Being Right on a Platform that’s Left (behind)
Why Medium is in Decline
Without Free Speech there can be no Debate. When all it takes is a click of a button to censor ideas and opinions, society takes another step backwards. Dare you state fact, regardless of how respectfully it’s made, you could find yourself suspended from Medium altogether.
This made me wonder how such a policy is faring for Medium :
“In early 2020, reports indicated a significant decline in Medium’s organic search traffic, with some analyses suggesting a drop of up to 40% in SEO visibility” — Source : seoRoundtable.com & Async Labs
Medium’s Reputation
I didn’t realise before I joined just how far left writers and readers were on Medium. With over 100k subscribers on my Substack channels you can imagine my surprise when Medium’s audience simply didn’t take to hearing simple truths.
Opinions Not Facts
Medium consists of many articles that are not only factually incorrect but defamatory in nature. There is no policy on Medium on which to report such factual inaccuracies. That is unless the inaccuracy can be framed in a way perceived as dehumanising or disempowering.
Surely risking speech with anyone risks feeling disempowered. In respectful debate the very point is to find truth.
Truth is found through the empowering of what is true and disempowering what is not. It’s not personal. Facts do not care about your feelings.
The “No Debate” Policy
How are we to have a range of diverse opinions if we are discouraged from having them. Medium’s policy is instead to do the following:
Scientific Facts
…are disallowed if they hurt someone’s feelings in a way that is subjectively perceived as the following.
Definitions are not provided hence the vague certainty and exclusive decision making with Medium Moderators alone.
If this is the reason then surely we would see other platforms make gains?
Facts Reign Supreme!
Several Blogging Platforms have seen a rise in recent years. Medium is one of the top results for Computer and Technology related articles.
This alone should tell Medium how readers prefer factual articles. But even then they are outranked.
Medium as Twitter
Twitter was exposed as very left leaning and also adopting similar policies to Medium today of censorship and suspension for sharing alternate views.
It’s no surprise when you learn that Medium was founded by Evan Williams, who is also a co-founder of Twitter.
Since Elon Musk took over, X has seen an incredible rise and one that Medium should take note.
Despite criticism of Elon’s crusade for Free Speech the people are voting to move to X more than ever.
Escape the Echo Chamber
What I read mostly on Medium are opinion pieces by lazy authors. A simple search is all it would take to verify their false facts. But it’s obvious why they don’t.
Writers have found a following in fiction they state as fact.
It’s clear that in many cases the Medium readership has become one of an echo chamber. Dare you open the door to reality and you could face the wrath of the Medium Moderators.
I have several times and it’s clear to me the moderators are not interested in truth, only the protection of hurty feelings that facts reveal.
You might thing my facts are incorrect and please feel free to challenge me if you do. This is something I want and seek out. It’s something we should all want as it leads us closer to the truth.
I no longer pay towards the Medium Partnership Programme for this reason. And it appears many have realised this before me and left already.
Don’t Be Left on Medium. Be right.
Thanks for reading
P.s. please feel free to read other’s opinions on this topic below :
