Kevin Xia, Hive’s managing director, asked me to stop sharing posts about soil animals on Hive’s Slack. Kevin justified this based on the relative similarity of the posts, low engagement with them, and their frequency being sufficiently high to clash with self-promotion guidelines (here are Hive’s guidelines). Here are the posts about soil animals I shared on Hive’s Slack channels about discussions and wild animals:
Kevin explained posts about soil animals are not restricted as long as they are sufficiently different from the above, and is open to discussing what this means on a case by case basis. I would set a higher bar for restricting content, especially if it mitigates groupthink.
I was thinking the request was motivated by the posts being controversial, but Kevin clarified it is not related to this in any way. I think this makes sense considering the 1st 5 of the 6 posts above were shared by Sofia Balderson on Hive’s Substack. I am glad Sofia shared the posts, and let people make up their own minds. I like Hive’s Substack, and encourage people aiming to help animals to subscribe to it.
Thanks to Kevin for feedback on the draft, and handling the situation well.
[Question] Should I have been asked to stop posting about soil animals on Hive’s Slack?
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Kevin Xia, Hive’s managing director, asked me to stop sharing posts about soil animals on Hive’s Slack. Kevin justified this based on the relative similarity of the posts, low engagement with them, and their frequency being sufficiently high to clash with self-promotion guidelines (here are Hive’s guidelines). Here are the posts about soil animals I shared on Hive’s Slack channels about discussions and wild animals:
Chicken welfare reforms may be beneficial or harmful accounting for effects on wild arthropods? (9 May 2025).
Cost-effectiveness accounting for soil nematodes, mites, and springtails (3 June 2025).
Animal farming impacts soil nematodes, mites, and springtails hugely more than directly affected animals? (28 June 2025).
Debate: organisations using Rethink Priorities’ mainline welfare ranges should consider effects on soil nematodes, mites, and springtails, or at least be transparent about their reasons for neglecting them? (13 July 2025).
Effects on microorganisms are much larger than those on animals and plants under the assumptions of Rethink Priorities’ mainline welfare ranges? (28 July 2025).
Saving human lives cheaply is the most cost-effective way of increasing animal welfare? (7 August 2025).
Kevin explained posts about soil animals are not restricted as long as they are sufficiently different from the above, and is open to discussing what this means on a case by case basis. I would set a higher bar for restricting content, especially if it mitigates groupthink.
I was thinking the request was motivated by the posts being controversial, but Kevin clarified it is not related to this in any way. I think this makes sense considering the 1st 5 of the 6 posts above were shared by Sofia Balderson on Hive’s Substack. I am glad Sofia shared the posts, and let people make up their own minds. I like Hive’s Substack, and encourage people aiming to help animals to subscribe to it.
Thanks to Kevin for feedback on the draft, and handling the situation well.