Oi, just a heads up as you don't seem to use it in a negative way, but

OP and me are venting, we are well aware that the issues can be mitigated to some extent. Also, this post is literally about someone putting hateful messages in their username and profile picture, hiding your identity won't exactly help then :(

Constant harassment? ... a single infraction is enough to remove internet strangers forever.

I think maybe you don't quite understand, doesn't matter how many we block there is always one more phobe just around the corner, and being attacked by these people can be quite taxing emotionally in the long run.

I reported their account and a couple of other ones, hopefully steam will do something eventually.

History disagrees with you. The truth is that regular protests can be ignored, and voting may not always be very accessible (in non-democracies or because of voter suppression) or effective as a means to achieve change where you live (the US and similar countries because of first past the post voting systems). Direct action is absolutely a necessary and important tool for democracies to be functional whatsoever, and is in fact part of how we ensure good workplace conditions and good wages here in Norway (we have regular strikes as part of bargaining with businesses and the state). Hoping and waiting for things to improve is at best a recipe for nothing to happen.

It seems you think that disruptive protests need to be violent or damaging? Strikes are disruptive and harmless and very effective at changing things for the better.

I've seen people debate this endlessly, but I've never seen anyone on the side of not voting explain anything beyond "I don't want to support genocide" as if the republicans aren't just as gung ho about killing children. What is the utility in not participating in the election? What do you think not voting will achieve?

You aren't sending a signal and you certainly aren't making the democrats commit less genocide.

Voting democrat is the lesser evil and will have actual positive results for people living in the US, and it isn't mutually exclusive with other ways of enacting change.

Edit: My comment seems a bit aggressive in hindsight :S sorry about that

Yet I still hear people arguing for not voting as if minimizing harm is not useful. You've not morally failed in any way by voting for the democrats while still working towards change in other ways.

Cajun spice contains garlic! You're safe

I have 6 ears ??

Pretty sure each of the companies selling smart home systems like this want to become the dominant go to system, so focusing on earning profits doesn't make much sense. You want to lure customers into your ecosystem and for your solution to become so dominant you become a monopoly, or at least so you don't fall behind and let someone else become ubiquitous. I view it as amazon building infrastructure and supporting future endeavors.

This sounds familiar! I think this is it! Thank you very much

Dunno? More moderation tools in general. Lemmy mods regularly complain about a lack of tools, but I've never moderated anything so I wouldn't know. The project page probably describes what additional tools it has which is one of the things I'm interested in reading about.

Perhaps some moderators can chime in with what kinda stuff they miss or want?