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Posted by: Atko

Posting time: 19/06/2015 13:39:41

Last edit time: 19/06/2015 13:42:10

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234

Our provider, hosteurope.de shut down our servers due to "political incorrectness" (self.announcements)

submitted 57 minutes ago by Atko

Our hosting provider, hosteurope.de has terminated all our contracts and shut down all our servers without issuing a warning or trying to talk to us. This includes my private server which was only used to host my girlfriends blog. She is a scientist. She published her research papers on that blog (pre-formatted papers to which she owns the copyright). That server contained no other data whatsoever.

The reason they gave us when they notified us that they have cancelled our contract is "...we have received significant information that the content on your server includes political incorrect parts that are unacceptable for us." and "Due to the fact that we cannot keep bond of trust to you as our customer...".

Luckily, we have managed to move our databases to a cloud platform mere hours before they shut down our servers. Ladies and gentlemen, my eyes have been opened by this. I don't know about you, but we are living in a weird world. We will have to carefully evaluate our long term options of providing a platform of free speech if we are to stay online. Your donations are what keeps us afloat. Our paypal account has been un-suspended, so you can still donate to hello@voat.co, or via bitcoin to wallet address 1C4Q1RvUb3bzk4aaLVgGccnSnaHYFdESzY.

Also, I am back in Sweden from my post-graduation vacation, currently packing my things and I will be driving (moving) to Switzerland tomorrow or day after tomorrow.

Edit: just to clarify, I have been a hosteurope.de customer for well over 5 years, always paying my bills and never hosting any illegal content.

Our hosting provider, hosteurope.de has terminated all our contracts and shut down all our servers without issuing a warning or trying to talk to us. This includes my private server which was only used to host my girlfriends blog. She is a scientist. She published her research papers on that blog (pre-formatted papers to which she owns the copyright). That server contained no other data whatsoever.

The reason they gave us when they notified us that they have cancelled our contract is "...we have received significant information that the content on your server includes political incorrect parts that are unacceptable for us." and "Due to the fact that we cannot keep bond of trust to you as our customer...".

Luckily, we have managed to move our databases to a cloud platform mere hours before they shut down our servers. Ladies and gentlemen, my eyes have been opened by this. I don't know about you, but we are living in a weird world. We will have to carefully evaluate our long term options of providing a platform of free speech if we are to stay online. Your donations are what keeps us afloat. Our paypal account has been un-suspended, so you can still donate to hello@voat.co, or via bitcoin to wallet address 1C4Q1RvUb3bzk4aaLVgGccnSnaHYFdESzY.

Also, I am back in Sweden from my post-graduation vacation, currently packing my things and I will be driving (moving) to Switzerland tomorrow or day after tomorrow.

**Edit:** just to clarify, I have been a hosteurope.de customer for well over 5 years, always paying my bills and never hosting any illegal content.

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[–] algidum 44 points (+44|-0) 54 minutes ago

DDOS first then making your old host close your account? This is war!

permalink

[–] penguinman 23 points (+24|-1) 30 minutes ago

this is the same EXACT shit that happened to 8ch and Hotwheels in this EXACT order. Welcome to outrage and censorship culture. Remember this the next time someone says "It's not censorship because you can make your own site."

[–] Patchface- 4 points (+4|-0) 11 minutes ago

Welcome to being a minority. I'm as upset as you are, but this is what happens when you're the minority.

[–] Espurra 0 points (+0|-0) 9 minutes ago

Saved your comment so that I indeed will remember

[–] gurlat 0 points (+0|-0) 1 minute ago

So what should we expect next?

[–] Mokum 9 points (+9|-0) 44 minutes ago (last edited 35 minutes ago)

war with whom though? 

(edit: I mean this semi-seriously. is this just people being dicks, or a long-term shift in [internet] culture, or something else?)

[–] testpostplsignore 20 points (+20|-0) 41 minutes ago (last edited 40 minutes ago)

With *them*. **THEY** did this! What more do we need to know?

[–] Patchface- 1 points (+1|-0) 26 minutes ago

I will fight them in real life.

[–] OrangeSn0w 0 points (+0|-0) 20 minutes ago

Fite me irl

[–] yvesmh 0 points (+0|-0) 16 minutes ago

This is a war that even 4chan lost... I really hope we can survive this.

[–] Calzone 2 points (+2|-0) 11 minutes ago

4chan lost because Moot became an SJW little douche and actively tried to change the culture.

[–] ninjadoge24 11 points (+11|-0) 40 minutes ago

The SJWs

[–] Genocide 2 points (+4|-2) 38 minutes ago

*Buzzer* Wrong.

