Shadow banning of Thurrott.com comments

Is this a thing now? I noticed a comment I made (along with some others) disappeared from at least 1 recent article. The comment count is correct for the original posts, but they no longer align with what is on the current page.

I’d say it was surprising, but given the missing comments generally went against the narrative, is it really?

Conversation 16 comments

  • Paul Thurrott

    Premium Member
    09 March, 2022 - 10:04 am

    <p>There is no shadow banning. </p><p><br></p><p>What can happen, however, is that a comment is deleted because it is a personal attack, spreads misinformation, or whatever. And comments to that comment would likewise disappear in that case. </p>

  • bkkcanuck

    09 March, 2022 - 12:25 pm

    <p>I have noticed messages disappear in the past but not under moderation (too quick)… you hit post and go to look and it did not post… have not had this happen recently – but others have noticed this in the past. Did you see it after refreshing the screen?</p>

  • reservoirmike

    09 March, 2022 - 12:57 pm

    <p>I have not had an issue with comments not posting (only some that apparently were deleted by the ministry). The comments were there for days, then suddenly were gone. Sometimes creating a Forum post goes off into the ether and then shows up later, the next day or so, I presume under moderation. This is accompanied by a ‘page gone missing’ type error at creation.</p>

  • Paul Thurrott

    Premium Member
    09 March, 2022 - 1:58 pm

    <p>Since we are about to finally turn our attention to fixing Thurrott.com after a long bit of work on Petri.com, I will add this one to the list and see if we can figure out what’s happening. Sorry/thanks.</p>

    • pecosbob04

      09 March, 2022 - 7:10 pm

      <p>Oh boy, maybe the 3 free read comments issue will be addressed. Or not. Holding my breath in anticipation, or not.</p><p><br></p>

      • reservoirmike

        10 March, 2022 - 12:08 pm

        <p>Agreed, the ability to actually view the comments is frustrating. Enough so, that I have stopped unlocking the Premium ones almost entirely.</p>

        • reservoirmike

          10 March, 2022 - 3:26 pm

          <p>*inability</p>

          • pecosbob04

            10 March, 2022 - 4:45 pm

            <p>And who can forget the inability to edit comments. Also why don’t recent comments to this thread change the order in the topic listing?</p>

  • Stabitha.Christie

    10 March, 2022 - 9:32 am

    <p>I don’t get a sense that there is "shadow banning", I really hate that term. As with any site there is going to be moderation. Anyone surprised by that must be new to the internet. I have also seen general quirkiness. For example the other day I responded to a comment with something completely mundane, it was in no way contentious, and It looked like my comment had been removed. I was a little perplexed as to why but figured out that comment wasn’t visible because I wasn’t logged in. When I logged into the site it was totally there. So just kinda random quirkiness. </p><p><br></p><p>I have seen and posted comments that disagree with writers on Thurrott and Paul isn’t shy about engaging in disagreement or just letting them stand with no response. I have also seen comments removed and it’s usually because the person was being a raging jackass but even then the person is allowed to continue posting. In those cases it really was the way the person went about expressing themselves that was the issue. </p><p><br></p><p>Anyway, that is all the long way of saying I think the accusation of something nefarious happening is unfounded. Culturally people in the U.S. have really started to lean into censorship conspiracies. My advice is everyone take a step back from the cliff, take a deep breath and accept things happen that aren’t malicious. There is likely no one out to get you or suppress your voice. </p>

    • reservoirmike

      10 March, 2022 - 6:34 pm

      <p>Censorship conspiracies. Like anything that goes against the narrative getting your comments deleted, your Twitter account banned, your YouTube channel removed, etc.</p>

      • Stabitha.Christie

        10 March, 2022 - 7:47 pm

        <p>I’ll repeat, take a step back from the cliff, take a deep breath and accept things happen that aren’t malicious. There is likely no one out to get you or suppress your voice.&nbsp;</p><p><br></p>

        • pecosbob04

          10 March, 2022 - 8:55 pm

          <p>That’s what they want you to think</p>

          • Stabitha.Christie

            10 March, 2022 - 9:10 pm

            <p>This isn’t helpful. I have censorship, shadow ban and narrative on my card I just need a sheeple and cancel culture to hit bingo. </p>

            • pecosbob04

              10 March, 2022 - 9:27 pm

              <p>Hey paranoid folks have real enemies too you know. And iirc you nailed sheeple in another thread so your card may be good if you hit the free space. Wait maybe it was someone else that raised the specter of Alex J in the Studio Mac thread if so forgive my error. If it was you Well played.</p>

              • Stabitha.Christie

                11 March, 2022 - 6:24 am

                <p>Totally me. I didn’t realize we could do cross thread bingo. Game changer. </p>

  • avigna

    23 March, 2022 - 5:08 am

    <p>hello sir </p>

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