Observational thesis:
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There is alarmed response from many users as to the number of false positives in this round of abuse banning. Questions include the communication of the event, to the inability for banned users to appeal because they were unable to PM and new account creation had been disabled.
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The voting system, which is currently relied on for various sub-purposes (spam control, content prioritization) is also being weaponized in various ways that are destructive to the community, which directly threatens Voat’s intended purpose of Free Speech by “running people out of town”. From new accounts being -CCP into 24-hour lock-outs to organized groups promoting or silencing content and users for their own ends.
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It’s demonstrable through a full two days of conversations that everyone has a different opinion of what Voat stands for. If I understand @PuttItOut, and he’s going to need to correct me if this isn’t right, then Voat stands for Free Speech, within the limits of U.S. law seeing as how Voat is a U.S. based Company and must abide by U.S. Law. Fundamentally this suggests Voat stands for something which is the opposite of the other tech companies that have opted to instead censor based on Global laws. I strongly feel this often goes underappreciated from the community.
So what can be done?
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The reality is that unfettered abuse of the voting system today is destructive to the community and is a problem that needs to be addressed. There have been many discussions today on this subject alone in the sticky’s and other threads. This overall idea now rolls into #2 below..
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The voting system can be improved. There have been so many suggestions today, but one I didn’t hear suggested seems so simple as a way to both address the overall concern from as many angles as possible as well as to maintain the functionality of spam prevention and content prioritization in a natural way - just make the voting completely transparent; it serves multiple good purposes but because it’s private there will always be disagreements on it. Select X date in the future and re-design the voting so that you can see everyone else’s votes from then on. With transparency we can have open community discussions on what voting habits we can observe and what constructive improvements can be had to further grow the community based on what everyone can see with their own eyes. At the very least, this puts everyone from all sides of the arguments on the same level playing field to find effective compromise.
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Putt’s house, Putt’s rules. Putt can address how to make what is and is not a bannable offense more defined – and you have the decision to make on if you agree with him or not. This is no more complicated than going to Putt’s house and pissing all over his toilet seat and then having to make the decision on if you respect a man’s house and clean that shit up or if you don’t give a fuck for whatever reason and leave it a mess. That man gets to decide if you ever get invited back to his house when he cleans up your piss, or if he gives you a warning to stop it. Let’s work with Putt to come to a consensus.
Everyone has the responsibility to wisely pick who you associate with – and I’m going to stay where I know I can say what I want and not be removed for doing it. Free Speech matters to me, and everywhere else is willing to sell out – and that includes selling you out. As long as Voat demonstrates to me that it has values (Free Speech within U.S. Law) that I can abide by, then I don't want to see those values go away and I want this community to grow. If you don't want this community to grow, I cannot see how we can be allies.
P.S. My #4 would have been the complete and total elimination of anonymous posting. It serves no positive purpose in any sense other than as a method for a group to communicate while feeling more secured about their usernames, as Putt has explained that even he can't "un-mask" the anon posting.
In my opinion you could just remove traditional anon posting and replace it with "private" subs where people can be selectively invited and only these subs are allowed to use anon function - now you've solved most of the skin-deep anon problems, while at the same time anon remains for the only purpose I can possibly imagine it serves everyone without complaint - higher security "group specific" posting that even Voat cannot be forced to give to an entity that may demand data from Voat, simply because it's technically impossible for them to do so because of how the masking is designed.. hint hint.
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theoldones ago
I HAVE A POINT TO MENTION HERE
voat operating on only the US law basis for child porn may be inadequate. clearly certain bad actors slipped through recently, and have been slipping through
can i make the suggestion of plundering poal.co's policy which bans all sexualized depictions of children, even the loli shit?
virge ago
This is a really good discussion to have. This is why I recommend the community works with Putt to figure out what the line is and both advertise and stick to it.
If Putt disagrees with you, then you're going to have to accept that. His house, don't piss on his seat and all that.
Dortex ago
u/theoldones begged for child porn,repeatedly, and again for good measure, then had a mental breakdown for over a day when he got called out for it? Also u/TruthDefender is his alt.
theoldones ago
@Cynabuns dortex spam here
Crensch ago
u/theoldones called you out for defending pedophiles. Get over it, you sick fuck. Soon enough subhumans like you will be shot in broad daylight to the delight of the humans watching.
Dortex ago
And I called him out for begging for child porn. Circle of life.
Crensch ago
Except he didn't. You're just full of shit and you spam like sanegoat. You should probably just slit your wrist and go out easy - I said shoot, I didn't say kill. They won't let you die swiftly.
Dortex ago
.
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https://www.justice.gov/jm/criminal-resource-manual-1084-elements-solicitation
Crensch ago
Nice way to twist his intent to your own benefit. You were tip-toeing around what is legal and what isn't, so he called you on it.
Nobody believes you, and they believe you even less the more you spam. You nutcases never really get that, it seems.
Dortex ago
There's no twist. It's a plain reading. What do you think I think his intent is?
Crensch ago
To prove you knew it was illegal, obviously.
Dortex ago
Incorrect. In his own words, it was a challenge for the target user to "put his money where his mouth is". Sounds pretty straightforward to me.
Crensch ago
Nobody in any court would take it that way, except Jews and pedophiles, but I repeat myself.
Dortex ago
Why wouldn't the people in court take him at his word when he begs for.child porn, then fervently clarifies that he is, in fact, challenging people to post child pornography to prove what he perceives to be their case?
Crensch ago
Context matters, pedo.
Dortex ago
No amount of context helps after he literally confesses to the felony as is laid out in the Penal Code.
Crensch ago
Anyone reading those words outside of your cherry-picking would take you out back so you could fall down a few dozen times.
Dortex ago
Funny you mention that, not only did he confess to his exact motives in his responses, But he also links to an "independent" third party who also agrees that he's specifically challenging others to post child pornography and defends it on that basis. Bruh, this is getting sad. I can hear you scraping the bottom of that barrel. I'm going to bed.
Crensch ago
That exact link. Do you think I'm stupid or something?
Can't wait till streetlights are decorated with pedophile-sized ornaments.
Dortex ago
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You're not giving me a choice here.
theoldones ago
@TruthDefender now he's defaming your good name in addition to mine
heygeorge ago
Maybe a ban from v/greatawakening would set him straight!
Crensch ago
https://voat.co/v/whatever/3247417
.
theoldones ago
he's been trying the trick all day but i laced the links he quotes with edits that link back to a rebbutal that show him to be a lying snake
whenever he spreads this spam now it directly calls him out and shows he's lying XD
Dortex ago
Shrayzie gave away your game ages ago. Dortex doesn't think anything you say matters, so he sees no reason to edit the post.