That's kind of the thing that makes the internet great, no? No matter who you are, who stands against or with you, no matter what you say, what you believe, what you think, you are free to express what you want to express, to make what you want to make. That's what makes the internet great, that's what allows the massive expansion in content and rapid increase in culture through the internet. It's why you can find so many awesome groups/communities from all over the web. If you shut down that medium, you turn the internet into a meeting room, a place controlled by a couple of people who have amassed power, and control how things are said, why they are said, and what is and isn't appropriate to say. Consider the person this whole message was directed to, in just banning a user they have banned their ability to post to the things which the majority of the front pages and similar content on hubski, is made up on. That's a bad thing, assuming the person never did anything deliberately disruptive or counter to productive discussion.
What? No! Since when has the internet allowed free speech? Just about every major website has content policies in place. Hell, even 4chan has some limits. The internet brought people together and gave them a voice. It did not give them a blank check to do whatever they wanted with that voice. Every website chooses how restrictive It will be, and I'm fine with where hubski has landed.
That's interesting. On one hand internet companies are pushing for policing/real identities/censoring. Because if you're hurt by a comment on a social media, you wont stay here, you wont participate, and you wont see the sweet sweet ads. So muting user only serve crass commercialism. On the other hand, nobody has to put on with others bullshit, if he does not want to. Compare it to real life. If your friend/family/colleague become utterly annoying and/or insufferable you'll cut them out of your life. I like how mk handled the censure as a per user basis. Hubski does not decide which user to mute or ban because of bullying, or divergent opinion, anyone decide for himself. It's very visceral and hurtful. first time I saw I was muted I was pissed. You are rejected, your opinion is seen as irrelevant or hurtful, and the dude muting you is surely a dumbass. But hey, I get to mute anyone I want, so I'm not left powerless either. And THAT is an awesome feeling. It's like you can Block Obama or Apple on twitter if you want to. Useless, but hey, they cannot annoy you with their propaganda now! In the end I think it's very intelligent way to handle social media interaction: anyone is in charge of the censure he want to apply. Anything giving power to end user is good in my book.