Why is Hacker News flagging any negative conversations about vaccine?

Question

Just saw a completely innocuous post get flagged. Is this place really going to resort to thought policing? I thought this site was a place for ideas to stand on their own not get battered down because they don't fit your own beliefs.

version_five · Accepted Answer

This will get flagged fast. The more innocuous reason is because they are "boring" and just rehashing the same stuff or something that was on Joe Rogan doesn't meet the standard of what should be on the site, same as if it was "Eminem buys an NFT" which was also flagged todayI do feel like recently this site has become more intolerant of any sort of dissent from mainstream views though. Or at least asymmetrical: the same "boring" covid cheerleader posts are allowed to stand while anything saying we've gone too far is flagged. I think we'd be better off talking about it less overall.

marstall · Answer

what point was the "innocuous" post making?

errantmind · Answer

They aren't tech related and don't offer any new information. It is the same arguments over and over.Also, this site is not all that interested in free and open debate anymore. This aspect has been diminishing for years. It is better moderated than some other sites though which is why it has hung on for this long.

mrakve · Answer

How does flagging work on HN? Mods or user initiated?

sh4un · Answer

Thought police. It's crazy.Can't say I agree with everyone on everything but I'm not going out of my way to assault you with my non-expert opinion.