Getting Banned from Medium for No Reason Was a Blessing in Disguise

Thank you for introducing me to Substack, Tony!

Credit: Pexels

Hey everyone,

I’ve got a story for you today that’s a bit of a rollercoaster, but trust me, it has a happy ending. So, let’s dive in!

Last week, I woke up to a nightmare—my Medium.com account had been banned. No warning, no explanation, just a cold, hard “your account has been suspended” red banner when I logged in to check my stats. As you can imagine, I was devastated. I’ve poured my heart and soul into my writing, and Medium was where I connected with all of you. The fact that I had almost $900 in reading revenue for June waiting to be paid out stung a bit too. So, what happened?

Well, it turns out some right-wing trolls decided to have a bit of fun at my expense. They created a bunch of fake profiles impersonating me and then mass-reported my content. A few of them even went so far as to create fake social media profiles and stalk me on Twitter. It was frustrating and unfair, to say the least. I spent hours trying to get in touch with Medium’s support team, but it felt like shouting into the void. It was a classic case of internet bullying, and I was caught in the middle of it.

When I finally received a response from Medium, they sent screenshots of the fake profiles and asked me to explain what was going on. As if I was impersonating myself to troll and report myself. I told them I had no idea, but that I’d had problems with right-wing extremists trying to cyber-bully me before, and I asked what rules I had allegedly broken.

They wouldn’t tell me, and sent an email the next morning while I was at work telling me I needed to provide an explanation for the fake accounts that were leaving vicious comments on my stories, as well as other writers’ content, apparently. It was a very hectic day at the office, so I didn’t get a chance to reply while I was at work, so I logged into my Gmail as soon as I got home.

They had sent another email only a few hours after the previous one: “Since you have not replied, the decision at this time is final.” That was that. No chance to defend myself, no appeal, no explanation. It almost seems like they just want to find reasons to ban writers that make “too much” money on their platform, so that they don’t have to pay us. I say this because the last time I was banned, due to the spam filter being triggered accidentally, was right at the beginning of the month as well, just before Medium pays out writers’ earnings.

At first, I was crushed. Writing is my passion, and Medium had been my home for so long. I felt like I was being silenced. But then, something amazing happened. I stumbled upon Substack. And let me tell you, it’s been a game-changer.

Substack is such a great platform! It’s straightforward, user-friendly, and best of all, it values the writer-reader relationship. I’ve found it to be a breath of fresh air compared to Medium’s sometimes convoluted interface and opaque policies.

One of the first things I noticed about Substack was the sense of community. It feels more intimate, more personal. My subscribers can reply directly to my newsletters, and we can have genuine conversations. It’s like having coffee with friends rather than speaking to a faceless crowd. I’m able to connect with you all on a deeper level, and that’s something I cherish.

Another fantastic aspect of Substack is the creative freedom. There are no algorithms dictating what content gets seen. I can write about what I’m passionate about, knowing it will reach the people who care. There’s no pressure to conform to trending topics or to water down my message to appeal to a broader audience. It’s liberating.

And then there’s the financial aspect. Substack allows me to monetize my writing in a way that feels fair and transparent. I can offer free content, paid subscriptions, or a mix of both. It’s empowering to know that my income isn’t tied to ad revenue or arbitrary metrics but to the value my readers find in my work.

Getting banned from Medium felt like the end of the world at first. But it’s turned out to be a blessing in disguise. It pushed me to find a platform that aligns more closely with my values and where I can truly thrive as a writer.

So, to all the fascist trolls out there: thank you. Your attempt to silence me only made my voice stronger. And to all my readers, thank you for sticking with me through this transition. Your support means everything to me. If you haven’t already, I’d love for you to join me on Substack. Let’s continue this journey together, in a place where our voices can be heard, and, more importantly, valued.

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