Reddit’s disrespectful design

Post by webmobdev » Sat, Jun 26, 2021, 5:14 PM UTC

PragmaticPulp wrote: post #141

throwaway284534 wrote: post #82

Does anyone else want to rant about Reddit’s AMP pages that show up on Google? Oh I could go on about it… The managers at Reddit, in their infinite wisdom, decided that the preferred experience of a Google user searching for content on reddit should redirected to their wonky app. And if they don’t have the app, they should be punished with modals upon modals. “Reddit looks better in the app!” Oh, you disagree? Well p…

The Reddit mobile web experience is so obviously bad that I can only assume it's intentional. There must be some huge incentive for Reddit to push users toward the mobile app. Most likely, the app allows for higher or more accurate monthly active user counts and enables more targeted advertising, both of which are critical to increasing advertising revenues. Reddit is in a difficult spot because they're mostly an ad-…

    There must be some huge incentive for Reddit to push users toward the mobile app.

Post by raverbashing » Sat, Jun 26, 2021, 5:26 PM UTC

PragmaticPulp wrote: post #250

zozbot234 wrote: post #223

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> These practices are done because it works. Which practices, though? A number of the practices you note (e.g. streamlined signup flow) are not user hostile at all, and others are a mixed bag. (E.g. one could argue that AMP + a properly featured mobile site and 'official' app were necessary steps with a subpar implementation). But when looking specifically at the dark patterns that power users are most likely to comp…

> But when looking specifically at the dark patterns that power users are most likely to complain about, it's unclear that they would help DAU/MAU much, if at all. Casual users might not complain overtly all that much, but they're almost certainly discouraged by many such practices. Power users of sites like Reddit are already hooked. They’re already logged in, already have an app installed, and they don’t see all of…

Post by valparaiso » Sat, Jun 26, 2021, 5:27 PM UTC

intended wrote: post #221

toomuchtodo wrote: post #157

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Reddit is a potential B Corp or non profit masquerading as a VC backed tech startup with exit or ad revenue potential. Bag holders get tired eventually.

Reddit is building the best content moderation tools for humans - by blundering in every possible direction, often in direct opposition to potential progress. Mod tools and the data on what works is the untapped resource. Every other major data or tool set for moderation is behind an NDA.

Post by [deleted] » Sat, Jun 26, 2021, 5:33 PM UTC

wting wrote: post #240

zozbot234 wrote: post #223

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> These practices are done because it works. Which practices, though? A number of the practices you note (e.g. streamlined signup flow) are not user hostile at all, and others are a mixed bag. (E.g. one could argue that AMP + a properly featured mobile site and 'official' app were necessary steps with a subpar implementation). But when looking specifically at the dark patterns that power users are most likely to comp…

Features are only launched after running a successful experiment. We try to appeal to power users when possible. For example with the current signup flow has optional emails, though intentionally non-obvious. This means new users sign up with an email which means we can reduce churn through digests and also reset passwords / prevent account takeovers, a large burden for Reddit's anti spam teams.

Post by gentleman11 » Sat, Jun 26, 2021, 5:36 PM UTC

wting wrote: post #240

zozbot234 wrote: post #223

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> These practices are done because it works. Which practices, though? A number of the practices you note (e.g. streamlined signup flow) are not user hostile at all, and others are a mixed bag. (E.g. one could argue that AMP + a properly featured mobile site and 'official' app were necessary steps with a subpar implementation). But when looking specifically at the dark patterns that power users are most likely to comp…

Features are only launched after running a successful experiment. We try to appeal to power users when possible. For example with the current signup flow has optional emails, though intentionally non-obvious. This means new users sign up with an email which means we can reduce churn through digests and also reset passwords / prevent account takeovers, a large burden for Reddit's anti spam teams.