[useragent86]

In threads like this, I'm always struck by the absence of discussion from a security-minded, denial-of-service attack perspective.

It seems like, if someone didn't want one of these platforms to succeed, all that would be necessary would be to hire a few people to spam certain taboo words and ideas from various sockpuppet accounts, and then the rest of the world points at it and says, "It seems like everyone on this platform really does just want to scream the N-word in everyone's face all day, deep down. Good luck with your hate speech site."

And, just like that, the new platform is forever known as a haven of hate, never to be used by "respectable" people. Now, back to Reddit and Facebook and Twitter with you, where we can build a profile of everything you've said, cross-reference it with any other accounts you may have, and hide content we don't want you to see. After all, you're not an -ist, are you?

[spencerflem]

it's legitimately a weakness of the model that it can be targeted like this. being in a place where every other post is a racist screed just isn't fun and I will choose to go somewhere else, regardless of if it's real people or paid trolls

(fwiw, I doubt that the paid trolls are lurking in obscure forums. They're posting on Facebook and Twitter themselves)

[criddell]

It doesn't even have to be something universally understood to be offensive. I wonder what happens when pro-Taiwan posts start appearing? How will China react?