We’ve all seen it happen here: cat-fishing, plagiarism, spamming, social identity-theft, vote-buying, plain old naked scamming, and plenty of other abuses.
Many times, these users go unnoticed for weeks or months, if they’re ever caught. When they are caught, they’re usually downvoted and their reputations take a hit. Often though, this damage is minimal and short-lived. The scammers, spammers, and other abusers live to fight another day...and even resume their previous abuses.
The repeated abuses from repeated abusers and the outright scams that are easily identifiable shouldn’t be something that we tolerate as a community in general. It’s almost incumbent upon us to ensure that such users receive reputations and rewards that are fitting for the sum of their behaviors. The higher the reputation and the more visibility that these people get – particularly if it’s on the most visible pages, such as trending – the worse Steem and Steemit can look to interested non-users and investors.
In my opinion, a good thing happened last night on this platform. There was what appeared to be a blatant attempt at scamming Steem/Steemit users and investors. The post in question and the parties to it were called out publicly, the primary party withdrew the content, and the potential post payout and his reputation were quickly brought to zero. A lot of potential marks were likely saved from losing a lot of money.
Except this guy, perhaps...
But I’m afraid that the swift action was partially due to the fact that the user was an “outsider.” Yes, the potential scam was pretty obvious, but what would have been the result if the post had been written by someone with a 70+ reputation who had been active since last summer? What if it was written by someone who had 2000+ followers and hosted a weekly podcast? Would the reaction have been the same?
Should it have been the same?
There are users on this platform who have been caught in several different abusive schemes and scams over the past year.
Some of them have left. Others have stayed and prospered...even after being caught in more than one abuse.
Some of them have very high reputations. Others have been dragged down to low levels. And a few have been taken down only to rise back up again, despite their continued abuses.
Some fly under the radar. Some are right in our faces.
Some will probably express some faux outrage over this very post. Others will try their best to pretend that this post doesn’t even exist.
I don’t write this because of any personal vendettas or because I want a ... gasp ... “WITCH HUNT!” I simply want to ask this community:
Do you see these things? Do you care enough to want to do something about them? Should users be ostracized for their bad behavior or not? Is this not the ideal place to make it happen?
Or – are you comfortable with such abusers making money and gaining high reputations on a platform into which you have put a lot of time and energy...and maybe even your own money? Are you comfortable with them essentially representing Steem/Steemit on the most visible pages?
We have the means here to shun obvious and known scammers, plagiarizers, etc. – and we shouldn’t be afraid to wield such power. Last night was a great example of what can be done. It’s a testament to the general integrity of the user base.
Ostracism does indeed work. We just need the willpower to employ it, even if it’s against “one of our own.” Our collective honesty regarding who we support and who we ostracize will go a long way towards achieving healthy and sustainable decentralization, especially when money is involved in this system.
Don’t allow this platform to be a sanctuary for social abusers and scammers. Let the world know that it won’t be tolerated. This is our community. We should represent it well. Build trust with the onlookers and we’ll see how quickly they become adopters and investors.
Would you ostracize? Would you ignore? Is simply withholding support enough?
