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Study finds Reddit’s ban of its most toxic subreddits worked (2017)

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Re: Study finds Reddit’s ban of its most toxic subreddits worked (2017)

#11

Post by sagichmal »

chobeat wrote: post #5

They are only moving to other platforms that are harder to track, like Discord or Telegram. Just because they don't appear in the data doesn't mean that they don't exist. Then yes, you sanitize some platforms but the problem as a whole is just less evident but still growing.

> They are only moving to other platforms that are harder to track, like Discord or Telegram.

Harder to track also means harder to find. Sounds great to me. Let's make sure anyone who worms their way into those dark places knows without doubt that they're detestable, that civil society stands united against them. Maybe with some time, the boredom of the next generation can be directed to less evil ends.

Re: Study finds Reddit’s ban of its most toxic subreddits worked (2017)

#13

Post by intertextuality »

sagichmal wrote: post #6
intertextuality wrote: post #3

Reddit back in the day: bans /r/fatpeoplehate, /r/coontown, /r/jailbait, and other awful subreddits. Reddit today: effectively bans (quarantines) /r/waterniggas simply because of the subreddit's title. It was quite literally a joke subreddit about being hydrated. Doesn't ban subreddits like /r/hapas. Edit: The problem with reddit is that it's wildly inconsistent about banning subreddits. Insane subreddits can exist f…

> A substantial amount of people went from reddit to voat because at the time voat was new, had signups open, and advertised itself on free speech. Luckily, we're collectively beginning to grow past the naïve belief that free speech is a virtue in itself, an ends, and understand it properly as a means, a tool, which we're all obliged to use ethically and responsibly to make our society better.

I agree. Voat basically instantly became a cesspool after the major banwave. In theory it would work but in practice places that are all about "free speech" tend to just attract complete and utter assholes.

Re: Study finds Reddit’s ban of its most toxic subreddits worked (2017)

#14

Post by antihero »

chobeat wrote: post #5

They are only moving to other platforms that are harder to track, like Discord or Telegram. Just because they don't appear in the data doesn't mean that they don't exist. Then yes, you sanitize some platforms but the problem as a whole is just less evident but still growing.

They are always going to exist, this isn't some charity case to help them heal, honestly people are just happy the scum has fucked off more than it had before.

Re: Study finds Reddit’s ban of its most toxic subreddits worked (2017)

#15

Post by r3bl »

> Migration was common, both to similar subreddits (i.e. overtly racist ones) and tangentially related ones (r/The_Donald).

Tangentially-related? I'm pretty sure this crosses the line of being tangentially-related to racism. https://i.redd.it/ua1ukmoi8ls21.jpg

Re: Study finds Reddit’s ban of its most toxic subreddits worked (2017)

#16

Post by Waterluvian »

0xfffafaCrash wrote: post #8

So, it "worked" in the sense that the users likely moved to more toxic echo chambers where they can be further radicalized in their toxic viewpoints? Yay?

That's an interesting perspective.

I mean, it's kind of like kicking the KKK out of your local YMCA. Sure they go have Klan rallies elsewhere but at least my kids aren't bumping shoulders with them anymore when they're using the water fountain between basketball games.

Re: Study finds Reddit’s ban of its most toxic subreddits worked (2017)

#17

Post by intertextuality »

antihero wrote: post #7
intertextuality wrote: post #3

Reddit back in the day: bans /r/fatpeoplehate, /r/coontown, /r/jailbait, and other awful subreddits. Reddit today: effectively bans (quarantines) /r/waterniggas simply because of the subreddit's title. It was quite literally a joke subreddit about being hydrated. Doesn't ban subreddits like /r/hapas. Edit: The problem with reddit is that it's wildly inconsistent about banning subreddits. Insane subreddits can exist f…

And it turns out that yes, voat and gab.ai are both filled with the utter dregs of society. Is this "free speech" positive hangout a wonderful paradise full of intellectuals and idealists? No, just a bunch of racist conspiracy nut trash.

Exactly. I don't support voat or gab. I was just describing what happened.

The problem with reddit is that it's wildly inconsistent about banning subreddits. Subreddits like these can exist for years, but only will get banned once they start to become popular enough that they start to get noticed.

Re: Study finds Reddit’s ban of its most toxic subreddits worked (2017)

#18

Post by sagichmal »

0xfffafaCrash wrote: post #8

So, it "worked" in the sense that the users likely moved to more toxic echo chambers where they can be further radicalized in their toxic viewpoints? Yay?

The population of these cesspools isn't a constant, it's a function of (among other things) how easy they are to access. Making them harder to get to is a net-win. Platforms have an ethical responsibility to de-platform this garbage.

Re: Study finds Reddit’s ban of its most toxic subreddits worked (2017)

#19

Post by arkitaip »

0xfffafaCrash wrote: post #8

So, it "worked" in the sense that the users likely moved to more toxic echo chambers where they can be further radicalized in their toxic viewpoints? Yay?

It's not Reddit's mission to reform these individuals. Sometimes you have to remove the worst elements of your community before their toxicity radicalizes everyone.

Re: Study finds Reddit’s ban of its most toxic subreddits worked (2017)

#20

Post by DrJokepu »

0xfffafaCrash wrote: post #8

So, it "worked" in the sense that the users likely moved to more toxic echo chambers where they can be further radicalized in their toxic viewpoints? Yay?

they get a fraction of the exposure and Reddit’s network effects
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