Open Source for All, or None at All! Censorship and the Blockchain Featuring Steemit User @leopotato
One of the profound joys of using networks like Steemit and other blockchain powered applications is structural decentralization, which theoretically aligns itself with a non-censored platform. Unlike corporate mandates, the blockchain truly facilitates open source commerce and communication.
The problem that we encounter, particularly on Steemit, is that certain powerful individuals have the capability of shutting down content that they deem undesirable for whatever reason. Such dynamics imply that while the infrastructure may be decentralized, the spirit of the network is not.
Case in point is a discussion that @leopotato forwarded to me. He wrote an article describing a horrific case of injustice by a Canadian court. But allegedly due to the politically incorrect nature of @leopotato's article, his post was shut down from the Steemit feed.
For full disclosure, I cannot verify that censorship was what actually happened to @leopotato. However, as I describe in my video below, it's not surprising if indeed the post was censored.
Mainstream institutions, and many powerful organizations on the alternative, have a vested interest in promoting certain stories, but not others. If it's true that outright censorship is occurring on Steemit and in other blockchain applications, I would be disheartened.
Steemit and the blockchain is designed for open source discussions of all topics. So long as the materials are presented in a non-threatening or illegal manner, anything and everything is free game. Just because speech may be offensive or disagreeable to us personally does not give us the right to censor it.
Censorship is an extremely slippery slope, one that I hope Steemit does not traverse.
If that is the case Steemit has no future as a platform and will be quickly surpassed by other social blockchain applications
Nowadays, people are afraid to think and speak openly; everybody got so sensitive to the truth.
Totally agree with you. I find that people self sensor or produce content that they think will produce votes for them. I would be one of the few that came as a result of looking for an alternative to facebook and youtube attempts to censor.
In hind sight, I should have chosen a subject that was popular. However couldn't bring my self to comprise my thoughts, or try and produce superficial holiday pics.
You may or may not agree with my topics, im not sure, however judging by this post we can agree on the need for free speech.
My thought that if this platform becomes a closed echo chamber it will soon dive and become the block chain equivalent to myspace.
Ill vote and follow
LB
@artbyjulia is right! People are more overly sensitive now than ever before. Even if it's not comfortable, I think we need to speak up.
nowadays even being honest is construed as being rude and antisocial behavior. hypersensitivity as a product of the political correctness campaign and the feeling of entitlement instilled into younger generations.
Couldn't have said it better myself!
" О сколько нам открытий чудных готовит ЭТОТ дивный мир..")
I completely agree I really like you article and I really like your post the definition of free Society is freedom of speech I have experienced the same thing with the steemit as you described in your post a couple my post was taken down or just disappear somewhere in the black chain so many people cannot see it I think when we are starting ask serious question or challenge some kind of authority the people become scared STEEMIT as a platform all about to make money so they picking and choosing what exactly will make them financially successful fall of the money baby
Thanks @bullishmoney for this well thought out video and comments. We will never know what happened to my post "Shattered Dreams". I can watch a picture of purple cabbages I posted drift slowly down the feed and if I scrolled down far enough it was still there. But at around 43 minutes my post @leopotato had completely disappeared. It was no where to be seen on any of the five tag categories either. Since i used the word "refugee" did some bot freak out and delete me? It was still on my blog but when someone tried to upvote it from there he couldn't. He then resteemed it and back it came to the main feed and he could upvote it then. Having this happen to me in Steemit did make me feel like I had done something wrong and offended the community. Could this just be a glitch? It doesn't really matter to me at this point. It has made me step back and question. I to this day, have no clue how Steem, Steem Power, etc. works. Unfortunately this event has made me question whether I want to make the effort to understand it. Resteemed and upvoted and following you! Cheers!