Thanks everyone for all the comments I have read them all - 70 so far - and it is curious to see how equally divided they are. Some are certain that our posts on the steem blockchain can be censored, for example by flagging and dragging your reputation down. and some are certain that once something is posted to the blockchain, it becomes written in digital stone (if you can imagine that).
Thanks for inviting people here @cryptopiotr, I appreciate your networking skills and service.
I realize that there may be bullying that can force a person to remove a post - especially if the editing option is now permanent and not like it used to be - only available for a week. And I realize that governments or the PTB can force the owners like Ned to do something about the blockchain if they want.
But inherently I would like to believe that once an article is posted to the blockchain, it becomes like a transaction in a long link of chains, as one comment said, that can't be removed, unless an EMP wipes out the servers. By being decentralized among many servers or nodes - (and steem may not be the best example, though there may be better ones) - you will find it very difficult to take out all the nodes or servers scattered across the world. It may not be perfect yet, but the concept of blockchain technology is to my amateur eyes a permanent ledger that is decentralized. So in the abstract terms, in theory, the blockchain is uncensorable. At present though in practice it may still need improving.
Nevertheless, the potential to speak freely, is provided by a proper blockchain with decentralized nodes. Manipulation by flagging only removes my potential to post until I pop up in another form. Reputation and profit may motivate some but if one is an activist who is fighting for the cuase of freeing humanity, like Martin Luther King Jr or Gandhi or Mandela, money is not your motive. Nor is your personal fame. The message is the most important point. And the platform is the blockchain. They can silence me but my post will be there for someone to read one day on the blockchain in cyberspace - that is my legacy.
Of course standards are needed to prevent harm, but other than that anarchy - where there is no ruler - empowers each person to be accountable to their own conscience and their peers. We don't want hate speech in the name of freedom, or incitement to violence. But we do need to stop the violence already imposed on the masses by the rulers, who are not real rulers but merely the bigger of the Mafia around. It is a moral issue as well as a political one as to whether we need full freedom of expression.
It is a technological question as to whether blockchain and particularly Steem platform is uncensorable.
In the past great libraries of wisdom were burned to hide information. Today the blockchain is a library that I hope is more resilient, so that people in the future can learn from our struggles. And our insights.
Dear @julianhorack
I'm really glad that you didn't mind that I shared your work with that large group of people. I seriously found this topic very interesting and indeed people seem to be split with their opinions.
Love the fact that you decided to read all comments. I've schedulled doing it upcoming wed :) There is just to much to read hahaha :)
Again thanks for sharing your very valuable toughts. Appreciate your time, effort and friendship.
Of course you're right. But we're living in society that is becoming "stuipider" (does this world even exist?) year by year. If front ends are being controled, then how many people will be able to "read" informations stored on blockchain ? Only very experienced tech guys would. That's my point.
It's not so much about money. To build follower base you need tons of work. And if you will be downvoted into oblivion then what is the chance that you will start all over again?
Ok, lets put it this way: database cannot be censored. But what is going to be shown to you will. That's sad reality.
Yours
Piotr
Very well said Piotr the front ends can be controlled. I was possibly being more abstract and technical in saying your words can't be censored, say if someone looked for them. Reach or reputation is of course very valid. If people don't have access to your information it may be lost in translation or on the blockchain, waiting for some digital archaeologist to come along one day and unearth (haha) your document.
And I felt it my duty to read all the posts on my post, and answer as many as I can.
Thank you again I'm so glad we could spark some debate and engagement.
Best wishes
Julian