Destructive Online Behaviour Endangers Honest Authors And Publications

Internet trolls are not only available on Facebook and Twitter. Here, at Medium, they also do their mischief. Mostly these people are just annoying. But they can also cause significant damage.

When I logged on to Medium last night, I quickly realized that something was wrong.

I tried to call up the publication “Illumination,” but it was gone. The profile of the founder had also disappeared.

As it turned out, Illumination was accused by one or more users of using illegal practices. The founder was accused of bullying.

In short, someone had denunciated Illumination and its founders.

This person had contacted numerous authors of Illumination in the run-up to the suspension to incite them against Illumination. The person spread conspiracy theories and made multiple accusations against the founder of the publication.

I was also written to by this person. At first, she demanded that I read her articles because she read mine.

I refused because it is clearly against medium guidelines to make such appointments.

I read what I want, not what others expect me to read.

Illumination agrees with me, by the way. The founder has always stressed that no one should be obliged to read the articles of other members just because they write for Illumination.

Nevertheless, I read a lot of my colleague’s articles on Illumination because, on Illumination, I found an average amount of content that really interested and inspired me.

In just one month, a supportive, positive, and friendly community of authors and editors has grown. Illumination is the most grassroots democratic publication I have found on Medium.

All of this is now in danger because a troll cannot get enough of enjoying his or her power. Yes, trolls have power. They can denounce anyone at any time on large platforms and cover up with baseless accusations.

Since the platforms, such as Medium, are obliged to investigate all allegations, the accounts concerned are blocked in such cases.

So the damage is done, no matter if the accusations were justified or not.

Trolls know this mechanism and shamelessly exploit it. Someone does not agree with you, unconditionally? Report him and destroy his reputation.

Won’t someone let you manipulate them? Then destroy everything he has built. It’s effortless to destroy lives on the Internet.

I have published numerous articles on Illumination and made many new friends.

Illumination has generated over 3000 followers in just four weeks, showing that the content curated there appeals to the readers.

Why does one person have the power to shut down a community of hundreds of authors simply?

Why would you be interested? You may not be a member of Illumination, and you may not care about this publication at all. It should interest you because this is not about a publication and a troll, but about a fundamental problem.

You too can become a victim of a troll tomorrow, and then there is little you can do about it.

You have to watch helplessly as your accounts are blocked and as everything you have built up over a long period goes down the drain. And all this only because a person whose only talent is to do harm is coming after you.

I hope Medium has the wisdom and the sense of proportion to see who is really the perpetrator and victim in this case.

Illumination must be unlocked. Dr. Mehmet Yildiz must be rehabilitated.

Once that’s done, the troll must be held responsible.

Medium Staff, I count on you.

René Junge a published author writing on ILLUMINATION.

Do you want more of this?

Receive weekly emails, and don’t miss any of my articles.

subscribe here http://bit.ly/ReneJunge