When Feedback Turns into Abuse — A Line That Must Not Be Crossed
What Happened
As an indie developer, I’ve always welcomed user feedback — both praise and criticism — because it's the only way a product can grow. But recently, I received a kind of “feedback” that I believe deserves public attention, not for the sake of confrontation, but to draw a clear boundary between critique and harassment.
On May 3rd, a user named “Stalwart Sevier” left a 1-star review for my app, criticizing it for not being able to import .ttf or .ott files and calling the drawing tools “useless.” Here’s the original review:
I responded professionally — first briefly, then with more clarity in a follow-up — explaining that my app is a handwritten font creator, not a font editor, and that it focuses on simplicity and accessibility over complexity. I acknowledged the gap between the user's expectations and the app’s actual purpose.
Shortly after, the same user sent me an email. And this is where things crossed a line.
This email is not feedback. It is blatant harassment — filled with expletives, personal insults, misogynistic and homophobic slurs, and utterly disrespectful language.
Let’s Be Clear
Criticism is fair.
Misunderstanding a product’s purpose is understandable.
Even a harsh review is part of the public conversation.
But sending a personal email full of hate speech is not. That’s abuse. And it is not welcome in any community — developer, user, or otherwise.
Why I’m Posting This
I am publishing this not to “call out” someone for giving me a bad review. I’m doing this because developers, especially indie developers, often endure this kind of treatment quietly. We are told to “just ignore it,” or “grow thicker skin.” But silence only enables the behavior.
So let me say this clearly:
- You don’t get to dehumanize someone just because you don’t like their app.
- You don’t get to make personal attacks and hide behind clown emojis.
- You don’t get to use misogynistic, homophobic, or racist language in the name of “criticism.”
This is not feedback. This is bullying. And it will be exposed.
To the Angry User
You misunderstood what the app was for. That’s fine — I’ll take responsibility for needing to communicate that more clearly.
But you crossed a line — not because of your star rating, but because of the way you treated another human being. If your goal was to “punish” me for a reply you didn’t like, congratulations — you succeeded in showing exactly what kind of user no developer wants to support.
To the Community
If you’re a developer who’s received messages like this:
You are not alone.
You did nothing to deserve it.
And you have every right to speak up.
If you’re a user frustrated with an app:
Please remember there’s a human on the other side. Be honest, be direct — even be critical. But don’t be cruel.
Moving Forward
I’ll continue improving the app, including making its purpose and limitations clearer to prevent similar misunderstandings in the future. I’ll also continue replying to feedback — respectfully and honestly — because I believe that’s how real improvement happens.
But I will not tolerate abuse. And neither should anyone.
Let’s keep feedback honest, not hostile.
Let’s keep criticism sharp, not cruel.
Let’s build tech — and a community — that’s better than this.