Robert Hawkins

A programmer who cares about free speech, founder of You deserve to know when your content has been removed or demoted. Writing—

[Robert Hawkins @rhaksw]

Platforms have long held that shadow banning is necessary to deal with spam, but shadow bans do not fool bots. Shockingly, it turns out that when platforms talk about "spam," they're referring to content written by you and me, genuine users.

https://t.co/G2qzz9rPPr

[Robert Hawkins @rhaksw]

@kentcdodds That does help meet me where I am, thanks! Thinking of your marketing, maybe you have multiple angles and just need some traction with the right hooks. Old school Q&A with audiences like you're doing and I think you'll get there.

[Robert Hawkins @rhaksw]

@kentcdodds Ah, that helps clear things up, thank you. Guess I'll need to try it to really get it. So much of my workflow is shifting, it's hard to shift again. But, you were right about implementation details in tests, so I'll have to try it some time.

[Robert Hawkins @rhaksw]

@kentcdodds Thanks! When Kody uses Claude code, does it take from your subscription quota, or from your "credits" quota, which costs extra?

When using subscription, CC only docks your quota for 10% of the current chat's context if the chat is less than 1 hour old. So the diff is substantial

[Robert Hawkins @rhaksw]

From @eastdakota "The biggest mistake that technology companies make today… is this cult of secrecy... [They should say], "we're not perfect, and we make mistakes."

https://t.co/BMAYJgSFPC

[Robert Hawkins @rhaksw]

@johnddavidson They might as well have written "CENSORED" instead of "Not True".

I think we're all tempted to do this to other people's speech, and that is exactly why we should all agree to not do it.

[Robert Hawkins @rhaksw]

@JamieWhistle @ZoAndBehold Is this it?

https://t.co/22ppaeG6Ki

[Robert Hawkins @rhaksw]

@VecchTweets Still happening. Platforms/Government should need a warrant to shadow ban.

[Robert Hawkins @rhaksw]

@DMichaelTripi @DMichaelTripi may I share how censorship tech works?

[Robert Hawkins @rhaksw]

@AriCohn @TechFreedom @BerinSzoka @corbinkbarthold Hi @AriCohn, at the beginning of that space, you advertised that there would be time for questions, but none were taken. What happened?

[Robert Hawkins @rhaksw]

@CaseyNormando Definitely not dead! But at the risk of beating a dead horse– I still think a state could try regulating comment shadow bans. They send a different message to authors and other users, thus failing the Spence test. Regarding Hurley, that court did not consider SECRET rejections.

[Robert Hawkins @rhaksw]

@jess_miers Not that I agree with those laws, but isn't this process similar to research through trial and error? The result may be obvious in hindsight, but many were concerned about these cases. Surely they have some value informing future legislation, more than tossing out any future law.

[Robert Hawkins @rhaksw]

@bhweingarten I'd like to see more focus on the practice of comment shadow bans, where a user is shown their removed commentary as if it is visible to others.

In that case– what is the message, and to whom is it being expressed? The author and other users receive contradictory messaging.

[Robert Hawkins @rhaksw]

You and I both know we cannot get away with it. But we were not born knowing that. 4/4

[Robert Hawkins @rhaksw]

It makes sense if you understand that many people are willing to shadow ban their uncle from their Facebook wall with the "hide comment" button in order to avoid hosting uncomfortable conversations.

The "hide comment" button lets the uncle believe their comment is still up. 1/4

[Jay Bhattacharya @DrJBhattacharya]

I am still having trouble coming to terms with the fact that a substantial number of Americans think government censorship is a good thing, akshually.

Did they read Fahrenheit 451 and somehow think the firemen were the good guys?

[Robert Hawkins @rhaksw]

In other words, it may not be sufficient to say "I would never do that." Rather, the behavior is so widespread and pernicious because at one point, we all thought, "I would censor you if I thought I could get away with it."

That said... 3/4

[Robert Hawkins @rhaksw]

Congrats @VecchTweets & @NCLAlegal on overruling Chevron!

[Robert Hawkins @rhaksw]

@CaseyNormando @WSJ Thanks! That sounds like another long process, but it's probably better in the long run that more info comes out about the scope of this. Plenty of work for you ahead.

[Robert Hawkins @rhaksw]

@CaseyNormando @WSJ I see, thanks. So no injunction, but it goes back to the district court for judgement on something like whether the government's actions were within bounds?