Unbelievable!

Every online community ought to function as a democratic platform where people can voice their (well-reasoned) opinions, and anyone else should be able to jump in and argue back if they feel like it.

But Reddit isn't that.

It hasn't been since they started scrubbing threads that happen to make someone look bad.
And it gets especially shady when that "someone" actually pays for the privilege.

The way I see it, if you want a thread gone, all you have to do is buy a sponsored post and then file a request to delete any discussion that doesn't suit your interests.

Since this whole mess involves the housing subreddits moderated by cd covers, Matthew Fox4, and city, it’s highly likely one of them has their hands in this—if not someone higher up the food chain.

I’m not even looking for an explanation from them; I want a statement from the supermoderators.

I am calling for a public announcement regarding the following:

a) Why was the "General Electric Climate Case" thread deleted? As I recall, the thread was open, and the person involved—who, to quote "An isolated incident from ten years ago has made my job significantly harder"—could have easily presented their side of the story to the entire community, regardless of how old the thread was. By their own admission, they knew the thread existed and could have stepped in whenever they wanted. But they didn't. Now, after all these years, they suddenly remember it’s making their life difficult?

What a complete joke.

b) How many other threads like this have been wiped from the site? Isn't the whole point of a forum to keep the community informed about these kinds of situations?

c) If we just deleted every single thread that supposedly "interfered" with someone's business, what would this place even look like? It wouldn't be a forum anymore.

d) Exactly how much does a sponsored thread cost? I think the public deserves to know exactly how much it takes to sell you out; how much does it cost to sell our democracy?

e) When are you going to implement a dedicated "forum police"? You know, a squad that scans every new post daily, identifies anything that might hurt a corporation's image, sends those details over to your marketing department, and then coordinates with that company to drop a sponsored ad and kill the offending thread?

There’s probably a hell of a lot of money to be made there.

So, tell me, when is the forum's version of the FBI being established?

Or is it already up and running?

Oh, I see how it is—now they’re even scrubbing my posts from threads where I happen to disagree with people, slapping me with labels like "harassment," "spamming," or "trolling."

I mean, imagine thinking a three-sentence post somehow qualifies as all three categories at once; clearly, my grasp of the English language is just too sophisticated for this place.

I’m calling on Matthew Fox4 to step up and explain publicly exactly which part of my post was trolling, which part was spam, and which part was harassment; let the community see for themselves just how biased you are toward whoever is cutting you a check.

The explanation I got via private message was absolutely useless.

Mark Sullivan62 said:Oh, I see how it is—now they’re even scrubbing my posts from threads where I happen to disagree with people, slapping me with labels like "harassment," "spamming," or "trolling."

I mean, imagine thinking a three-sentence post somehow qualifies as all three categories at once; clearly, my grasp of the English language is just too sophisticated for this place.

I’m calling on Matthew Fox4 to step up and explain publicly exactly which part of my post was trolling, which part was spam, and which part was harassment; let the community see for themselves just how biased you are toward whoever is cutting you a check.

The explanation I got via private message was absolutely useless.

I’m absolutely swamped with personal stuff right now, just buried under a mountain of things to do, so I'll try my best to get back to you later today. Honestly, though, if you look at my DM, it should be pretty obvious why that post was seven sentences long instead of three—not three like you're claiming here on Reddit.

Man... I can't even check how many sentences were actually in there since the post got nuked 😁

Anyway, managing to pack three separate violations into just seven measly sentences? Honestly, that’s practically an art form at this point

Waiting on a response

This is your deleted post from sponsored thread:

Mark Sullivan62 said:Thanks for the reply
I don't need any technical advice regarding HVAC systems, and honestly, I doubt I’d be coming to you guys for that anyway.

And from what I can tell, nobody else does either, since there aren't even any posts here.

What a total waste of money......

Anyway, how are we supposed to know if this was just a one-off thing?

Not everyone is tech-savvy or loud enough to go posting on forums like this.....

Pretty soon you'll all be claiming that nothing ever happened at all, because hey, the thread got deleted, so now there's no proof an "isolated incident" ever existed in the first place.

Go back and read your very first post here, then tell me where your actual arguments are in this one. You basically decided (along with a few other users) to just discredit the sponsor.

It's just trolling mixed with a bit of belittling:

I don't need any technical advice regarding HVAC systems, and honestly, I doubt I’d be coming to you guys for that anyway.

I think it's pretty malicious to call out the sponsor over some business blunder from way back in 2007. You aren't even saying when this disputed event happened; based on your wording, it sounds like a recent issue. And of course, the other users aren't chiming in after you posted, because they're waiting for the sponsor's response, which didn't show up for three days. So really, it's your post—not the sponsor's reputation—that's why the rest of the community is staying quiet on this thread.

