Hey all — just launched openmic.social, a general-purpose Lemmy instance with a specific mission: open discourse + transparent, restorative moderation.
The pitch is simple — anyone can grab the mic — and the thing that makes us different is what happens when you cross a line:
- No shadowbans, ever. If your post is removed or your account is actioned, you’re told — what happened, which rule, and how to fix it.
- We help before we punish. A heads-up and a path back come before a ban. Bans are the last resort, not the first reflex.
- Moderation in the open. Every call is appealable, publicly, in our
!metacommunity. - Hard lines only: nothing illegal, no targeted harassment, no doxxing, no spam. That’s what keeps the mic open for everyone.
We’re brand new, which means early adopters shape the culture. Come introduce yourself, bring a community that needs a home, or start one — I’ll help you set it up and mod it.
This post about a new Lemmy instance is on topic for this community. You can all have your own feelings about this instance and what it’s trying to do, but a single post here announcing it isn’t spam.
Please stop reporting this post and OP’s comments.
Lemmy already has public ban logs which have reasons listed. I’m not sure what you’re really offering here. I think you’re being extremely naive and are fundamentally lacking understanding in how oppression and the “marketplace of ideas” functions.
Lemmy itself doesnt have shadowbans, all ban logs are public.
Great, wish you the best, but if anything gets illegal is federated to mine that’s where I have to defederate. One admin to another wish you luck though.
Thank you.
You might have been expecting the response you got here, or you might not have. I know I learnt more about nazi/hate speech dogwhistles in my first few weeks as a Lemmy admin than I had learnt in all my life up to that point 😅.
I also know in those early days there were people worried my instance was a “free speech” instance because I wanted open conversations instead of bans. Mostly I think I didn’t appreciate how big of a problem it was, and for sure I had people registered on my instance expecting it was a “free speech” instance. There are people out there looking for a place to spout their hate and many think Lemmy is the place for it because it’s advertised as censorship resistant.
Please know that there is a strong belief (among both nazis and anti-nazis) that indicating a place as being able to speak your mind is a dog whistle for allowing hate speech. Over time if you find you aren’t attracting the right kind of members, you may need to tweak your wording. But also please know that the idea of supporting people to be better community members instead of flat out banning people does work for many members, because many people just don’t realise that what they are saying is harmful. Some people will be operating in bad faith though, and it’s typically the same small number of people that keep getting banned. Because you have open registrations, these users are more likely to come to your instance.
It’s also important to understand that the Fediverse is full of users that have felt unsafe on mainstream social media. Your rules against hate speech need to be strictly enforced, of you’ll find yourself isolated in the Fediverse as no one will want to federate with you.
Thanks! This is by far the most constructive comment I have gotten and truly appreciate it. I’m learning and always will adjust as needed. I’m open to constructive criticism and more importantly any insight others who have done this can provide. The immediate assumptions about me and my goals were at best amusing and not at all constructive however, somewhat unsurprising to be honest.
It has been my experience that “free speech” (especially online) is code for “bigotry welcome”.
I see nothing in the description here to convince me this will be any different.
No definitely not trying to allow bigotry. You are definitely entitled to feel that way though.
But it doesn’t appear that you’re specifically disallowing it either
You are definitely entitled to feel that way though.
My concern is that this is what you will also say to the bigots when they arrive
When you sit down at a table and nine Nazis sit down at that table with you, there are now 10 Nazis sitting at that table.
Then it’s not “free speech and anything legal is cool”
Like, it’s not a bad thing to ban bigotry, that’s a good thing…
Which is why when you said it was “free speech”…
Everyone called you out for, either:
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Lying
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Allowing bigotry
There’s only those two options buddy…
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Seeing all your low effort shit posts makes me believe you’re a joy in real life
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Thank you! Don’t hesitate to reach out if I am missing anything, I definitely don’t want anything illegal happening. I am looking for more mods and admin a to help out as well! Appreciate the kind words!
So, transphobia, racism, misogyny, all acceptable as long as it’s aimed broadly, and doesn’t become targeted harassment of an individual?
On the reverse of that, if you want to promote the opposite you are more than welcome to, free speech is a two way street. I don’t really tolerate hate though. Maybe I’ll update our description.
That’s not good enough. You’re saying they have the right to attack people, but at least the targeted people can defend themselves. Those are not comparable
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Curious what your goal is?
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free speech is a two way street
it really isn’t
It is tho, a homophobe can say what they want and I can call them a bigoted piece of shit. That’s a 2 way street. Now if they could say what they wanted and I couldn’t say what I wanted, that’s a one way street.
So I can call a bigoted homophobe a bigoted homophobe, and they can say what ever unintelligent crap they want.
Consequences of actions is more of a one way street, something bigoted assholes can’t mentally understand.
“two-way street” implies an equal exchange, not just equal opportunity to speak, and only someone who’s never been on the receiving end of one would ever make the mistake of thinking there’s anything equal about it.
in fact, the only ones I’ve ever heard make that argument are bigots themselves, trying to excuse or defend their bigotry while shifting blame to their victims for “not standing up for themselves” or some other victim-blaming bullshit.
DARVO (an acronym for “Deny, Attack, Reverse Victim and Offender”) is a reaction that perpetrators of wrongdoing, such as abusers, narcissists, or sexual offenders, may display in response to being held accountable for their behavior.[1] Research indicates that it is a common manipulation strategy of psychological abusers.
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Thank you! Pre-blocking this so I won’t have any splash damage my main feed. “Open mic” translates too much on nazi or hate baiting nowadays. Open socials need moderation or become chesspools. I do not hang out with toxic people in real life, I don’t understand the principle that “I have to” do it digitally. Hard pass. Good luck!
This either already is or will become a hotbed for rightwing pieces of shit.
So if I wanted to start a pro-nazi community there, you would permit that?
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Openmic makes me think there will be audio.
There are development plans
Haha careful on the “marketplacr of ideas” that moniker was claimed by Gettr. Ask me how I know.
