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Banned from Kickstarter for Being a Stalking Victim

rachelmarone.com

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Re: Banned from Kickstarter for Being a Stalking Victim

#71

Post by [deleted] »

jasonlotito wrote: post #30
Maxious wrote: post #9

This is exactly the situation Kickstarter should be on top of. Imagine someone was going to make a hugely disruptive project and some BigCo PR firm hires a bunch of astroturfers to post 400 comments about how the project leader is a fraud. Now we know the astroturfers don't even need to ward off backers, they can just get Kickstarter to shut the project down. Megaupload song vs. UMG sockpuppets anybody?

> Now we know the astroturfers don't even need to ward off backers, they can just get Kickstarter to shut the project down. We do? Again, I ask, where is the proof of what we know ? What we do know is that you can make a post on a blog making claims about a popular company saying they did something bad, get it on HN, and people will start demanding said company respond and handle it without waiting for proof. Yes, th…

[deleted]

Re: Banned from Kickstarter for Being a Stalking Victim

#72

Post by amirmc »

jasonlotito wrote: post #30
Maxious wrote: post #9

This is exactly the situation Kickstarter should be on top of. Imagine someone was going to make a hugely disruptive project and some BigCo PR firm hires a bunch of astroturfers to post 400 comments about how the project leader is a fraud. Now we know the astroturfers don't even need to ward off backers, they can just get Kickstarter to shut the project down. Megaupload song vs. UMG sockpuppets anybody?

> Now we know the astroturfers don't even need to ward off backers, they can just get Kickstarter to shut the project down. We do? Again, I ask, where is the proof of what we know ? What we do know is that you can make a post on a blog making claims about a popular company saying they did something bad, get it on HN, and people will start demanding said company respond and handle it without waiting for proof. Yes, th…

I'm confused what exactly you're asking for. What kind of 'proof' would satisfy you?

Screenshots of the original emails? I'm sure they could be spoofed. Screenshot of the page of comments? Same. Statements from other people who were backing her?

Really, I don't understand what you're asking for.

Edit: seems there's more to this story about the individual involved but that doesn't change anything about how Kickstarter reacted (assuming, of course, that the events played out as described).

Edit2: Please note. Edits to the parent post now make this comment appear out of context (and therefore unhelpful). Decided to leave it up though.

Re: Banned from Kickstarter for Being a Stalking Victim

#73

Post by reason »

kf wrote: post #69
lawnchair_larry wrote: post #59

Oh man, not this girl again. Let's just say she is known for being at the center of drama wherever she goes. She has a very long history of libel and public feuds related to her "music project." In one of many incidents, her and her mother sent DMCA takedown requests to LiveJournal based on negative information being posted by another user (completely unrelated to copyright). Please do not give her attention. At leas…

Old drama is uninteresting. What's wrong with being mentally ill? I'm definitely not neurotypical, just like half of Silicon Valley geeks. Try raising VC money in Silicon Valley without projecting the image of irrationally exuberant hypomania. http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/160/bill-nguyen-startups Your comment is exactly the kind that threatens to make this thread a trainwreck. Be nice! Rachel is a very real pe…

Right, so, no counterargument or evidence being provided from Kickstarter is OK in criticizing them, and any evidence that this person may have a history of causing similar types of drama is 'uninteresting'?

You're persistent in asking people to be civil towards Rachel, yet are completely fine with the bashing of Kickstarter without giving them a chance to make their case.

Sounds reasonable. Guess what? Kickstarter isn't just an institution outlined by a few hundred federal documents. They're run by real people!

Re: Banned from Kickstarter for Being a Stalking Victim

#74

Post by tomflack »

rms wrote: post #62

META OK everyone. You might have noticed that Hacker News has gone downhill lately. A common pattern is for the number one comment to be some vaguely negative and uninteresting post. In this case, it's also an inflammatory post that wrongly blames the victim. I'm friends with Rachel and the stalker dude is real. I was uselessly harassed by him because I spoke at Extreme Futurist Fest. He's real, he's crazy, and somet…

Please read the following in an exasperated tone of voice, because that's what I feel here.

The problem is the very public trashing of kickstarter on her blog, combined with the multitude of people who have had run-ins with Rachael over the past few years calling her "crazy" etc.

Allegedly the FBI are uninterested in prosecuting the cyber stalker. However since coming across this today I've seen nothing that indicates they actually exist, or if they do exist, the kind of hateful things they harass with.

As far as anyone external to the situation can tell the stalker is either a figment of Rachael's imagination or someone who is going around informing people who potentially might give her money of something she doesn't want them to know.

We just don't know.

So in light of the very public trashing of kickstarter, it seems only fair we get to see all the evidence publicly as well - like documentary evidence of complaints to the police about the alleged stalker's behaviour.

Edit: and instead of downvotes, please tell me why my train of thought on this matter is unreasonable.

Re: Banned from Kickstarter for Being a Stalking Victim

#75

Post by rms »

reason wrote: post #73
kf wrote: post #69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Old drama is uninteresting. What's wrong with being mentally ill? I'm definitely not neurotypical, just like half of Silicon Valley geeks. Try raising VC money in Silicon Valley without projecting the image of irrationally exuberant hypomania. http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/160/bill-nguyen-startups Your comment is exactly the kind that threatens to make this thread a trainwreck. Be nice! Rachel is a very real pe…

Right, so, no counterargument or evidence being provided from Kickstarter is OK in criticizing them, and any evidence that this person may have a history of causing similar types of drama is 'uninteresting'? You're persistent in asking people to be civil towards Rachel, yet are completely fine with the bashing of Kickstarter without giving them a chance to make their case. Sounds reasonable. Guess what? Kickstarter i…

I expect Kickstarter to have a sober, well reasoned response to this by Monday afternoon. Hopefully faster.

