Another relevant consideration: Copyright ownership can help authors limit the dissemination of parts of their writings (including in cases where they change their mind after already publishing their post/comment).
Currently, the EA Forum allows authors to delete their posts and comments, and edit them without showing the “edit history”. After making the proposed change, it will become legally possible to use the API of the forum to create “competing” websites that show all the content that was ever published on the EA Forum (including content that was deleted, and the edit history of content that was edited).
This consideration seems important, because the EA Forum serves as a platform for discussing anthropogenic x-risks. (I’m not attempting here to estimate whether the proposed changes is overall net-positive or net-negative).
[EDIT: Another point: the Streisand effect seemingly makes this consideration less important than it would otherwise be.]
Another relevant consideration: Copyright ownership can help authors limit the dissemination of parts of their writings (including in cases where they change their mind after already publishing their post/comment).
Currently, the EA Forum allows authors to delete their posts and comments, and edit them without showing the “edit history”. After making the proposed change, it will become legally possible to use the API of the forum to create “competing” websites that show all the content that was ever published on the EA Forum (including content that was deleted, and the edit history of content that was edited).
This consideration seems important, because the EA Forum serves as a platform for discussing anthropogenic x-risks. (I’m not attempting here to estimate whether the proposed changes is overall net-positive or net-negative).
[EDIT: Another point: the Streisand effect seemingly makes this consideration less important than it would otherwise be.]
Interesting point, thanks!