Website idea to combat censorship on major platforms

4 points by creatorbytes 5 years ago | 7 comments

After seeing many platforms attempt to silence content creators either explicitly, or silently, I grew frustrated that in order to see certain view points on specific subjects, it was enormously difficult to find these creators. Typically its either via word-of-mouth, or some niche forum that mentions where to look. (note this was long before the current pandemic)

I wanted to find a site where I could find these lesser known content creators. These platforms paint with a broad brush, and categorize many 'dissidents' with the same rhetoric.

My idea is CreatorBytes.com

I'm still fleshing out the details, but essentially the site will allow content creators to create a page where users can find all of their content linked from a single site. Further, they can notify their users who choose to follow their page, in case the content creator's typical communication channel is compromised.

Users can find creator's library of content, without the chance of the creator being silenced on their other distribution channels.

Eventually, with enough creator pages, users can also use the site to discover similar creators.

The website aims to serve a few functions:

One, as a backup in case the content creator's main communication channel goes down. Two, as a centralized place for users to find content across a variety of platforms. Three, a place for content creators to share their content with a wider audience, and for users to find new content they otherwise couldn't see.

Further, Creator Bytes is oriented towards privacy, transparency, and value, without compromise.

If you're interested in learning more, and being notified once the alpha site is active, sign up for an email notification at https://creatorbytes.com/alpha

If you have any questions, or comments, you can reach me on this thread, or at creatorbytes@protonmail.com

I would greatly appreciate any and all feedback from the HN community. Thanks!

verdverm 5 years ago |

This has been heavily debated here. I would encourage you to check out the search with time filters for recency

badRNG 5 years ago |

There is significant overlap between those who are censored on major platforms and those who either advocate violence against people, distribute hate speech, or are otherwise abusive on those platforms.

How would "creatorbytes" respond to a content creator who is interested in having a platform to advocate for eugenics or genocide? What about a phrenologist or otherwise "scientific racist?" How about anti-LGBTQ creators?

I'm not saying there has to be an answer for every "what if" question out there, but the problem of censorship is a hard one, and these questions are the ones society is currently struggling with. I don't know what kind of perception you want to foster, but if your site is the known haven of these sorts of viewpoints, you might run into the same issues that 8chan did: https://blog.cloudflare.com/terminating-service-for-8chan/

creatorbytes 5 years ago | |

Those are good points, some solutions that I've seen sites like BitChute use, or one that Twitter is contemplating, could be a combination of the following:

* Any illegal content would be removed

* Content that is more fringe, can be required to have a flag, where users must opt-in to see such content (bitchute's strategy)

* Non-logged in users by default don't see specific content. But this is made clear to the user, and content creator. Users logged in can elect what level of fringe they would like to see, or not see (sort of like twitter's banned words list concept)

The site would essentially aggregate links, and statistics of the platforms onto one page. So unlike 8chan, users aren't actually posting content, and I'm not hosting the creator's content. Maybe a MOTD from the creator, but I think that's manageable

I would like to hear what you think. It is a hard line to draw, my thinking is the site would be a sort of meta-site, aggregating the hosting platforms to one place, thereby removing the burden from creatorbytes. Domains will go through a manual process as to not be malicious/illegal, and once approved, are whitelisted.

Edit: All users will be able to see all creator pages, but previews for their content feed, or links with titles that are too fringe, etc, would have some sort of filter, and require log in.

badRNG 5 years ago | | |

I certainly appreciate your principled stance against censorship.

I do have to wonder who this site is for. Who's viewpoint is censored on major platforms, but is also not "malicious/illegal?" What can a content creator host on "creatorbytes" that would otherwise be censored by major platforms?

It seems like a lot of platforms have tried to capitalize on providing a space for users banned from major platforms (Voat, 4chan, 8chan, etc.) and they all seem to face similar issues, and don't seem to foster any meaningful discussion that couldn't otherwise exist elsewhere.

verdverm 5 years ago | |

Well put, censorship and really any policy decision (shelter in place) / societal common practice, is a double edged sword and it is rare to find people proposing solutions who have spent the necessary time considering both sides.