to someone's post--facts that can be verified by looking them up on public websites of govt agencies. They get routinely downmodded to Troll if they go against the "progressive" ethos and tend to stay there if they disprove a deeply held matter of progressive faith.
Forgive me if I have zero trust in this website determining which posts are worthy of deletion.
If the admins would limit deletions to crapflooding or repeated tit for tit ad hominem attack threads, I could get behind it, but it never ends with just that. Jaronik does a fair job, but I know that the task of flagging "bad" posts would be delegated to others because he is just one man.
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday July 09 2022, @04:59PM (1 child)
Exactly. all the dumb slaves want to mark anything they don't understand or like as "troll", admins included. Just like janirok classifying "ad hominem attacks" as ban worthy. Criticizing someone is legitimate and necessary Free Speech, you cucked european geezer.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday July 09 2022, @08:09PM
My "Exactly" in post #1259254 is entirely unrelated to the one above by you-know-who.
If this place were really ending like Slaughterhouse Five (1972 [imdb.com] as I predicted, we'd start seeing the Montana Wildhack scenes on Tralfamadore about now, instead of... well, I can dream.
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday July 09 2022, @08:01PM (8 children)
Exactly. If only there were a place like this, but pro-America. Not much point in taking their abuse here, as it is.
They're trowing away potential visitors. I'm nothing special, just another former regular with decades of experience, well over a half-million lines of code, and a few million words.
(Score: 2) by kazzie on Sunday July 10 2022, @07:20AM (1 child)
I am not, nor have I ever been a resident of the United States. I am, though, a geek, who's here for the tech, science, and insight. I don't come here for the politics.
Is support for a particular country a pre-requisite for a site like this to work, now?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday July 10 2022, @09:41PM
The idea is that you maybe don't appreciate the initiatives or agendas of (to pick disparate polarizers...) Bill Gates or Elon Musk. A thread is about one of their things, and you voice an opinion... Zot! You're forever tarred with that brush.
(Score: 5, Informative) by Azuma Hazuki on Sunday July 10 2022, @05:11PM (3 children)
This may come as a huge surprise to you, but being against what the country is doing and how it's failed to live up to its promise and potential is not "hating America."
Look at it this way: if you had a uncle you love dearly who insisting on drinking, smoking, and stuffing himself with unhealthy foods, would you just let him self-destruct because "freedom" or because you ostensibly love and respect him? No. And this here is what's going on with the shrieking "patriots" who accuse everyone else of "hating America." You don't hate your uncle; on the contrary you want him healthy and happy, and you want to solve the problems leading to him abusing himself this way.
The crux of identity politics is this, right here: "patriots" who think their country can do no wrong because of what it is.
I am "that girl" your mother warned you about...
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday July 10 2022, @09:48PM (2 children)
Haven't you moved to Canada yet?
(Score: 2) by Azuma Hazuki on Monday July 11 2022, @05:56AM (1 child)
Would heaven it were so easy! I still need to save more money in case I'm doing this without a solid job offer. It's so frustrating to be able to *see* the bleeding bridge down the street and not be able to just...cross it and stay there.
I am "that girl" your mother warned you about...
(Score: 1, Touché) by Anonymous Coward on Monday July 11 2022, @07:36AM
If things keep getting worse, you'll soon be able to get in as an asylee.
(Score: 2) by janrinok on Tuesday July 12 2022, @02:29PM (1 child)
(Score: -1, Offtopic) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday July 12 2022, @06:42PM
What do you think of Englamd?
(Score: 0, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday July 09 2022, @08:48PM (17 children)
The staff here have always been superb but you make a fair point about mod bombing. I'm not sure how much of that was "he that shall remain unnamed". It was also the point of meta-moderation to prevent mod abuse. TMB made a good case for removing it, enabling the nameless one to gamify the moderation system and remove him.
A clear example of the type of comments we're talking about -- anything that differed from accepted COVID orthodoxy. The problem is that in many cases those comments were made in good faith, linked to research and presented ideas that were later canonised. COVID could have escaped from a lab, is spread via aerosol, cloth masks are not effective, vaccines don't prevent infection or transmission and Omicron is less pathogenic.
