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Health & Fitness

The Patch Censored My Blog and Didn't Tell Me

On Friday, March 28th, I posted an article to this Patch blog titled "Alcatraz to Re-Open as Golden Gate Correctional Facility".  The article was (as the title suggests) satirical.  If you read my "Occupy Tam Junction" article from a few months back, you will understand that my Patch blog is in no way a serious news provider, nor does it claim to supply readers with fact-based journalism.  As of this morning, my article had two comments, one Facebook share, one Twitter share, and one at least one recommendation.  

Then, this afternoon, the article was gone.  No Miranda rights, no trial, no notification of next-of-kin.  My article was just... gone, spirited away to the land of dead-end URLs.  At the article's URL is now a goofy graphic of a kid shaking an empty cereal box and a message:

"There doesn't seem to be anything at this address (or it may be something you need special permission to view).  Make sure you're signed in with your own account, or search for what you were looking for."

If my article was removed deliberately by Patch staff, I expect to be informed of when, why, and on what grounds my article was censored.  If my article disappeared due to technical error (which I doubt), I expect for it to be restored to its original URL.

Censorship is a serious issue, especially when it occurs on a social news platform that puts forth an ethos of community and inclusivity.  If censorship was indeed exercised on my article, then it is incumbent upon the Patch to admit to me (and to its readers) that it engages in censorship of its blogs.  To remain silent on this issue undermines the very principles of "community" and "sharing" that Patch is based upon.

   

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