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Comment by RedBeetDeadpool | Hacker News Reader

meta comment. If you want to see flagged comments go to your profile and:

`show dead: yes`

Having said that I'd prefer flagging to be used only for spam and the like. No one holds rights to what is or is not misinformation.

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I disagree that “no one holds rights to what is or is not misinformation” - if we take that position to its end, then we must accept that all places for public discussion are subject to being overrun by trolls or vocal minority opinion. Strong communities need strong moderation lest they devolve into lesser communities.

edit: My opinion is based somewhat on "Well-Kept Gardens Die by Pacifism"[0].

[0] https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/tscc3e5eujrsEeFN4/well-kept-...

Agreed entirely. Honestly i wish they'd go further and do away with upvotes too. Though i have no idea if that's actually a good idea. I just loathe anything that takes the form of modern "forums" like Reddit, where upvotes seem to drive circle-jerk communities and everyone is at war due (in part perhaps) to the artificial conflict that "Like" scores seem to drive.

Overrun by a minority is an interesting twist. I suppose it is fine, as long as HN is not overrun by the majority, homogeneous opinion. That would be a dull experience without dissent.

Minority opinions are pushed down to the bottom of the page due to how the voting system works. There's no reason why they should also be completely hidden to anyone willing to scroll down. That's a fate that should only go to actual spam.

My opinion is based on the entire scope of documented and written human history.

But if you think that one article by some internet person proves you right, then that's ever more the case that we should not do what you suggest.

Is this an actual response? This argument has no substantiation, just character attack. It's clear you didn't make any effort to read the article or consider its implications. It is clear you are not arguing or participating in good faith.

I really wish this board did away with flagging. It seems to just censor people far more than anything. I've had my own tech related submissions flagged because they obviously just piss someone off around here and it never gets unflagged or even reviewed from what I can tell. I know I am missing out on other people's content and opinions as well and I don't like having some self appointed "moral police" around here deciding that for me.

Flagging is very easy to game.

Maybe if we all get into that game, then it will stop.

Most of the flagged comments I've seen are low quality, off topic, or violating the code of conduct. Flagging is a mechanism of distributed moderation. And there is a system where high-karma users can vouch for a comment and have it reappear.

Also, anyone can opt in to see flagged comments. So they aren't being completely hidden off the site unless they get nuked from the backend.

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