[davidwebb2020]

The CIA assists in many/most productions, which it simply wouldn't do if the overall depiction of the CIA was anything but positive.

I've just always found it interesting that an organization with such a terrible real-world reputation is routinely depicted in positive, whitewashed terms in American productions. And if that was happening in an 'enemy' state we'd have no problem seeing it for what it is.

And now I find that simply expressing this opinion on HN, even under a 10,000+ word criticism of the CIA, results in:

a) account [pmachinery] being banned from posting, and (even more sinister):

b) being presented with Google tracking/captcha on login

This has all been very illuminating at least.

[AndrewBissell]

FWIW, I post tons of unrelenting criticism of the CIA and the Western establishment and haven't encountered anything like this. The worst I've seen from mods was back in 2019 when they would constantly flag links about ties between Jeffrey Epstein and leading tech industry figures.

The "posting too fast" limit is just a brake which as far as I have seen is applied fairly and helps keep HN discussions on the rails (my own posting emphatically included). I think it's possible mods reacted harshly to your criticizing it.

That said, I think pretty much every forum or venue is subject to some of this kind of manipulation. I certainly get an immediate torrent of downvotes whenever one of my comments is particularly pointed or "conspiratorial."