Yes, I was not a fan of bid bots and not a fan of renting delegations ether.
One of the most common arguments against bid bots was the Trending page. This is just plain silly, the thing to do would have been to change the metric being used too actual post views and engagement, so the response was to break the views counter.
They could have also taken care of the problem by changing the code, breaking the links to offending accounts as they have demonstrated on a number of accounts. Alarmingly accounts are attacked for differences of opinion or challenging the official narrative or challenging existing abuse in the platform.
To do that we would need to dispense with any ambiguity and develop a well defined code of conduct. This is unattractive to some because it would end the game of abusing someone with flags until a negative response is achieved and then blame the negative response for the abuse.
We do not need the ability to flag.
We only need the ability to flag as much as we need the ability to upvote. Both are speech.
I do not disagree that strong rules are necessary to strong societies. I would prefer that such rules originate in communities, rather than be imposed globally by overlords.
Thanks!
Agreed totally.
But the overlords did force their own opinion without consent or consultation.
I am sure you have seen the pre existing disclaimer in the 'About Steemit' document.
I get the impression that this just another case of the overlords employing the strategy of 'tell a lie big enough and loud enough....'
Both are actions not speech, one action will be of benefit and the other by design will inflict harm to a greater or lesser extent. If you disagree with people it is more appropriate to use actual speech just as we are doing.
Flags are free because it benefits the existing overlords by transferring the bulk of any benefit to them. Its part of their EIP its not designed to improve our economic circumstances it improves theirs.
We do not need flags to manage behavior on this platform and if you have an argument that demonstrates otherwise I want to hear it please. Humble pie does not taste so bad when I conciser my potential growth : )
Overlords do force their opinions. That's what they do. I'm agin' 'em.
In the sense I mean speech, dance is speech. Computer code is speech. Dance is also action, and code is also a thing, but both are also expression of human communications, and this is what I mean by speech in this context.
I strongly opposed EIP prior to it's implementation, and was certain that massive flagging by notorious flaggots was going to eventuate. I actually suspected that the free flags were a concession to one particular flaggot with massive ninjamined stake that has previously flagged me hard.
But that didn't happen, and I was blindsided by the end of the bidbots that resulted directly from the free flag system. I consider that an absolute necessity and that was absolutely only made possible by the free flags.
Since the bots directly profited the delegators of their stake - whales - that result directly contradicts your theory that EIP benefits whales more than plebs like us.
Plagiarism, spam, and more such detriments to society on Steem are also only controllable by flags. I am unaware of any other mechanism besides direct censorship itself of managing those behaviours.
Can you suggest alternatives?
Its all code we don't need free flags to remove undesirable conduct, we just need consensus
I know that sound dogmatic but I remain open to being shot down in flames : )
If it's all code, we don't matter. Steem is a social media platform, meaning that society is the relevant arbiter of information on Steem, not bots or code. We need to determine what is allowable or not on Steem, and flags is how that has been possible.
Either make a specific proposal that enables us each and all to determine for ourselves what we approve or reject, or I see little point to continuing the discussion.