Scott Alexander distinguishes between moderation and censorship in social media, proposing opt-in settings for banned content as a solution to balance user preferences and free speech. Longer summary

Scott Alexander argues that moderation and censorship are distinct concepts often conflated in debates about social media content. He defines moderation as a business practice to improve user experience, while censorship involves third-party intervention against users' wishes. The post proposes a solution where platforms could implement opt-in settings for banned content, allowing users to choose their level of exposure. This approach would maintain the benefits of moderation while avoiding the pitfalls of censorship. Scott acknowledges some arguments for true censorship but emphasizes the importance of separating these concepts to foster more productive debates on the topic. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander explores why readers prefer his old amateur blog layout to Substack's professional design, presenting survey data and considering various explanations for this unexpected preference. Longer summary

Scott Alexander discusses the consistent preference of readers for his old Slate Star Codex (SSC) blog layout over the new Substack-mandated Astral Codex Ten (ACX) layout. He presents survey results and reader comments supporting this preference, despite the SSC layout being an amateur design compared to Substack's professional one. Scott explores possible explanations for this phenomenon, including selection bias, mobile optimization, WordPress vs. Substack, and the general trend towards minimalist designs in various fields. He questions why Substack's standardized layout appears to be less appealing than his old amateur design, drawing parallels to the MySpace vs. Facebook design philosophy and the concept explored in his 'Whither Tartaria?' post about the transition from complex to minimalist designs. Shorter summary