I do enjoy the discussions and points you bring up... and I guess the fact that so many of your posts end up with hundreds of comments speaks to the fact that people do want to talk about these issues.

I'm kinda of the persuasion that the UX — and yes, I know we have several — needs a mute option that completely removes users of your choice from view. That's just good web design, regardless of whether it's Hive or somewhere else.

I also think some additional functionalities could be coded into the options for community owners and admins; more customization.

I'd like Hive to be a friendlier and more "promotable" venue, as well... and I believe communities might be the best gateway. Consider how most people use the web: We go looking for what interests us. Nobody is just "on Facebook" or "on Instagram" anymore... they do very specific things there, related to their interests, be it gaming, gardening, collecting, an activity, an interest, an occupational field, or whatever.

Interests/hobbies tend to be "stickier" than venues. I'm far more loyal to gardening, writing and stamp collecting than I am to Hive, Facebook or TikTok. By extension, I would find it much easier to tell friends to "join the gardening community on Hive" than just to "join Hive."

Even if people are free to say "whatever they want," an expanded tool set and settings for community managers might clean up various "pockets" of the community, even if cleaning up the whole is impossible.

Let's face it, there are communities/groups on Facebook I wouldn't touch with a 10-foot pole, but that doesn't mean I think they should be banned or censored. But I don't want them trolling my garden club!

I realize I have wandered a bit off topic here, but I am ultimately reminded of the reality that just because you have the right to freedom of speech does not mean you're have the "right" to be agreed with!

I think a lot of people forget that...

Happy New Year to you!