It would have been nice if Rachel was nicer to Kickstarter in her post, but she wasn't so here we are. It's not like I like this being #1 on Hacker News. This is sort of an awful story. I would have liked to have gone to sleep by now, but respect Rachel enough and have fond enough memories of the time when Hacker News didn't suck that I wanted to try and make this comment thread something resembling rational and reasonable.

Re: Banned from Kickstarter for Being a Stalking Victim

#76

Post by b2rock »

kf wrote: post #69
lawnchair_larry wrote: post #59

Oh man, not this girl again. Let's just say she is known for being at the center of drama wherever she goes. She has a very long history of libel and public feuds related to her "music project." In one of many incidents, her and her mother sent DMCA takedown requests to LiveJournal based on negative information being posted by another user (completely unrelated to copyright). Please do not give her attention. At leas…

Old drama is uninteresting. What's wrong with being mentally ill? I'm definitely not neurotypical, just like half of Silicon Valley geeks. Try raising VC money in Silicon Valley without projecting the image of irrationally exuberant hypomania. http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/160/bill-nguyen-startups Your comment is exactly the kind that threatens to make this thread a trainwreck. Be nice! Rachel is a very real pe…

It is always a fine line. It will be interesting and telling in how Kickstarter will respond to this. You remember the Air BnB set of events...

Re: Banned from Kickstarter for Being a Stalking Victim

#77

Post by jasonlotito »

amirmc wrote: post #72
jasonlotito wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Now we know the astroturfers don't even need to ward off backers, they can just get Kickstarter to shut the project down. We do? Again, I ask, where is the proof of what we know ? What we do know is that you can make a post on a blog making claims about a popular company saying they did something bad, get it on HN, and people will start demanding said company respond and handle it without waiting for proof. Yes, th…

I'm confused what exactly you're asking for. What kind of 'proof' would satisfy you? Screenshots of the original emails? I'm sure they could be spoofed. Screenshot of the page of comments? Same. Statements from other people who were backing her? Really, I don't understand what you're asking for. Edit: seems there's more to this story about the individual involved but that doesn't change anything about how Kickstarter…

Something more than italicized text. Yes, screenshots of the emails, with headers would be better. Something more than a mere rant. I'm not suggesting that anything displayed would hold up in court, but all anyone here seems to care about is italicized text. Here, let me demonstrate.

amirmc,

The post on my website is a lie.

Truly,

Rachel

There. Case closed.

> What kind of 'proof' would satisfy you?

What kind of proof would satisfy you? Italicized text? A blog post?

> I don't see how anything here is particularly knee-jerk.

Unsubstantiated claim is made. People here are already assuming KickStarter is guilty.

Don't misrepresent what I'm saying. No where am I suggesting indisputable proof must be provided. I'm merely saying that nothing has been offered up.

Re: Banned from Kickstarter for Being a Stalking Victim

#78

Post by jasonlotito »

kf wrote: post #69
lawnchair_larry wrote: post #59

Oh man, not this girl again. Let's just say she is known for being at the center of drama wherever she goes. She has a very long history of libel and public feuds related to her "music project." In one of many incidents, her and her mother sent DMCA takedown requests to LiveJournal based on negative information being posted by another user (completely unrelated to copyright). Please do not give her attention. At leas…

Old drama is uninteresting. What's wrong with being mentally ill? I'm definitely not neurotypical, just like half of Silicon Valley geeks. Try raising VC money in Silicon Valley without projecting the image of irrationally exuberant hypomania. http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/160/bill-nguyen-startups Your comment is exactly the kind that threatens to make this thread a trainwreck. Be nice! Rachel is a very real pe…

> Rachel is a very real person that can't raise money on Kickstarter because Kickstarter can't deal with one asshole posting 400 spam comments.

And again, do you have anything to suppor that claim beside italicized text on a blog? If not, then you only have an accusation made.

Re: Banned from Kickstarter for Being a Stalking Victim

#79

Post by analog »

lawnchair_larry wrote: post #59

Oh man, not this girl again. Let's just say she is known for being at the center of drama wherever she goes. She has a very long history of libel and public feuds related to her "music project." In one of many incidents, her and her mother sent DMCA takedown requests to LiveJournal based on negative information being posted by another user (completely unrelated to copyright). Please do not give her attention. At leas…

"She is, by her own admission, mentally ill"

Well, not really. From your link,

"I am on disability because I was kicked out of this "mansion" at a young age and locked up in a mental institution. Among other reasons that I don't feel like discussing with you."

Re: Banned from Kickstarter for Being a Stalking Victim

#80

Post by llambda »

lawnchair_larry wrote: post #59

Oh man, not this girl again. Let's just say she is known for being at the center of drama wherever she goes. She has a very long history of libel and public feuds related to her "music project." In one of many incidents, her and her mother sent DMCA takedown requests to LiveJournal based on negative information being posted by another user (completely unrelated to copyright). Please do not give her attention. At leas…

> She is, by her own admission, mentally ill.[1]

I see that she says she was kicked out of her home when she was 16 and placed in a mental health facility[1]. But this is not the same as having a mental illness. Certainly it's been the case before that a perfectly healthful individual has ended up in such an institution. Especially people suffering from emotional trauma that they are unable to handle on their own.

[1] 'I am on disability because I was kicked out of this "mansion" at a young age and locked up in a mental institution.'

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