Regarding "Controversial Ideas" and a change in our mascot
A couple of days ago a newcomer started a new community called "Controversial ideas" and began posting content.
I originally took it at face value, however it quickly became apparent that the "controversial ideas" were all just different angles of trying to normalize relationships between adults and under-age teenagers, under the guise of pseudo-intellectual debate on age of consent laws, brain development, etc.
A bit of digging made it clear that this was an individual with an agenda. He had started similar communities on several other instances using different usernames, all with the same objective and approach. His multitude of other social media accounts told a similar story and included real hot takes such as this one:
This individual has been banned and the community removed.
I don't know how much clearer I can make it that this kind of shit isn't and will never be tolerated here.
Seeing as this was the second pedophile that tried to set up shop here in the past month, I've become a bit concerned that there may be something about our previous mascot that is giving off the wrong impression. Maybe the mouse is too childish? Maybe it looks too young? I really don't know, but I've decided to change it just in case.
Our new mascot is much more aggressive, hopefully it sends the right message. I welcome your feedback on it.
What a weird way to spend your day, “I really think child porn should be more socially acceptable, let me try to drum up support online.” Is it a job for them, is someone else financing it? Or is it a… uhhh… personal hobby? Child porn and pedophilia is like bottom-of-the-rung illegal, I don’t know that there’s anything else lower in Western society, it shouldn’t be open for discussion.
It really is incredible, he has other similar communities, active accounts on pretty much all major platforms, even a YouTube channel where he makes animated videos in support of these ideas (doesn't appear in the video / doesn't use his real voice).
The amount of effort he puts into this is insane, nobody does this unless they are personally very invested in the cause.
Thank you. Where there is smoke there is fire. I saw a few posts that were leaning towards that too and was like "dude wtf am I reading" and just got off lemmy for the day.
Be wary though, outside of that user I think there are still some up in the rafters on our server, if you catch my drift.
I was in the "wtf am I reading" camp initially too, but it became clearer the more he posted. You would be amazed at how much similar shit I've discovered from this individual once I started digging into it.
Idk if it's the previous mascot. When I joined it never felt like it was child-like or anything. I do like the new one, though.
I think that guy is just looking for an instance/server that would tolerate or at least ignore the BS he's trying to push. I never even saw his posts so kudos to you for being on top of it really quickly. And I hope that guy doesn't find an instance he can spread his ideas in.
I think you're right, he probably ended up here by chance. I didn't see any problem with the old mascot either, but maybe soft and cartoony is misinterpreted by some people so I thought I'd send a message with the new one.
He's certainly trying hard to find a place that will take him.