And from what I can tell, nobody else does either, since there aren't even any posts here.

Trolling / mocking:

What a total waste of money......

Bringing up that situation from nine years ago wasn't enough for you, so now you're implying the sponsor has more shady business dealings, but you aren't backing any of it up. Just like there's such a thing as spam ads, this would just be pure anti-advertising spam:

Anyway, how are we supposed to know if this was just a one-off thing?

Not everyone is tech-savvy or loud enough to go posting on forums like this.

And finally, just flat-out calling the sponsor liars without cause...

Pretty soon you'll all be claiming that nothing ever happened at all, because hey, the thread got deleted, so now there's no proof an "isolated incident" ever existed in the first place.

... even though they actually admitted there was an issue in the thread right before yours got deleted, and they explicitly said they fixed it too.

Honestly, anyone who hopped into this thread could see what you guys were doing. It’s pretty obvious that a small group of you decided to gang up on the sponsor for reasons we all know about. I didn't even need a DM to realize you were just trying to tear them down. Since you didn't bring up any actual business issues, you just jumped straight to calling them incompetent—which is funny, considering you said in your very first sentence that you weren't even going to ask them anything professional.

Just so we’re all on the same page regarding sponsored threads: look, everyone has every right to ask questions about the industry or how a sponsor operates. That's fine. But the way you started this whole confrontation? It’s just not okay. It’s below the level of a decent discussion, and frankly, it won't be tolerated—not from you, and not from anyone else who tries to pull the same stunt in a sponsored thread.

First off, thanks for getting back to me.

Secondly, I don't think the issue lies with the actual content of the post itself; rather, it’s the fact that we're dealing with a sponsored piece that's clearly rubbing everyone the wrong way. It seems like the whole thing just hits a nerve because there's money behind it, and honestly, that's what's really getting under your skin.

Alright, let’s take this one step at a time:

You’re out here claiming that I don’t present any actual arguments, but honestly, I don’t see anyone on this entire subreddit laying out a position only to immediately tear it apart—it usually only happens once someone actually drops a counterargument on them. But let's be real, neither side is even getting the chance to get into the weeds here because your constant censorship is killing the conversation before it can even start.

Look, I’m just laying out the cold, hard facts here, and honestly, I haven't really had the chance to build a proper case for them until now. But since the opportunity has finally presented itself, let's quit stalling and take this one step at a time:

Look, I don’t need any technical advice regarding my HVAC or ventilation systems, and frankly, I highly doubt you’re even the kind of people I’d turn to for that sort of thing anyway.

I just finished getting two new AC units installed, and honestly, they’re performing way better than I ever expected. Everything is running smooth as silk, so there isn't any real need for anyone to jump in with technical advice or "tips." And if I actually did have a problem, you can bet your life I wouldn't be turning to some random internet stranger for help. If you were keeping up with my posts over on the HVAC threads, you’d know I’ve got a buddy who’s been in the industry for twenty years—he’s basically an authorized specialist for the exact brand I have in my house—so why on earth would I need to listen to anyone else?

Maybe you could actually explain yourself for a second—like, what’s the actual logic there? Why on earth would anyone even think about reaching out to them in the first place?
I honestly don't see what the big deal is with that sentence they quoted.

And from what I can see, nobody else seems to have any either, since there isn't a single damn post on this entire board.

It’s the exact same set of facts. Honestly, it seems like some people just can't handle the truth when it's staring them right in the face.
I’m starting to suspect this is all just a direct result of my own posting habits. There’s honestly zero logic to it—people pay for a sponsored thread and then just go radio silent for three days straight without responding to anyone. It’s not a one-off, either; it keeps happening over and over again. Take that last post from Jeremiah 23:5, for example, where they dropped some very specific questions on May 23rd. Well, it’s now May 25th and there hasn't been a single reply. Is this some kind of shady business practice? I wouldn't know, since it’s not like they're running ads aimed at me or anything. Not to mention, I actually replied to their DM back on May 21st and still haven't heard a peep. To be fair, they did reach out to me on May 16th, but I was traveling at the time. Regardless, I didn't pay them to slide into my inbox, so I don't owe them any moral obligation—let alone a professional one—to respond.
Look, since they’re actually paying for this thread, you’d think there would be at least a shred of professionalism or basic courtesy involved here. If you're running a business, you respond to inquiries within a reasonable timeframe, right? That's just common sense. But waiting three whole days for a reply in this day and age? Yeah, that's definitely not cutting it. It’s just not how things work anymore.

