[travelhead]

This is an important topic since HN appears to be a news site that uses social up/down voting, but really is a highly moderated platform, where moderators have full power to censor and shadow ban for any reason without any transparency.

I was shadow banned for my submission about Amazon’s power over my small Amazon business, an important topic in which I received national media attention from NBC, former editors of Vice News, etc.

However, an HN moderator did not like the article, so he shadow banned me.

I understand there are cases for shadow banning, such as trolls, spam accounts etc, but my submission was a highly significant news worthy article that received national media attention, that did not deserve this treatment due to one HN moderators opinion.

HN lacks moderator transparency. Readers believe they are being shown a curated list of relevant news from their peers, but really are just seeing the topics and views that closely align with HN moderators opinions.

[throwawayalso]

my posts were also recently banned (0% of the time showing up when submitted now - and am playing by rules now + something quite unique & useful in a niche space)

know that’s not necessarily a HN site guideline req., but when you censor premature, you sometimes kill sincere & nascent attempts at innovation (especially when really not too big on SM)

in essence: “too bad” is the sentiment. (won’t participate now?)

sometimes feels like when you want to have a discussion, even here, haters jump on and attack while missing Big Picture of what could be

There is probs no more local / friendly zone of “super - smarties” than the folks on HN

and it’s too bad when peeps attack or “no second-chances” censored for, in the scheme of things, minor infractions, instead allowing / offering chance for growth + the innovative-kind of-discourse that seems sometimes here is owed here / could be (at least moreso than arguing or just casual convo)

also, not saying Dang & crew have an easy job keeping Quality up & don’t know what they go through daily obvi (HN really is one of the greatest imo) but it sucks when you’re learning & creating & not perfect on site guidelines

Everyone’s loss when you’re banned on a platform that could help build a better future