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Medium bans user for Chrome extension that opened articles in incognito mode

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Re: Medium bans user for Chrome extension that opened articles in incognito mode

#41

Post by mrzool »

gumboza wrote: post #17
Brajeshwar wrote: post #16

If you are a builder/creator (even hobbies, with 2 users) and generate contents, please get your own domain. Either you use a service/tool or otherwise but own the content. If you use a service and is important enough, take backups. Own your content, use eveything else as tools. These days, the question I usually ask is, "Can I walk out of this and what do I have to do if I need to?"

This. I'm not sure why the hell anyone would do anything else to be honest. It has been an insane proposition putting content on something you don't control.

> This.

You're not on Reddit, pal.

Re: Medium bans user for Chrome extension that opened articles in incognito mode

#42

Post by ncphil »

brookst wrote: post #26
gumboza wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This. I'm not sure why the hell anyone would do anything else to be honest. It has been an insane proposition putting content on something you don't control.

I agree in principle, but for people who just want to focus on their project, it’s a heavy tax to learn how domains and content and everything work. Medium’s promise is “you focus on writing, we’ll deal with distributing.” They don’t live up to that promise in lots of ways, but it’s hard to fault someone for not wanting to deal with the tech.

Is learning how to navigate the DMV system in any US state less "heavy"? I think Medium and others contribute to the problem by perpetuating the myth that ordinary folks can't do it/ it's just too hard. How we break through that is something to think about.

Re: Medium bans user for Chrome extension that opened articles in incognito mode

#43

Post by weberer »

Brajeshwar wrote: post #16

If you are a builder/creator (even hobbies, with 2 users) and generate contents, please get your own domain. Either you use a service/tool or otherwise but own the content. If you use a service and is important enough, take backups. Own your content, use eveything else as tools. These days, the question I usually ask is, "Can I walk out of this and what do I have to do if I need to?"

I like Nearlyfreespeech.net for stuff like this. For $1.50 per month, they let you easily host static HTML files. You don't have to learn about servers or routing or anything.

https://www.nearlyfreespeech.net/services/pricing

Re: Medium bans user for Chrome extension that opened articles in incognito mode

#44

Post by orphea »

pmontra wrote: post #27
donatj wrote: post #2

Medium lived long enough to become the villain. It was honestly quite the heel turn, but they’re all in. As far as I am concerned everyone should just move to substack at this point.

How long before seeing a comment like the next two paragraphs? Substack lived long enough to become the villain. It was honestly quite the heel turn, but they’re all in. As far as I am concerned everyone should just move to ${random_new_platform} at this point.

Substack did already. They have very annoying subscribe modals, and when they pop up, I just close the site.

Re: Medium bans user for Chrome extension that opened articles in incognito mode

#45

Post by kshay »

When submitting an extension to the Chrome Web Store you’re asked for a written justification for why it needs to run against the sites/URLs specified in the manifest. I’m curious how closely anyone at Google examines these; if this is such a clear ToS violation then maybe it shouldn’t have been approved?

(Edit: I’m not asserting that it is in fact a violation, but that its having been approved suggests it didn’t seem like one to the Web Store folks, at least, and maybe Medium should have addressed this by trying to get it removed rather than banning the user.)

Re: Medium bans user for Chrome extension that opened articles in incognito mode

#46

Post by angry_octet »

laserlight wrote: post #34

For those who, like me, had trouble parsing HN title, here's the first sentence of the tweet: > Medium decided to ban me because I built a Chrome Extension to automatically open Medium articles in incognito mode. And, here's Medium Rules link: https://policy.medium.com/medium-rules-30e5502c4eb4

He clearly hasn't violated any of their written rules.

They should have some rules for themselves: "1. Don't become clowns."

Re: Medium bans user for Chrome extension that opened articles in incognito mode

#47

Post by adolph »

gumboza wrote: post #17
Brajeshwar wrote: post #16

If you are a builder/creator (even hobbies, with 2 users) and generate contents, please get your own domain. Either you use a service/tool or otherwise but own the content. If you use a service and is important enough, take backups. Own your content, use eveything else as tools. These days, the question I usually ask is, "Can I walk out of this and what do I have to do if I need to?"

This. I'm not sure why the hell anyone would do anything else to be honest. It has been an insane proposition putting content on something you don't control.

IDK, clicking reply and typing into a box sure seems easier than spinning up a domain for this comment.

Re: Medium bans user for Chrome extension that opened articles in incognito mode

#48

Post by ncphil »

coldcode wrote: post #22
kennydude wrote: post #18

Hosting your own stuff is always the answer. And keep backups! Even something like getting some cheap hosting and spinning up a WordPress installation will work well (and is easily backed up, exported off-site etc).

It's not about hosting, it's about discovery. If no one knows your content exists, no one will read it. At least on Medium you have an opportunity to be seen. Sure, if you already have a huge online presence, then you don't need that. But starting from zero you need some way for people to find you. You can for example use Ghost to host your content, then syndicate it to Medium. But just sticking a website on the inte…

That last para is an excellent solution!

Re: Medium bans user for Chrome extension that opened articles in incognito mode

#49

Post by SilasX »

laserlight wrote: post #34

For those who, like me, had trouble parsing HN title, here's the first sentence of the tweet: > Medium decided to ban me because I built a Chrome Extension to automatically open Medium articles in incognito mode. And, here's Medium Rules link: https://policy.medium.com/medium-rules-30e5502c4eb4

Weird. I still don’t see where that’s prohibited (so it can’t be facilitating a violation). The closest is when it talks about forging IP headers or using anonymous emails. Or accessing the site only via published interfaces.

Re: Medium bans user for Chrome extension that opened articles in incognito mode

#50

Post by pedro_hab »

mhb wrote: post #37

How does Medium link what some person does as a project to some person who puts content on Medium? What's their authentication mechanism for doing this linking? Maybe he just said "Yeah, that's me."?

He probably wrote an medium article on it. lol
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