You basically just threw your money straight into a wood chipper...

Look, I’m not trying to mock anyone here, but let's just stick to the facts regarding that last point you made. Besides, there's that old saying—you know, like when people say "all your effort is for nothing"—which is exactly what happens when someone tries way too hard and gets zero results. To be specific: they paid for the thread, they practically forced you to delete the whole thing just in case they could somehow boost their reputation or whatever, but honestly? It didn't work. Not even a little bit. The Reddit community didn't buy it for a second. There aren't any posts left, and out of the few that actually remain, you've already gone ahead and scrubbed a third of them yourself.

But seriously, how on earth are we supposed to know if we’re actually looking at an isolated incident here?

Not everyone is tech-savvy enough, and frankly, not everyone has the guts to actually speak up and hold their own in an online debate...

What’s the big deal with this part? It’s a perfectly reasonable question—how can we honestly say this is just some one-off, isolated incident? Not every controversial case ends up being debated on Reddit; some of them go straight to the FBI. 😁)

I was right here looking for their actual arguments, but instead of finding anything useful, I just ran straight into your censorship after you went ahead and nuked my thread.

Let’s be real here—there was this massive, controversial thread about a specific dispute that just happened to vanish from Reddit the exact moment they cut a check to the mods. You tell me that isn't suspicious? It’s straight-up Stalinist tactics, not anything remotely resembling a democracy. And to top it off, the whole thread was completely one-sided, presenting nothing but the customer's version of the story. The company had every single opportunity to weigh in and defend themselves, but they chose to stay silent because they didn't think it mattered at the time. I actually have proof—an admission of guilt posted over on Yelp—but I’m not going to drag that over here since we're on Reddit. It's just funny how, suddenly, after nine years of silence, they're acting like they've been wronged too. What changed?
I really wanted to give them a chance to lay out their side of the story—you know, let them present their own facts so that this whole Reddit crowd could weigh in and come to their own conclusions—but apparently, that was asking too much. Not happening.
I mean, I think the whole situation speaks for itself, doesn't it? Honestly, the fact that they actually have to shell out cash just to bury a controversial thread—and wipe away every single trace that it ever existed—pretty much tells you everything you need to know.

Honestly, enough with the mindless nonsense

"soon you'll all be claiming that nothing ever happened at all, because hey, the thread was deleted, so there's no proof an 'isolated' incident ever existed in the first place"

Now, look, I’m not calling Bianco a liar for declaring a sponsor off than just following the logical conclusion of his Stalinist tactics—tactics he's using specifically to sweep this "isolated" incident under the rug

The bottom line is this: due to subjective reasons (or, to be more precise, purely financial ones), my post was wiped, just as this controversial thread was erased (meaning hidden) for those exact same reasons. It is blatant censorship, plain and simple.

Once a sponsor decides to resort to these kinds of methods, we can safely conclude they aren't acting like a legitimate or ethical entrepreneur.

You know what they say: actions speak louder than words.

And just so you know, in case you were unaware, I spent about three or four years moderating two different PDF sub-forums simultaneously. So, please, don't try to lecture me on what constitutes spamming, trolling, or harassment. For the record, I've been on Reddit for nearly ten years, I've dropped over 10,000 posts, and the only warning I’ve ever received was yours—and frankly, I was just collateral damage because neither you nor your colleagues bothered to actively moderate the thread.

Besides, the lack of active moderation on this site is proven by the fact that the SSM rules PDF I wrote five or six years ago remained the active, valid standard with almost zero changes until just last year. Then, finally, someone decided it was time to update them.

Of course, that doesn't mean some of my posts don't contain elements of spam or trolling or whatever else, but it certainly wasn't the one I got flagged for, nor was it this one that just got deleted.

This whole mess is just the fallout of inactivity, cover-ups, censorship, and playing favorites with sponsors.

By the way, you might want to tell your admins and super-mods that it would be incredibly classy if they actually responded to inquiries within four days. I won't even mention that they should do it out of basic professionalism—which clearly isn't present here—but at least out of respect for someone who has spent years volunteering their time to moderate parts of this site for free.

So, I'm hoping I don't pick up another strike for going off-topic here; I assume commenting on the moderation is allowed, right?

BTW, just for the record, I stepped down from my moderator duties voluntarily once I realized I couldn't get back to inquiries for a few days at a time due to my personal life.

In conclusion, I expect both the deleted (hidden) post and the thread to be restored to exactly where they were before.

So, here we are—it’s been nearly three weeks now, this thread has racked up over a thousand views, and yet, absolutely nothing... just total silence from everyone...

Hey, any of you supermods out there actually willing to step up and give some attention to post number one?