YouTuber Smash JT reports his website, SmashJT.com and its Kotaku Detected page, have been reinstated by Wix after Second Wind Editor-in-Chief Nick Calandra organized to shut it down.
Jeff aka Smash JT via Smash JT YouTube
The website was targeted by Calandra over the Kotaku Detected page on the website, which is described as a “comprehensive directory of individuals who work or have worked at Kotaku, a website that has historically shown to care more about pushing activist agendas and narratives instead of conversations about video games.”
He added, “This page includes some of the writers, editors, and others who have contributed to the downfall of games journalism over the years. Each entry provides relevant information for further research, including their roles, articles, and/or linked video explanations.”
“Whether you’re a researcher, enthusiast, or industry professional, this resource is designed to spotlight the people behind Kotaku’s content and hold them accountable for their actions,” he concluded.
Screenshot of Kotaku Detected
As reported by X user Gigabear Calandra was organizing his followers to mass report the website behind a lock. He wrote, “As it was rightfully pointed out to me, and he is refusing to take down the page, has continued to add more names to it. It needs to be taken down. So please continue reporting to Wix as I am. I’m still waiting for their response.”
.@SmashJT He’s repaying you taking him off by trying to get the website shut down anyway. pic.twitter.com/tV3uGFYOWX
— GIGABEAR (@GigabearPanda) May 27, 2024
Other posts from Calandra are seen with him encouraging his followers to mass report the website. As shared to X by RoloCnG, Calandra wrote, “I am not spending another week tweeting about this baloney, I have ACTUAL work to do. I will be actively working to take this list down this week, and once again, I suggest you do the same. I’m done messing around with these guys.”
He added, “Here’s the link -smashjt.com/kotaku-detected – and I suggest you keep tagging Wix and WixHelp until they take action for breaking their terms of service against targeted harassment. I’m working to talk with a real person there as soon as tomorrow.”
RoloCnG on X
He also posted, “These guys will never stop doing this unless you go after their funding sources. If you follow me and see what’s happening here, I’m asking you to help me stop this before someone gets hurt. Not make jokes about, not dunk on them, it needs to be reported.”
RoloCnG on X
The website was shut down sometime between the evening on May 26th and the morning of May 27th with Wix informing Smash JT, “Your site was disabled due to privacy violation. According to our Terms of Use you are not allowed to display information (names, family information, pictures) of any private individual without their prior consent. Wix is obligated to remove such infringing content immediately with or without a notice to the user. Please let us know if you have questions.”
Screenshot of Wix’s explanation for why Smashjt.com was shut down.
Smash JT reported he had contacted Wix to correct the issue noting in a YouTube video, “I am currently awaiting response from Wix, but I’m not holding my breath on it anytime soon because, first off, it’s Memorial Day in the U.S. It’s a holiday even though people are saying Wix is an Israeli company. I don’t know who these people are, how to really contact anyone directly, it’s a very disorganized system.”
However, he added, “I’m hopeful that level-headedness prevails in this and that they look at the situation as a big misunderstanding because, again, there is nothing that I did illegal here and nothing against any terms of service. This is simply a way for the left to silence the right.”
It appears level-headedness has indeed prevailed as the site has been restored by Wix.
In an update to YouTube, Smash JT declared victory saying, “The later correspondence I got with Wix, they said the information that I provided to them was investigated and that they cleared me of any wrongdoing and they have approved the website of going back up.”
He also indicated that he plans to move the site away from Wix despite it being restored, “I am going to be migrating it and backing it up and duplicating it now. Don’t worry about that.”
What do you make of Kotaku Detected being restored after it was originally taken down?
