I got banned from The Why Files Patreon for stating my opinion on the promises made by the company - specifically AJ - and sharing my interpretation of why he can't keep his promises of making two shows per week. Two shows per week, among other promises, also relate to freedom of speech, which was not taken into consideration when they banned me from their page.
This is especially disappointing because I have been a loyal Patreon supporter and member of their community for years - almost from the very start.
It's a commonly known fact that they are delayed time after time. They keep putting together compilations to get views, instead of doing work that actually justifies the views they get on YouTube and Patreon.
What's even more concerning is that AJ is clearly emphasizing my critique by banning me. He is not only silencing my feedback, but also refusing to let me continue paying to be a member of his club - a club that, in my view, does not do its job justice.
I will keep pushing this message from various YouTube accounts until I get a reasonable response from The Why Files team. And in case they try to shut me down on their YouTube channel as well, I will continue to make sure this matter is known.
This is the email I got from Patreon, apparently forwarded from The Why Files staff:
Hi Jonas,
We're writing to let you know that your membership to The Why Files has been canceled because The Why Files has blocked you from their account.
This means you won't be able to contact them or become their member again unless the creator decides to unblock you. A creator on Patreon can block someone for any reason, even if that person hasn't fallen outside the bounds of our Community Guidelines.
Here are some of the most common reasons why creators may block users on Patreon:
Viewing posts, downloads or other media without paying for it
Bullying a creator or their members, or making them uncomfortable
Posting spam or engaging in aggressive promotion
Preventing other members from joining a sold-out limited tier, due to an unresolved declined payment
At this time, you will no longer be able to access past posts posted by this creator. If you had a paid membership, you won't be charged for any new posts that The Why Files shares after this point. If you want to learn more about what you can expect to pay this month, you can find more info here.
Even though you no longer have access to The Why Files's Patreon, you can still continue to engage with other creators' works on Patreon.
Best,
Patreon Support
AJ could have simply approached this in a respectful and straightforward way by saying that if I don't like the channel or the content, I'm free to leave at any time. A courteous conversation would have been far more appropriate and professional than banning a long-time supporter for sharing honest feedback.
