I'm all in, behind an effort to clear and tend our garden. Thank you, Buster, for this update, and my appreciation is extended to the Medium staff as well. My account wasn't interrupted, but I was shocked because a few people I know were shut down and reinstated without a forthcoming and apologetic resolution. Being caught up in a purge, even while innocent, can have negative consequences. The human/robot hybrid needs to be tweaked for more compassion.
Self-promotion is a built-in reality on this platform. We subscribe to people we enjoy; some reciprocate because they feel synergy, even synchronicity. Still, there's an element of marketing that is a part of our engagement. We all do it because it's human. I want to believe the management team doesn't want to punish or manipulate friendships, but honestly, I'm not convinced. People write about unresolved notification mishaps. It's too frequent to dismiss their problems.
It would greatly help me see regularly published reports of what the human/robot hybrid uncovers, not specifics like Joe Blow was canceled because he commented too many times. Instead, I'd like to see categorized trends to include an understanding of how reciprocal communication is treated. Ideally, I'd also like to see published reports summarizing members' IT complaints. In short, forthcoming evidence of equitable quality assurance. Is that too much to ask as a Friend of Medium?

As an addendum, Mar. 29 – Today, I found I was no longer following or subscribing to two members. This happens to my account repeatedly. Are people being manipulated intentionally, or is it a common recurring glitch? So, you know, I reinstated what shouldn’t have changed. Why does this happen? Buster Benson Medium Staff