Disclaimer: I have been receiving some thoughtful comments about my account not deserving to be blacklisted. I wanted to clear up any confusion. The following is not written from personal experience, but rather my advice to a one of my followers who is currently facing this situation.
So, you have been posting on Steem for a while. You have been creating some content, you have made some friends, and you have even received your first Steem payout.
LIFE IS GOOD!
Until one day, you see a comment on your most recent post. Oh no! Another Steem account (with more Steem power than you have) passes along some bad news.
YOU HAVE BEEN BLACKLISTED!
What Does "Blacklist" Means?
A blacklist is a list that contains the names of people, products, activities, Steem accounts, etc. that are viewed as suspicious or considered to have done something wrong.
The funny thing about blacklists is that they can be somewhat arbitrary - meaning that the criteria for being placed on a blacklist can be based on personal preference.
But before you think that you have been wrongly accused by someone from the Steem community, be sure that you are not participating in any of the following activities:
PLAGIARISM
using someone else's content on you Steem blog and claiming it to be your own
For most Steem users, plagiarism is the greatest Steem sin. Of course, copy and pasting an entire article is the clearest form of plagiarism.
That is why there is a strong emphasis on sourcing the photos you use in your post, as well as only using images that fall under the CC0 licensing agreement. This designation means that you can use an image for personal or commercial use.
Now this one is more tricky. And I must be honest. I have failed at this one a time or two. Since we are dealing with real people and real interaction, the idea of sourcing out your inspiration is becoming more important. For me, this concept is more objective than subjective but no less important.
- Did someone's post inspire you? Give them credit!
- Are you writing a post in response to a challenge? Link back to the original challenge post!
- Do you have a mentor that helps guide you on your Steem journey? Write up a shout out every once in a while!
SPAM
the act of sending out irrelevant messages to a large number of people
Spamming other people is so tempting when you first join the Steem community. Many other social networks allow (or even encourage) "like for like" and "follow for follow." But the Steem community does not look favorably at these types of comments.
"Nice post," "Great job," and other generic comments are also concerned spam.
My advice? Write genuine, authentic comments that prove that you read a post. If you do that on my posts, then I will be sure to reward you with an upvote.
But remember that Steem is not like other social media sites. Our likes are not just fun looking icons. Our likes result in a payout. And equally important, our dislikes can take away a portion of your payout.
SCAM OR FRAUD
the act of deceiving other people for personal gain
A scam is a carefully crafted plan that is designed to trick someone. Scams are common in all parts of life, but are becoming more prevalent online, and even in our Steem community.
People are trying to steal your information, take over your Steem account, an impersonate legitimate accounts for financial gain. We all have to be vigilant to protect ourselves and other members of our community. Let's not let the bad guys win!
I Support BlackLists (If They Are Done Correctly)
Blacklists are intended to punish behavior that is not acceptable in the Steem community.
Preventing plagiarism, spam, and scams are honorable activities in my opinion.
But we must be careful not to cross the line. I do not believe we should blacklist people because of differing opinions, ethnic backgrounds, religious affiliations, etc. I do not believe we should blacklist away free speech and personal choice.
So Now That You Are Blacklisted, What You Should Do?
Step #1 - Determine What You Did Wrong
The first step to finding a solution is understanding the REAL problem. But you may be thinking, "I didn't do anything." If you didn't do anything, then you probably would not have been blacklisted.
Someone (somewhere) thought you did something wrong. Figure out what it is!
Step #2 - Find The Source
So you want to get off of a blacklist? Really? You need to find out who blacklisted you.
Let's follow the trail. Remember this is a real-life situation for someone.
A message was left by @badcontent. That message references another account called @buildawhale.
With a little bit of research, I realized that @buildawhale is a bid bot. A while back bid bots were accused of upvoting poor quality content so some of their operators starting taking steps to improve their operation and reputation - hence, the blacklists.
When in doubt, follow the discord app link.
I have never meet @themarkymark, so I am not willing to die on the fact that he is operating @buildawhale, but it sure looks like he does. And by the way, he is a witness.
For this situation, if the user wants to petition that his/her blacklist status be revoked, he/she can visit the #blacklist channel of Build A Whale on Discord.
Step #3 - Make Your Plea
This may be the hardest part of the whole process. A blacklisted user will need to state his or her case. Being blacklisted might be very emotional because there is a constant reminder on every post that you are blacklisted. And depending on how the blacklist account operates, you may also have some of your payout impacted as well.
Be honest and be humble. Tell the reasons why you should no longer be blacklisted. If you understand what you did wrong then explain what steps you will take so that you do not repeat the same mistakes. If you do not yet understand what you did wrong then, ask for clarification.
Again, this is the hardest step! If you do not present yourself well, then you run the risk of getting into more trouble.
Final Thoughts
Plagiarism, spam, and scams are not received well in the Steem community (nor should they). If you have been participating in these types of activities then you will most likely be called out for that type of behavior.
I recommend that you keep creating quality content. If you use another person's image or reference someone else's work, be sure to source it. Make sure that your comments are always authentic and attentive. And make sure that you are not trying to deceive people for your own gain.
If you have any questions then let's continue the conversation in the comment section below. If you want to talk but don't want everyone to see, then send me a message via Discord (sumatranate#8674).
@SumatraNate
Image Source: There are screenshots in this post from @badcontent and @buildawhale.
@themarkymark, if you are concerned with the use of these screenshots, let me know within the next 7 days and I will remove them.
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