Merit took a back seat to the culture war but it's now mainstream and almost everyone understands there's some real crazy disguising itself as progressive. There's a lesson about blind faith that shouldn't have needed to be relearned
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday July 09 2022, @11:46PM (14 children)
Oh my, you really twist up your narrative there. From your list the only push back was on cloth masks. They are very effective, at keeping the wearer's breath contained in a smaller radius. They were never described as 100% protection. Sad how conservatives morph reality or blatantly lie to make their "enemies" look bad. Let me guess, you don't think Trump planned the insurrection?
(Score: 1, Touché) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday July 09 2022, @11:55PM (12 children)
The problem is, you are lying, and the "push back" was on EVERYTHING that deviated from the Dems official-view-of-the-day.
(Score: -1, Flamebait) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday July 10 2022, @07:24AM (11 children)
Aww poor moron, maybe you should find some conservative scientists that can help you bridge the gap.
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday July 10 2022, @11:06AM (10 children)
The facts observed around us right now, plainly demonstrate that the moron here is you. Do continue to lap up the words of your masters, don't forget to get your thirtieth booster shot. Darwin Awards need people like you.
(Score: 2) by Azuma Hazuki on Sunday July 10 2022, @05:13PM (9 children)
Yeah, yeah, I get it, you only have one helix so you're not worried about getting infected. It's professional courtesy and all that.
As someone working in healthcare, who spent time on the front lines at a hospital during the worst of this pandemic: fuck you sideways. I wish you a slow death, preferably of Covid, and a quick trip to Hell.
I am "that girl" your mother warned you about...
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday July 10 2022, @10:40PM (8 children)
I'm assuming you moderated me troll [soylentnews.org] which confirms the point.
None of the issues I reiterated about COVID are considered contentious and they should not have been at the time. We would expect public health authorities to concentrate on educating people about risk factors like obesity and anxiety instead of lying. [reason.com]
So many lies .. [dailysignal.com]. Considering you work in healthcare and wish people dead, I'm not expecting intellectual consistency from you either!
(Score: 1) by khallow on Monday July 11 2022, @04:39AM (5 children)
Now, you see you are incorrect.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday July 11 2022, @01:11PM (2 children)
Troll and Flamebait mods were intended to discourage anti-social behaviours. AC posting was intended to encourage pro-social behaviours such as whistleblowing and speaking truth to power.
To identify which is which you need to make a judgement on good and bad faith. I can make this easy for you, the parties lying in order to exert coercive control over others are acting in bad faith. [evidencenotfear.com]
So I repeat that none of the specific claims in my list should have been considered contentious, they were already consensus to the reliably informed and there was little genuine attempt at contention. There was dismissal, censorship and assertion of untruths.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday July 12 2022, @01:16AM (1 child)
Which you, in your bigoted egotism, utterly fail to do.
If you want to speak to power (truth or lies, no matter which), your choice of S/N as a platform is dumb - nobody in power reads S/N.
At the best, your choice may be rationally explained as an attempt to proselytism.
A simpler explanation would be you being stupid to waste your time trying to voice conspiracy theories on a site with a few hundred of active users
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday July 12 2022, @09:10PM
There's a reason you think AC is bigoted, egotistical and anti-social.
Then why are you so fucking salty? The phrase originated in a pamphlet, like samizdat are used by dissidents to spread ideas and avoid persecution. You seed the idea before you present it.
This conspiracy theory? [dailymail.co.uk] And there's no amplification because nobody on this site ever talks to anyone else, ever?
(Score: 1, Touché) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday July 12 2022, @03:00PM (1 child)
Speaking of being incorrect, when do you think Ukraine is going to declare victory? And does inflation still not matter?
Some people are so certain they're the smart one in the room no matter how often or how greatly wrong they are.
(Score: 1) by khallow on Wednesday July 13 2022, @03:10AM
Funny how some people hoard all the dumb ideas. We'll see how long Putin stays in power. That'll be the trigger for Ukrainian victory IMHO.
(Score: 1, Flamebait) by Azuma Hazuki on Monday July 11 2022, @06:00AM (1 child)
Cry harder, clownshoe.
