_{From @steemcleaners Discord}

          "CENSORSHIP!" they cried. It is almost as if the ultimate taboo has been committed when someone is downvoted, rewards removed, and having their posts rendered "invisible". How could that possibly happen?

          It is said that Steemit is a decentralized social media platform. It sounds like the paradise for anyone who feels like the mainstream is withholding information and even actively suppress intelligence from being leaked into the public. Heck, even @rogerkver is here after complaining about being censored left and right.

_{For the record, I am not a fan of Roger Ver.}

          Oh? Is he being heavily downvoted right now? That's too bad. The question is again, does censorship actually exist on the Steem blockchain? Some believe so. Some do not. Here is a conversation between two prominent Steemians.

_{I'm with @acidyo on this one.}

The myth of censorship on Steem blockchain

         Without going into the technical aspect of flagging, or downvoting, I can tell you that censorship technically doesn't exist on the Steem blockchain. Everything stays on the blockchain, permanently. Every post, transaction, even edits to your posts/comments!

         You can try to cover up all your tracks, but the technology will not allow it. This is the power of the blockchain. The best you'll ever do is to throw enough red herrings and hope you will mislead the curious examiners.

The reality of flagging

1. Payout removed
2. Reputation lowered (if the downvoters' reputation is higher than yours)
3. Post rendered invisible with enough downvotes, depending on the UI
4. Social stigma, potentially...depending on who is downvoting you

Why so salty?

         Before Steemit was, other social media, such as Reddit, already have disagreement features in the form of downvotes. Facebook has, and still is, reluctant in implementing similar features in fears of hurt feelings and cyberbullying. For the most part, people don't seem to care when receiving thumbs down on those sites. Why so different with Steemit?

         It turns out, money is a very good motivator. Many users feel like they are being robbed when flags start flying on their posts and comments. To Steemians from poorer parts of the world, that few cents to a dollar a day make all the difference between having a good week or a bad one.

         This is especially true for those who spent money on promotional services to boost their earnings visibility. A few fair-sized flags and you will find yourself making less than you put into the system. I know abusive flags can exist on the platform, but that is topic for another post.

         Perhaps out of fear of being flagged again, the recipients stop posting altogether. Some power down and leave. Some turn to bid bots for passive income. Some are like @kabir88 and @tufkat, who literally don't give a flying crap, and continue to post until flaggers get bored.

         Is it the expectation of "getting rich" part of the reasons why so many are against flags?

         Here is a bonus thread for you to read from @serylt. If you can't read German, I recommend https://www.deepl.com/translator.

How I view flags

         I can't tell you how to feel, but I can tell you how I feel. I wouldn't feel very good if I receive many significant downvotes on my content. However, it's not because I can no longer monetize. It has more to do with I can no longer effectively build up my account to participate in one of my pastimes on the blockchain: flagging abuse.

         Truth be told, I'll probably just buy some Steem anyways. Delegate a part for passive income and use that to power up and still flag away.

         My income does not depend on Steem. I didn't come here to get rich. I came here for an open platform where content doesn't literally disappear at the whim of those in power. The compensation here is a nice touch and infinitely more productive than mindlessly posting on Facebook, etc.

         I don't even mind adding a little bit of Steem each month to build my account, and in turn, more influence in the social sphere. Maybe I'll cash out some for kicks and giggles when we actually moon.

Till then, happy Steeming!

         Abuse Series is sometimes educational, but usually just telling you stuff that you should already know anyways.

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