Back in August 2017, I embarked on a journey into the world of online blogging, eager to share my thoughts, experiences, and stories with a wider audience. As I started monetizing my content, a conversation with my brother led me to Steemit.com, a platform he claimed was yielding better financial rewards for his own posts. Intrigued, I joined Steemit with high hopes, only to find myself facing numerous challenges and disappointments along the way. In this blog post, I’ll delve into the reasons why I eventually made the difficult decision to leave Steemit.com.
Grammar Police: Undermining Creativity and Expression
Throughout my journey on Steemit, I faced criticism from individuals who appeared to be hypocritical in their own actions. One particular instance involved @therealwolf, who openly criticized my posts due to my perceived lack of grammatical proficiency. However, upon further research, I discovered that he himself had started with similar errors in his older posts and articles. This blatant double standard left a sour taste in my mouth and made me question the fairness and integrity of the platform.
Additionally, @therealwolf publicly lambasted me for utilizing upvote bots, accusing me of gaming the system. Yet, it came to light that he, too, had been an active user and even created some of these very bots. This revelation shattered the credibility of those who claimed to enforce ethical standards while engaging in the same practices they condemned. Such hypocrisy eroded my trust in the Steemit community and left me disillusioned.
Big Account Downvotes: Suppressing Freedom of Expression
One of the most frustrating experiences I encountered on Steemit was the unwarranted downvoting of my posts by influential accounts simply because they disagreed with the content or individuals I mentioned. In particular, @berniesanders and his followers, like @transisto, targeted one of my tutorial posts just because I mentioned @blocktrades, a platform I found useful in my blogging journey. This targeted downvoting seemed to stem from personal grudges or differing opinions rather than any legitimate violation of community guidelines.
These actions of suppressing freedom of expression contradicted the fundamental principles of Steemit, a platform that claims to foster an open and decentralized community. Instead, it felt like a hierarchy where powerful accounts could silence and intimidate smaller users at their discretion. Such censorship only served to stifle creativity and discourage genuine engagement, ultimately driving me away from the platform.
Conclusion:
Steemit.com initially appeared to be a promising platform for bloggers and content creators seeking financial rewards for their work. However, my personal experiences exposed a number of deep-rooted issues that eroded the very foundation on which Steemit was built. The grammar police’s relentless downvoting, the hypocritical criticism from influential members, and the suppression of freedom of expression through targeted downvotes all contributed to my decision to leave Steemit.com.
As a blogger, I value creativity, authenticity, and an inclusive community that encourages constructive feedback and growth. Unfortunately, Steemit fell short on these fronts, ultimately pushing me away from a platform I had hoped would support
