@Null I have what is probably an unpopular opinion: more than anything, you and the farms need something akin to a crisis PR team (and also a center for freedom of speech on the internet)
This ongoing problem might be solved via changing the perception of KF. I'm not suggesting implementing rules or changing the operation. Just the image. Outsmart the would-be complainers and silencers of the farms. Kiwi farms is only a forum for harassment of innocent, private people if people choose to view it that way, with no campaign to the contrary.
I don't hang out in the edgy, political threads, so my theory might be completely blown away by my ignorance, but here goes: every cow I've seen listed on the farms is a "public figure" by nature of them calling attention to themselves on public social media. That very nature removes their protection from scrutiny, meanies and boolies. Kiwi Farms is like the Television Without Pity of the social media age. You'll find statistics all over the net about how social media stars garner more attention (at least from millenial and genz demographics) than hollywood stars. Tons of studies and articles exist indicating that being a social media star/influencer is among the top five career goals for young people, way outpacing popstars and hollywood stars.
Where I'm going with this is that KF is just a place to engage with other consumers of influencer/celebrity content who also have a negative opinion about various infamous public figures. These people aren't victims, they can leave social spaces, they can change their social media identity. It's not like school, where people are bullied and unable to leave or switch schools. This is voluntary and almost always monetized (including e-panhandling) buffoonery. Engaging in the public sphere isn't a get-out-of-negative-reactions pass, they are no different than any other public figure. They are nothing more than freelance public figures. Go to any discussion of any politician or star on any forum or social media platform and you'll see people lobbing the same terms you see here. It's fair game for them, and it's also fair game for content creators. If they don't like it, they can get off the internet. For instance, Foodie beauty and ALR can go work as greeters at their local walmarts.
The image of KF as being a rogue home for school shooters and people seeking to turn racism into actionable activities makes it easy for people to cry bully. or to claim that mean words on KF+their comment sections is making people unalive, it's all bullshit. Give people a new paradigm through which they view KF. (not to mention, it wouldn't hurt to shine a light on some of the good that comes out of discussion on KF. The schofield kids getting removed from their abusive home comes to mind).
I'm not a publicist, PR flack or in any similar field, but I'm sure there are enough experts here if you solicited for them, to form the best reputation crisis team around. Failing that, I'm sure we'd all chip in shekels to pay for such a service. I know I'd chip in. A team that could raise awareness in the media of cogent's biased wielding of power.
I'm not suggesting this in lieu of tech-related options, or people lodging their complaints with cogent (a company who seemingly took it upon themselves to yeet the pirate bay, blaming it on a Spanish court order that wasn't about the pirate bay). I'm just saying that little noise is made off the farms about how the farms ISN'T a tool for harassment.
Beyond all that, cogent communications is a public company, would their s
hareholders be interested in cogent's misdeeds?
(thanks for attending my ted talk)