[–] token 0 points (+0|-0) 21 minutes ago

Not entirely worng, if you are to assume Pao is a SJW and she heads reddit inc and assuem again that reddit is behind it then it is semi true.

[–] SwimmingInAFishbowl 1 points (+1|-0) 32 minutes ago

This question.   Is this a shift?  Or desperation?

[–] Sento_Fernner 2 points (+2|-0) 38 minutes ago

We need to stop our ship from sinking first.

[–] yvesmh 3 points (+3|-0) 21 minutes ago

The move to Cloudflare will keep it afloat for now, but this "being politically correct" or GTFO is bullshit.

[–] zveda 0 points (+0|-0) 13 minutes ago (last edited 13 minutes ago)

Outrageous. Where can voat go from here? There must be some hosting service that values freedom.

[–] Goatfago666 41 points (+41|-0) 50 minutes ago (last edited 48 minutes ago)

Sounds like someone sees you as a threat. 

Good work.

permalink

[–] D-- 30 points (+30|-0) 52 minutes ago (last edited 47 minutes ago)

Terribly sorry to hear this. I really admire what you're doing and will be donating what I can by PayPal... while it's still open.

I'm really worried your PayPal account will be the next thing to go since they have disabled the accounts of many people with a similar cause. Please make sure you are cashing it out regularly. It would be terrible if some of the donations were lost due to spineless corporate bullshit.

Edit: Oh shit. Did it already happen? I am getting this message when sending money to hello@voat.co from my existing PayPal balance (not bank/credit):

We can't send your payments right now. If the problem continues please contact Customer Support.

Terribly sorry to hear this. I really admire what you're doing and will be donating what I can by PayPal... while it's still open.

I'm really worried your PayPal account will be the next thing to go since they have disabled the accounts of many people with a similar cause. Please make sure you are cashing it out regularly. It would be terrible if some of the donations were lost due to spineless corporate bullshit.

Edit: Oh shit. Did it already happen? I am getting this message when sending money to hello@voat.co from my existing PayPal balance (not bank/credit):

>We can't send your payments right now. If the problem continues please contact Customer Support.

permalink

[–] Mokum 8 points (+8|-0) 38 minutes ago

It was happening earlier due to a sudden large influx (which is standard policy and very understandable) but idk if paypal is a good longterm solution, because they are infamous for pushing their agenda and generally being assholes.

[–] zephyr1999 2 points (+2|-0) 38 minutes ago

You might just be having other technical difficulties... I was just now able to donate without any hiccups.

[–] kingemocut 1 points (+1|-0) 19 minutes ago

hopefully they'll start taking credit card payments too, as a backup. hopefully.

[–] johnnyboy1 24 points (+24|-0) 54 minutes ago

That's a rather strange thing to do. Especially also regarding the server not containing any data of this site. As far as I know this is not a legal thing to do, check should check your contract with the provider.

permalink

[–] algidum 14 points (+14|-0) 52 minutes ago

These contracts usually have a clause "we can terminate service at any time"...

[–] pao_is_a_tranny 10 points (+11|-1) 46 minutes ago

And they have probably received complaints from hamplanets who know how to use dig and whois.

[–] Dirty_Asshole 3 points (+4|-1) 40 minutes ago

I'm surprised the hams could manage to reach all the keys to type dig

[–] mising 1 points (+1|-0) 25 minutes ago

You need to remember that those hamplanets are also Reddit/Imgur admins.  It's safe to assume they are not completely incompetent.

[–] token 1 points (+1|-0) 23 minutes ago

This smells more of corporate sabotage than keyboard activism. I'd assume people in high places aren't happy about the exodus. Just look at the "reddit gold" meter, it isnt reaching 100% anymore when slow days were 115% or more.

[–] flarflar 1 points (+1|-0) 47 minutes ago

I'm sure it is somewhere in the user agreement

[–] Bug_Catcher_Joey 7 points (+7|-0) 38 minutes ago

The spineless hosting company was probably spammed with bullshit emails, gotten their panties in a bunch a decided to preemptively shut everything down in case there's an upcoming shitstorm. It's not unusual.

[–] lettersofmarque 4 points (+4|-0) 29 minutes ago

This seems most likely to me. Most companies fold like a lawn chair at the first sign of public discord. It doesn't require the schemed machinations of a secret cabal, merely a couple emails by another customer about heightened sensibilities offended.

[–] Genocide 21 points (+21|-0) 51 minutes ago

Those that would shut down open dialogue and free spread of information without censorship are very powerful and will stop at nothing to quiet those that do not follow their agenda. This is going to be a long and difficult road. For the sake of everything that used to proliferate on the web - true freedom - I hope you are up to the task. I, (and I'm sure, thousands of others) are at your back.