I am "that girl" your mother warned you about...
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Monday July 11 2022, @06:12PM
The aroma of your negative intelligence is as ripe as always.
(Score: 2) by tangomargarine on Monday July 11 2022, @07:27PM
I mean...I'm not sure I'd say he *planned* it either, and I'm definitely not a conservative.
Historians are fairly convinced that the Nazis didn't set the Reichstag Fire [wikipedia.org] either; Hitler just got extremely lucky with the timing and ran with the excuse to further his political agenda because the arsonist happened to be a communist.
Although since the insurrection didn't work, that sounds about on par with most things Trump planned. *rimshot*
"Is that really true?" "I just spent the last hour telling you to think for yourself! Didn't you hear anything I said?"
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday July 11 2022, @07:21PM
one of these things is not like the others...
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday July 12 2022, @06:31AM
If you are honestly interested, aristarchus never engaged in "mod-bombing", other than unloading on Runaway when he deserved it. Never used sockpuppets to do so, unlike > people. The Moderation complaints were mostly butthurt conservatives, who could not believe how unpopular they are. They blames many innocents, even Azuma Hazuki and aristarchus, but that was never the case. Of course, janrinok, looking for any excuse to shut up aristarchus, entertained accusations of mod-bombing, as well as the ridiculous details of doxxing. [Hint, the person you are accusing is well aware of the falsehood of the accusations, but since there is no public evidence, I guess you can allege whatever you wish!]
Funny, I used to always get a down mod, whenever I "corrected" khallow. Do not know who threw it, but you can make more or less justified speculations about such things.
(Score: 2, Insightful) by cmdrklarg on Wednesday July 13 2022, @05:53PM
Then provide your sources. I got better things to do than research whether an AC is speaking truth or blowing smoke. If your facts are real and verifiable then they will speak for themselves.
The fact that you are disparaging progressives above tells me that you have an axe to grind, and that I should not trust your words at face value. Prove your assertions, because otherwise I will assume that you are blowing smoke. Good day, sir/madam.
The world is full of kings and queens who blind your eyes and steal your dreams.
(Score: 4, Interesting) by tangomargarine on Saturday July 09 2022, @03:42PM (4 children)
I'm not so sure about this...if Ari is really making a philosophical stand instead of just being a dick for its own sake, I would think his terrorism campaign is aimed at forcing us to delete his posts--thus proving his point about our extreme stance on free speech being unworkable. So if we delete his posts, he thus "wins."
From a pragmatic standpoint, of course, when he's doxxing people it's not like we have a lot of choice.
"Is that really true?" "I just spent the last hour telling you to think for yourself! Didn't you hear anything I said?"
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday July 09 2022, @09:21PM
You understood the double bind but not WOPR ;)
To deal with antisocial people, you control the frame and don't let them push your buttons. Ari has proven nothing other than the worst racial invective on the site probably came from him and he then attempted to weaponize this as part of a controlling psychological game. That pathetic little game ended when it became criminal.
Don't gift the cerebral narcissist undue attention or respect, it's a moron and most the regular users have seen through it.
(Score: -1, Flamebait) by Anonymous Coward on Monday July 11 2022, @08:55AM (2 children)
Just imagine that, aristarchus, a self-described philosopher, making a philosophical stance? What are the odds? He could just be being a dick, but philosophers, while annoying, are not usually dicks just for the lulz. So maybe we should think about this for a bit. Probably exactly what aristarchus wants us to do, but that does not mean it is a bad thing.
janrinok was bamboozled by Runsaway, why should he not be conned into a philosophical discussion on free speech on the internets, and the founding principles of SoylentNews?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday July 12 2022, @06:35AM (1 child)
I seriously do not understand the moderations in this thread. Is there some vendetta I should be aware of?
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday July 12 2022, @06:49PM
Well, that psycho ari-christ guy is the scapegoat, but apparently the AC problem is a symptom of his disease, and ACism has now metastasized beyond all hope of redemption. And if you reference the current newsy headlines from CNN or say anything against conservatism, you get up-modded