I’d just like to insert a little tangent here: Roko’s post and the select comments are the only things that moderation had any effect on whatsoever since the launch of the site—if I remember correctly. I don’t think even the PUA wars had any interference from above. Of course, this is a community blog, but even this level of noninterference is very non-typical on the internet. Normally you’d join a forum and get a locked thread and a mod warning every so often.
Additionally, that on LW we get this much insight about the workings of SIAI-as-a-nonprofit and have this much space for discussion of any related topics is also an uncommon thing and should be considered a bonus.
Technically that’s not true, if I recall correctly all AI/singularity topics were banned for the first six months to prevent this from being just another Singularity community in the crucial early phases.
I’d just like to insert a little tangent here: Roko’s post and the select comments are the only things that moderation had any effect on whatsoever since the launch of the site—if I remember correctly. I don’t think even the PUA wars had any interference from above. Of course, this is a community blog, but even this level of noninterference is very non-typical on the internet. Normally you’d join a forum and get a locked thread and a mod warning every so often.
Additionally, that on LW we get this much insight about the workings of SIAI-as-a-nonprofit and have this much space for discussion of any related topics is also an uncommon thing and should be considered a bonus.
Technically that’s not true, if I recall correctly all AI/singularity topics were banned for the first six months to prevent this from being just another Singularity community in the crucial early phases.
It was only two months; nevertheless you’re right about that.