A Deep Dive Into Online Authenticity
Of phony followers, hesitant readers, and shadow-banned tags
Do the best you can until you know better. Then, when you know better, do better. ~ Maya Angelou
Online writing platforms allow the voiceless to roar their views and opinions out of silence and obscurity.
Also, by studying and drawing inspiration from accomplished writers, new writers can enhance their skills.
For me, Medium’s allure has been the high-quality writing from seasoned writers. I have always believed that the $50 annual subscription fee for Medium is money well spent, even if I never write anything and only use it for reading stories.
As a Medium writer, do you ever feel that your voice is lost in the vastness of the internet ocean?
This idea led me to conduct some research on online writing and the topic of "shadow banning." I noticed that my Nigerian stories are not featured under one of my favorite writing tags — Nigeria.
Where best to start my investigation than on Medium itself?
On opening Medium mobile app, I clicked on the “stories roll”, at the top menu bar. There before me is the most recent stories the algorithm feeds into the topics (tags) I follow.
More than half of the stories under the “Nigeria” tag, were written in or before 2023. Meaning, that the likelihood of seeing the story you toiled for dozens of hours to craft is low. This scenario plays out in both the mobile and web versions of Medium app.
In contrast, the tag — Ukraine features in more than 80% of recent stories.
This comes as no surprise to me. Writing and tagging more stories with Ukraine will increase their visibility.
For the Nigeria tag, only older stories get thrown up more frequently. So, I can’t help wondering if the Nigeria tag is being shadow-banned.
What is shadow banning?
Shadow banning is a clandestine practice where a user’s content becomes hidden or less visible to others without any explicit notice. Unlike typical bans or suspensions, the user can still interact on the platform as usual, but their reach is significantly diminished. This tactic has become a subtle method for managing the vast sea of online content.
In an excellent Medium article, Veronica Llorca-Smith, itemized some of the precautions you can take to escape being shadow-banned or having your account revoked or suspended.
All Medium Mentors, Arise
Starting on Medium, I was fortunate to encounter more experienced writers and editors. My writing has grown better through the years because of their support.
One of my mentors doesn’t even follow me (and that’s OK). But by frequently taking time to read, comment, clap, and share my stories, he has helped to build up my confidence.
My mentor showed me tools for crafting better grammar, headlines and type their proper cases. Furthermore, he reads and highlights my stories, often pointing out quietly my grammar and spelling errors. These I promptly corrected after reviewing the post in question.
Of course, he also celebrates every little progress I make. I only wish that more mentors would step forward on Medium.
But, you must “Cry your own cry.”
Most online writers follow this Nigeria street-smart (or not so smart) wisdom;
Cry your own cry.
To thrive on Medium, one must also pair cleverness with a well-known African proverb.
If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go further, go together.
It is noteworthy that several Medium publications extend their community through off-Medium groups on platforms like Slack, Discord, and Telegram. There, they exchange ideas and resources to enhance, and promote their writing.
To stay in the game, play by the rules
Serious writers eventually realize that reciprocal gestures such as "scratch my back and I'll scratch yours," follow-for-follow, clapping for clapping, and insincere reading exchanges ultimately harm the writer's craft and Medium earnings.
No matter how captivating your story may be, on Medium, you’re just like a small sardine swimming in the same ocean as the sharks, the dolphins, and the whales of online writing.
However, Medium’s algorithmic rulers must not forget that certain writers are so exceptional in their craft that any written piece they produce is instantly devoured and applauded by their loyal readers and followers.
Otherwise, Medium may be unwittingly banning, and shadow-banning innocent writers and their faithful readers and followers.
But you must “Save yourself from yourself.” Today
How?
Don’t solicit for or pester other writers to follow you, read, or clap for your stories.
When you read other writers’ stories, only clap if you truly read those stories. Don’t go about just highlighting and clapping for stories you never read. That can only do more harm than good.
Avoid using vague and unhelpful comments. Prioritize reading most or all of a story before clapping or commenting. Your genuine feedback engagement can encourage the writer to do better. Based on my research, any insincere engagement with a writer’s stories will ultimately harm the writer. Since that is not your intention, you must desist if that has been your style.
Any diligent writer soon learns to recognize wholesale AI-generated writing. You must know and follow Medium’s policy on this.
If you miss anything, don’t miss this; “Anything that makes a creator look like a bot is a red flag: spamming accounts, sending mass connection requests, tagging a gazillion people in your post, adding a ton of hashtags… you get the idea.”
In your writings, use links, especially external links, appropriately. And don’t overdo it.
This last point, though not connected with shadow-banning, revocation, or outright cancellation, writers (especially new ones) should learn and follow online and Medium Writing Rules. For instance, seeing all capitals title headers, and emoji-saturated walls of text screams “NOVICE” or one who doesn’t want to change his ways.
Anything that makes a creator look like a bot is a red flag: spamming accounts, sending mass connection requests, tagging a gazillion people in your post, adding a ton of hashtags… you get the idea.
Thanks for reading. This story was originally published on Medium.
Share your experience and insights on how to avoid the pitfalls mentioned in the comments section.
Wow. This is super insightful.
Never even knew about shadow banning. The whole thing about one's account getting suspended or subtly hidden is kind of nerve wracking...especially if you genuinely don't know what you might be doing wrong.