This post was originally planned for yesterday, but circumstances conspired to prevent me from doing the necessary research. It’s probably for the best, though, because the story of Mister “Jim” Metokur’s near-simultaneous YouTube and Twitter suspensions has taken a different direction than I’d initially suspected. Which I should have suspected.
If you don’t follow Jim’s exploits, you should. He is to the internet what Bill Murray was to Punxsutawney, PA in Groundhog Day: not God, but he’s been around so long he knows everything.
Jim was there at the start of #GamerGate under the aegis of the Internet Aristocrat. His video series on the Five Guys scandal led Adam Baldwin to coin the hashtag, and he quit when the consumer revolt filled up with e-celebs. His main racket, though, is documenting and ruthlessly mocking the dregs of the web like a current year Robert Ripley with a mean streak. It’s important work. If any vestige of our age survives, future historians will cite Jim’s videos in their papers–almost certainly as warnings.
Based on that description, you’re probably not surprised that Jim got the Alex Jones treatment the other day. What makes this story noteworthy is the air of shenanigans surrounding the whole business. First, Jim’s YouTube channel was yanked after he published a scathing video about the Jacksonville shooter.
Google long ago abandoned their “Don’t be evil” motto, but it would be quiet a leap, even for them, to ban a video producer in the name of a dead murderer. Also anomalous: Jim only received two strikes before being banned from YouTube instead of the normally requisite three.
Just before 1 PM the next day, Jim’s Twitter account was suspended. It’s OK, though. You can follow his good friend @MisterAntiBully instead.
Jim’s YouTube mystery has a happy ending, though. Keemstar, co-MVP with Zidan of the Killstream’s pantsing of the Quarry King, managed to get Metokur’s channel restored and the strikes removed. But the question remains: Who falsely flagged Jim’s video for spam, harassment, and bullying?
Mister Metokur presented a list of likely perps on his most recent lives stream. The suspects range from disgruntled furries to a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. Remember when that set of possibilities would have been considered beyond the pale?
Listen to the stream and weigh the evidence for yourself. Who do you think killed Jim’s account?
Whoever the culprit turns out to be–and Metokur will find him out–this tawdry episode proves Jim’s lament from the stream. The internet used to be a Wild West barroom where anything was fair game. Thin-skinned snowflakes have spoiled the fun.
Big tech’s monopolistic power to deplatform anyone to the right of Jerry Brown isn’t helping matters, either. Which is why it’s yugely encouraging that the GE said this:
As for Twitter, don’t be surprised if the Trump Organization just buys it when Jack Dorsey drives the stock price low enough.