They did say it was an extreme case...
Also I don't think it's as bad as the way censorship happens on Steem - I end up self-censoring - for example I can't make negative comments about certain anonymous Whales on Steem for fear of being flagged to oblivion.
I know this example is different to the case you're talking about, but maybe it's necessary to have a small executive group wielding large amounts of SP (PP?) enforcing standards in order to prevent overt Whale abuse and then the majority self-censoring.
I'd rather a group of diverse voluntarists wielding this kind of power rather than anonymous lone millionaires.
I take your point about what the rules are not being overt, but its early days and this doesn't necessarily mean things are going to get worse.
There are extensive guidelines about what constitutes abuse on the PAL discord server. Maybe that's something the PAL crew could improve on - they're Discord-centric and the rules they live by aren't communicated effectively outside!
More like intimidation than censorship. But that's kinda how everyone is taught to follow laws, fear. Steem is messed up though. Because the whales abuse their stake to flag people that piss them off, no one speaks out against them, except those that aren't afraid...yet.
When I'm working on a site, long before it's ready to launch, I work on the rules, the TOS, the privacy policy, etc. Those are integral to a site. It worries me that they didn't do that. But...tbh the site looks kinda half done. It's a quick rebrand of Steemit's Condenser.
But, after their second post, I'm a little less worried about PAL. Though I'm sure their rules will evolve over time. Tomorrow's extreme case may be just another step.
What concerns me more now is people's reactions to my concerns. Maybe I'm just worrying over nothing. It might be years before PAL censorship gets bad, if ever. But the fact that so many were saying things like "if you don't like it, leave" worries me.
If they're saying things like that they don't understand the 'spirit of PAL' - which is more 'if you don't like it, come and discuss it and we'll explain it and find a way to adapt and move forwards together'.
Things can always get worse, and usually they do. I'll keep a weather eye on PAL. This is like spotting a tornado in the distance to me.
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I'm quite relaxed about it - the rules have been pinned in the PAL discord server for two years.
Leaving individuals to coordinate 'policing' just seems to leave wealthier abusers free to do what they like.
I'll give this system a go!
We can always move on and create our own if it doesn't work out - or a better first step might be to take it up with the PAL lot in Disord first of course!
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I really look forward to thousands of communities forming on Steem, as PAL has pioneered. People aren't clones, and PAL prolly should target a specific audience, and folks that think threatening comments are appropriate prolly aren't that audience. There is such an audience, though, and once they have communities that suit them, PAL will prolly have to deal with their disruptions a lot less.
Unfortunately I think such people like to prey on others, so this is the kind of community that suits them! It just requires constant vigilance on the part of the rest of us.
It just requires vigilance and active management - I think muting is effective - it's not permanent and it's their choice whether they want to act appropriately.
Well, there's going to be uncensored communities, insofar as it's possible, sooner or later. PAL can run it's community as it likes, and I'm completely in favor of that. I'm not prone to violent threats, but am awfully capable of making folks wish I could be muted. I'll have to keep an eye out to ensure the radical ideas and criticism I invite and emit don't cause me to have to censor myself.
I won't last long if I do.