Those that would shut down open dialogue and free spread of information without censorship are very powerful and will stop at nothing to quiet those that do not follow their agenda. This is going to be a long and difficult road. For the sake of everything that used to proliferate on the web - true freedom - I hope you are up to the task. I, (and I'm sure, thousands of others) are at your back.

permalink

[–] Mokum 10 points (+10|-0) 34 minutes ago

If you have time (8 hours) moot's final q&a is really interesting to listen to. He talks quite a bit about how for too long he did things by himself, and that it took quite a toll on him. atko, if you need help reach out, yeah?

[–] SeraCharm 19 points (+19|-0) 51 minutes ago (last edited 50 minutes ago)

This is fucking censorship.

permalink

[–] Bug_Catcher_Joey 11 points (+13|-2) 40 minutes ago

It's not censorship. It's a cowardly company trying to cover their asses. It's a shitty situation but it's not censorship.

[–] Genocide 3 points (+4|-1) 36 minutes ago

And what do you call the people that are putting pressure on that cowardly company? Are they censors?

[–] t3hyoshi 1 points (+1|-0) 7 minutes ago

Are they aflame with rose scented incense? LOL JK. No, they are just butts who don't have the nerve to step up to the one offending them and give them a good one-two punch to the face, or the nerve to puff out that chest of theirs and take a bit of hate, whilst turning it into a reverse joke.

[–] Patchface- 2 points (+2|-0) 12 minutes ago

I agree with Joey here. It's a private company who can deny service to anyone they choose to (as long as the reasons aren't race, sex, age, etc.). They disagree with what voat brings to the table, but voat is more than welcome to move to a competitor. This is the free market. Not censorship.

[–] frankenmine 0 points (+0|-0) 3 minutes ago

Yes. In other words, censorship. That's what he said. You're not contradicting what he said.

[–] PennyLane 16 points (+16|-0) 46 minutes ago (last edited 46 minutes ago)

" Ladies and gentlemen, my eyes have been opened by this. I don't know about you, but we are living in a weird world."

It's never been more clear to me then this past month. There is a large group of us who won't go quietly into the night...thank you for being on the front lines.

'Do not go gentle into that good night. Rage, rage against the dying of the light.' '

" Ladies and gentlemen, my eyes have been opened by this. I don't know about you, but we are living in a weird world."

It's never been more clear to me then this past month. There is a large group of us who won't go quietly into the night...thank you for being on the front lines. 

'Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.' 
'

permalink

[–] Mick 14 points (+14|-0) 51 minutes ago

Wow, there really is a New World Order.

permalink

[–] Patchface- 12 points (+12|-0) 54 minutes ago

Holy shit, you gotta be fucking kidding. Politically incorrect? Ain't that some bull shit.

permalink

[–] heili 11 points (+11|-0) 47 minutes ago

I don't know about you, but we are living in a weird world. We will have to carefully evaluate our long term options of providing a platform of free speech if we are to stay online.

Considering that motherless has hosting, there's probably some kind of option that will work for Voat and not involve destroying the free speech that brought most of us here to begin with.

>I don't know about you, but we are living in a weird world. We will have to carefully evaluate our long term options of providing a platform of free speech if we are to stay online. 

Considering that motherless has hosting, there's probably some kind of option that will work for Voat and not involve destroying the free speech that brought most of us here to begin with.

permalink

[–] ZapptheBrannigan 2 points (+2|-0) 43 minutes ago

The phrasing is what bothers me on the quote. What does this mean for voat I wonder.

I hope it stays this way for a while yet.

[–] heili 4 points (+5|-1) 41 minutes ago (last edited 22 minutes ago)

I am hoping that @Atko didn't mean the site will accommodate the whims of the most easily offended person to read the content and actually meant that it's hosting options that do not impose such restrictions and are not likely to in the future that he's looking for.

EDIT: I was needlessly sarcastic and harsh. @Atko's got a ton going on and probably a lot of stress. On reflection, I don't want to add to that. If I can help, I will. In the mean time I will give him the time he needs to deal with everything he has going on and not bug any further.

I am hoping that @Atko didn't mean the site will accommodate the whims of the most easily offended person to read the content and actually meant that it's hosting options that do not impose such restrictions and are not likely to in the future that he's looking for. 

EDIT: I was needlessly sarcastic and harsh. @Atko's got a ton going on and probably a lot of stress. On reflection, I don't want to add to that. If I can help, I will. In the mean time I will give him the time he needs to deal with everything he has going on and not bug any further.

[–] Espurra 0 points (+0|-0) 4 minutes ago

I hope that we will keep the free speech platform. I didn't get here because of FPH, I was here before all that because of censorship.

This happening and @atko's comment worries me a little..

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