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RE: Steem Global Blacklist API released for testing

in #blacklist6 years ago

On one hand, I completely support the idea of a blacklist API designed to help clean up the Steem ecosystem, but the sceptic in me who challenges the status quo and questions things not as they are seen, but from alternative perspectives is concerned.

Steem is touted as this democratic free speech platform and as we've seen with Facebook deciding what content is deemed to conform to their guidelines is this not the exact same thing? You as a witness, on one hand, maintain the Steem blockchain and help process transactions, and while I realise witnesses such as yourself are more hands-on with Steem, who is policing the police here?

A theoretical for you: if for whatever reason you find yourself on one or more of these blacklists (you as in @themarkymark) because you own the tool, you could theoretically make yourself immune to being listed, right?

I am not saying that you would, I am saying that you could or am I misunderstanding how this all works? Am I correct in understanding that your API service is processing other lists and then providing a convenient wrapper service to offer a streamlined singular endpoint for blacklisted users?

What protections are in place to ensure that users are not incorrectly being added to these blacklists? Who are we to say what is content that should be penalised and what isn't? I realise spam, abuse, illegal content and plagiarism are big no-nos, but what about other forms of questionable content?

I've seen large users like berniesanders engage in flag wars with other users, all because he disagrees with them or has an agenda (sometimes it's justified).

I have also seen him recently make accusations against other users for stealing his ideas, as in he believes what he posts is unique and nobody else can post similar content (which is insane, because ideas cannot be owned and are not unique).

One man's blacklistable offence is another man's content. I think Bernie is a good example (this is not an attack on him, he is just a good example) because he has a witness account, he has a powerful personal account and numerous proxy voting accounts.

I get that the intention (at least in your eyes) is for bot owners to prevent blacklisted people using paid-for bidbots. But given this is an open platform, theoretically, there is nothing stopping non-bidbot users from using this for other purposes either.

I also realise nothing can be deleted by your API, content will always be on Steem. However, when something is flagged beyond visibility it's as good as deleted (I rarely show hidden posts when I see them).

I also have seen third-party bots that automatically flag blacklisted users, which presumably your API will be used for. So even if a user gets blacklisted and tries to redeem themselves until they're off, they'll potentially continue to be flagged. This affects your ability to grow and earn on Steem, it's censorship.

I think talking about what protections there will be against brigading and false blacklisting is definitely the next step you should take. This seems like a tool with noble intentions but goes against the ethos on the Steem brochure: a censorship resistance content platform.

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Just because a person is free to post whatever they wish. Doesn't mean that we have to agree with or read what is posted if the content is crap.

We gotta keep this place a little respectable.

Steem is touted as this democratic free speech platform and as we've seen with Facebook deciding what content is deemed to conform to their guidelines is this not the exact same thing?

These blacklists do not prevent anyone from posting anything they like. That's why it's not the same thing, and it's certainly not the exact same thing. It's not even the same ballpark. It's a lot closer to me making a post on my own website saying "The following facebook pages are crap and you shouldn't use them".

Nobody owns their reputation.

He as not the guts to answer you directly. Tells a lot about this guy.

u dont have to use it.

do u want us to forbid to have a blacklist?

I have proven time and time again I have sacrificed profits over spam/plagiarism. In fact, there is more spam and abuse on DTube than there is with @buildawhale. Not to mention voting abuse, want to talk about that?

I run @buildawhale transparent and fair and I am extremely active preventing spam, more so than any bot owner and most any steem user on par with SteemCleaners themselves. Name any bot owner who has done 1/100th of the work in Anti-Spam than I have and I'll buy you a cookie. Every spammer I block directly affects my ability to "profit from the blockchain".

Yes, your point?

Buildawhale hasn't been a bot in 6+ months or so. It is now used to curate.

We all profit from the blockchain.

As a witness it's marks job to try to make this place better.