Summary

The author has been unsuspended from Medium after a 5-day suspension, expressing mixed feelings of relief and frustration due to the abrupt interruption of their platform activity and the potential loss of audience and income.

Abstract

The author of the article has experienced a brief suspension from Medium, which has been lifted after five days. This suspension was part of a broader effort by Medium to combat spam and bots. While the author acknowledges the importance of maintaining a healthy platform, they critique the method of suspension without prior warning or communication, which resulted in a loss of momentum, potential income, and engagement with their audience. The author also notes the financial impact of the suspension, including the delay in receiving earnings and the disruption to their publishing schedule. In response, the author invites readers to subscribe to their SubStack newsletter as an alternative platform for continued engagement and communication.

Opinions

The author is relieved to have their Medium account reinstated but is also frustrated with the way the suspension was handled.
There is a belief that Medium could have managed the removal of spam and bots more effectively, suggesting an internal flagging process with an opportunity for users to appeal before suspension.
The suspension has caused a significant setback for the author, including the loss of momentum in their writing, a decrease in audience engagement, and financial repercussions due to lost income and delayed payouts.
The author is appreciative of the support received from their audience during

I Guess You Didn’t Think You’d Hear from Me Today

Lily dog doesn’t want us to ever be suspended again!

There’s honestly no simpler way to describe what is going on right now other than to hand it off to the great film “Independence Day”:

I just received an e-mail from the Medium Support team that my account is unsuspended after a prolonged waiting period of about 5 full days off of the platform.

I must admit, I read this e-mail with a mixture of relief and frustration.

Relief and Frustration

Although you might think that my singular feeling in this moment would be one of relief, that is not the case.

I am glad to hear that my account has been reinstated and that I am able to publish again and grow my audience.

HOWEVER, I am frustrated with what has happened on several fronts.

Those include:

This Could Have Been Done Much More Effectively

Getting rid of spam/bots can be done much more professionally and effectively.

I am 100% in favor of removing spam accounts and bots. I believe that it is necessary to do so to keep the platform healthy and functional for the rest of us.

This could have been done via an internal flagging process that sent an e-mail to suspected bots/spam accounts asking them to appeal or provide evidence that they are not in violation of the rules.

After receiving the appeal, the site could THEN suspend or ban accounts that are in violation of the rules.

Instead, the site suspended many of us for alleged violations of the rules and made us plead our case that we had not violated the rules.

Then, and only then, were we reinstated.

I Lost Momentum

My notifications went as dry as the desert.

All of the momentum and steam that I had built up on Medium was zapped when I was unable to publish, comment, or even receive notifications from other users.

To have that pulled out from under you without warning is jarring, to say the least.

It made me lost momentum, lose income from these stories for the last 5 days, and even lose out on this month’s payout.

That’s right….

I won’t be receiving February’s earnings until April’s payout…

That last point might be the most frustrating piece of news out of all of this.

But…

You can help me out considerably.

Please consider subscribing to my SubStack newsletter as either a free or paid ($20/month):

A Statement on My Medium Suspension, a Free Offer for You, and Reduced Subscription Rates

I didn't know if I was ever going to have the chance to speak with you again!

open.substack.com

With all of that said, thank you all again so much for your outpouring of support, and I am glad that we are once again getting the opportunity to speak with one another!