December 2022: Technical glitches and security vulnerabilities during the relaunch
Shortly after the restart, technical problems began to pile up – from unstable servers to inadequate security standards.
The discovery that passwords were apparently stored in plain text weighed particularly heavily, raising significant concerns about data protection.
At the same time, the community was frustrated that VIP subscriptions and other paid content were being sold within the first few days, despite the platform still being plagued by issues.
Many users criticized this prioritization of monetization over stability and security.
(Official statement: The goSupermodel team primarily addressed the launch with technical “Development Updates,” but initially did not publicly comment on the password issue. However, in an update on December 22, 2022, it was acknowledged that “many errors still need to be fixed” and that efforts are underway to improve user experience.)
May 2023: ESC Palestine scandal - accusations of censorship during Eurovision discussion
In May 2023 – coinciding with the Eurovision Song Contest – the “ESC-Palestine” controversy arose on goSupermodel.
A discussion emerged in the community regarding the Palestine conflict in connection with the ESC, but it was abruptly shut down by the moderation team.
Posts and threads on this topic were deleted or locked, which many users perceived as censorship. This incident led to significant discontent: The community was frustrated that critical issues seemed to be systematically silenced rather than openly discussed.
(Official response: Initially, there were hardly any public statements from goSupermodel regarding the incident. However, it prompted the team to reevaluate political discussions on the platform. Later, rules were clarified to allow political topics in moderation as long as they remain respectful.)
Spring 2023: Moderation scandal around “Cat” - insulting a user
In the first half of 2023, a moderation scandal shook the community.
A volunteer moderator with the username “Cat” had severely insulted a user in internal chats – among other things, he referred to her as a “dumb psychopathic dogshit sniffer.”
This extreme outburst led the goSupermodel team to immediately remove the moderator from their position. The incident caused widespread outrage and raised questions about the selection and training of moderators.
Many users demanded professional structures to prevent such misconduct in the future.
(Official statement: The platform operators briefly confirmed in the forum that the affected moderator is no longer part of the team and apologized for the incident. They emphasized that such remarks are unacceptable and stated they would revise internal moderation guidelines. However, a detailed public statement was not provided.)
Summer 2023: Ivy Incident – Moderator Trash-Talks a User
In Summer 2023, another moderator came under fire. It was revealed internally that moderator “Ivy” had made derogatory remarks in private chats about a user named “L.”.
Once the screenshots were made public, showing Ivy’s insulting comments, the goSupermodel team only issued a formal warning, letting Ivy remain on the moderation team.
Many users expressed disbelief at this mild consequence. The community debated why such behavior did not result in stricter measures, particularly since moderators are expected to serve as role models.
(Official response: goSupermodel made almost no official statement. In the forum, one staff member vaguely mentioned “internal measures” had been taken. There was no direct acknowledgment or apology to the community, which further damaged trust.)
Late Summer 2023: Favoritism Accusations – L. Case and Unfair Treatment
By late summer 2023, the so-called “L” controversy flared up.
Several users accused the goSupermodel team of favoring user L. and suppressing criticism against her.
Specifically, there were cases in which threads were closed as soon as negative experiences with Lisa were discussed, and some users were warned or temporarily banned when they complained about her.
The situation escalated when a user was banned after L. alleged they were behind a troll account—heightening the impression that L. word held excessive weight in moderation decisions.
Many community members felt they were being treated unfairly and sensed a “clique formation”: a small circle of influential users (including L.) seemed to enjoy special privileges, while critics were silenced.
(Official response: Publicly, the team denied any form of favoritism. A brief statement claimed that all users are treated equally, and that moderation decisions were not influenced by personal relationships. However, this did little to cool tensions—by that point, mistrust was deeply rooted, fueled by the lack of transparency.)