Here’s how I see it:
- Some person posts criticism of Kagi
- CEO of Kagi emails the person saying, I think some of what you said is factually inaccurate and I’d like a chance to talk to you about why
- Person angrily refuses to do that
- Mod of !techtakes publicly posts screenshots in his sub instead, calls the CEO an unhinged narcissist and his email a “harangue”
- People come in the thread and say, actually what the CEO said sounds “totally hinged” and the rude response seems un called for
- Mod starts banning people and deleting comments of people who are arguing with him, leaving up his own side of the conversation.
Fediverse/alttech users are some of the most thin-skinned people around. Square that with them being a forum mod and you’ve got a power trip of near-infinite potential.
I think they’re just done playing with trolls, and are erring on the opposite side now. Which, makes sense if they’ve been through enough on that other site. Especially in a fediverse of near-infinite community options, who cares. Sure, ban away.