Damn Voat, it's not easy being a Goat herder.
After reading and reflecting on the feedback everyone provided concerning the bans (and it was a lot of information to process), I realize I've acted against Voat's principals. Voat is the last Wild Wild West website online. It always has been. If it wasn't for Free Speech and you guys telling me I'm a faggot, I wouldn't have seen this. This is the power of Free Speech in that only with it, can difficult problems be fixed.
Concerning Vote Manipulation Bans:
I'm reversing all recent vote manipulation bans. Voat has changed and thus our process needs changed. I will not be processing further vote manipulation bans until we talk about the process as a community.
Concerning The Downvote Disclosure:
I'm a piece of shit for doing this. I should have never even looked at the votes on that post, but my curiosity got the best of me. Posting about it was equally shitty. I can not provide any justification for my actions other than to admit they were wrong and amateurish and to promise if they ever happen again, I'll permaban myself as punishment. And OP will deliver.
Concerning Builders:
Many think that my endorsement of very specific acts, imply a full endorsement of the user as a whole. This isn't true. My intent was to highlight specific acts that stood out as courageous or constructive, not the user themselves. It didn't help that all three of these users are controversial in their own ways.
On Poetry:
I'll probably still continue posting poetry on Voat. The shit posts are just too funny.
As I look at this mess I've created, I realize that I should just stick to writing software and leave what is working alone. Sometimes lessons in life have to be learned a few times before they sink in and I believe this is one of them.
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Cooking_with_Alf ago
Why is it we even have a score system? It's just something to be gamed or exploited and ultimately ends in censorship.
virge ago
The scoring serves two reasonable functions:
Unfortunately, it also allows users to abuse others in various ways, and for various reasons. There are some good solutions recommended involving transparency in voting, which still solves #1 and #2 above, but also allows the community to "self-police" the subversive material.
Your feedback on this analysis and suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Cooking_with_Alf ago
My question was more rhetorical because reddit did the scoring system for this reason, and it was exploited to censor people certain (((folks))) didn't like. Spam can simply be deleted, bots purged, IP addressed blocked. I realize the amount of work required to do this never ending task, though voat has to do this security regardless of voting policy.
We have the option to subscribe to specific forums that are run by independent moderators. If you don't like it, make your own sub. Bad ideas get ignored because nobody is around to hear it. I couldn't care less if I get my news from /v/politics or /v/bigblackunicornphallus. I will subscribe and participate in groups and associate with users that I choose to. I don't need some strange algorithm to find what some coder believes I want, or believes I should see. If that makes sense?