DABDA

Happy to help :)

Do you maybe have "Show Read Posts" unchecked in your settings and it's just hidden?

Ugh, I just can't win. I generally don't like to edit out (but just append to) stuff I've written but I'm really sorry about besmirching you and your instance due to another user causing me to doubt my interpretation of the modlog. Going to remove all mentions of dbzer0.

Sorry.

Those communities are hosted by db0 as their home instance - can't federate their content out to others if the origin doesn't exist (as I understand the mechanics anyway).

EDIT: dbzer0 had nothing to do with this ban, it was done by a Lemmy.World admin.

~~I updated my post after another user stated that it wasn't lemmy.world admins that performed the ban but the db0 team that did. I can't say with certainty that's actually the case since the modlog is pretty opaque and I don't have full knowledge of how [federated] actions are propagated & displayed.~~

~~I (incorrectly?) assumed since those communities had existed for so long on the dbzer0 instance they had at least tacit approval from the admins there and were in communication with them enough that a full ban wouldn't occur -- when I saw the removal in the modlog I didn't even consider that possibility.~~

~~Sorry for kicking up drama here if the Lemmy.World team had no part in this :(~~

~~Shit, sorry for all the drama if this is just me misunderstanding the federation system. I wish there was more information provided in the modlog than just "admin", like at least stating the origin server that took action. I just assumed since those communities had been "supported" (or at least tolerated) by db0 for so long they were on good terms and in communication with each other - didn't even cross my mind.~~

EDIT: db0/dbzer0 had nothing to do with this ban, it was performed by a LW admin.

It wouldn't be ethical, legal or really even feasible, but I wonder how long it would take for law enforcement to aggressively reform their methods and attitudes if some percentage of the calls they were sent to were "secret shopper" style tests involving important people.

Dispatched for reports of suspicious activity or drug dealing and it's some relative of the DA/mayor/governor etc. Make it part of the hiring process that relatives need to accept they might be unexpectedly used for that purpose and if they decline it hurts or prevents the official or officer's chances of being hired. Surely if there isn't any expectation of being abused there should be no concerns with having engagements with the police.

I'm sure in practice they'd work out secret handshakes and markers to identify themselves but maybe that could be exploited by the public like some do with police supporter bumper stickers.

EDIT: I recognize this didn't happen in the US, adjust specific terms and concepts as needed to localize :)

Tesseract is one tool that can do it.

I hate coming across gangstalking people and groups online because it's just sad to see as an outsider and invokes strong feelings of wanting to be helpful but being unable to. Like you said, they reinforce each other in their bubbles so there's no way to get a message through that their problem isn't really what they think it is and they need professional help. And short of somehow magically only allowing helpful people to interact with those thinking they're being gangstalked (technical and logistical impossibility) it becomes another chance for trolls or other sufferers to just encourage more conspiratorial and paranoid thinking.

It's an entirely different kind of IP theft, altogether.

Not an unreasonable concern about wandering into dark ideologies or not appreciating nuance leading to bad conclusions. It's also entirely possible I was just reading more into your comments than was intended. I don't currently have any plans to seek out more of his writing but I'll be sure to keep our conversation in mind to filter it through if I do (and others should as well).
Was nice to have a respectful and constructive conversation online, thanks again :)