12 of My 127 Posts Are Gone and I Can't Tell Tests From Failures

Description and use

The author found that a single "removed" status hides the difference between test deletions and platform takedowns, hindering analysis. The fix is to add a reason field.

Problem

The author’s single "removed" status flag conflates test deletions and platform takedowns, preventing meaningful analysis of post loss reasons.

Outcome

By adding a reason field, the author can distinguish between intentional deletions and platform-initiated removals, enabling actionable insights and preventing misleading metrics.

Workflow

• 1. Identify removed posts in the status table. 2. For each removed post, record the reason: "my own smoke test", "platform removed it", or "rewritten and republished". 3. Update the table schema to include a second field for removal reason. 4. Review the list of removed posts to assess patterns and adjust publishing strategy.

Evidence

The table has exactly one status for a post that is no longer live: removed. That single flag is carrying a lie.

Source

I recorded the event, never the reason

Source

The honest count is not "12 removed." It is the number of removed posts where I recorded why: zero.

Source

So the fix is a second field, not a bigger table.

Source