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Reddit CEO tells employees that subreddit blackout ‘will pass’

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Re: Reddit CEO tells employees that subreddit blackout ‘will pass’

#141

Post by wvenable »

TheFreim wrote: post #18

I don't understand why reddit didn't respond to the initial criticism by decreasing the pricing/demands and just slowly implementing what they want over time. Doing it all at once seemed like a silly move.

It wasn't until they announced this that all the issues with accessibility came up either. They literally didn't think about it until now (because they didn't have to).

Also running a paid API service actually requires providing services to the third parties that are using them (like billing dashboards, etc).

I'm pretty sure they didn't really think this through entirely when they proposed it. Now that they kind of have a better idea of what they're getting into doubling down is just hubris.

Re: Reddit CEO tells employees that subreddit blackout ‘will pass’

#142

Post by InitialLastName »

nequo wrote: post #77
MuffinFlavored wrote: post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> If the blackout is only for two days then they're right Yeah... I don't know the tradeoffs at play but 2 days is... extremely insignificant / probably a bad decision by all of the moderators? It sends a message sure but, it's a bunch of "whiny reddit mods" versus C-level executives in a "help us make API more affordable versus help us not lose a ton of money offering generous free API hosting/usage" negotiation. Ho…

What the 2 day blackout does is it nudges people to explore alternatives. With this, Reddit management has lowered the barriers to exit. When the next boycott comes, migration for many subreddits will be easier.

What alternate website can I tack onto a search to get an actual human's answer to a question that is otherwise only served by blogspam?

Re: Reddit CEO tells employees that subreddit blackout ‘will pass’

#144

Post by seanosaur »

adamc wrote: post #113
seanosaur wrote: post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> he can't realistically get rid of the mods and replace them, then expect that to not blow up in his face I'm not so sure about that. I would be very surprised if there was a high % of redditors that know / care about the mods or mod system. This could be the cynic in me but I bet he could eject all the mods tomorrow, replace them with more faceless accounts, and the vast majority of reddit's userbase would not see…

I don't think the users mostly care about the mods directly. They will care about the effects of not having motivated, committed mods, because it makes the subreddits less pleasant or compelling to use. That is, there wouldn't be user protests, just lots of users drifting away because reddit kind of sucked.

I agree, it would be a bad idea. But I also think it would take time for the average user to feel the negative effects of such a short-sighted decision. Enough time, perhaps, for an IPO and cash-out for the c-suite at reddit.

Re: Reddit CEO tells employees that subreddit blackout ‘will pass’

#145

Post by kibwen »

smsm42 wrote: post #33
kibwen wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Extending the blackout indefinitely has now become a coordinated action via /r/ModCoord (which is the also the source of the list of blacked out subreddits that people are using), with an optional "solidarity mode" that involves blacking out one day a week in perpetuity (which they're calling "Touch Grass Tuesdays"): https://old.reddit.com/r/ModCoord/comments/148ks6u/indefinit...

This sounds like finding ways to fold without it looking like they folded. The question is simple - can they live with the new situation or not? If they are willing to, then protesting on Tuesdays is not going to do much. If they are not, then they are not on every day, not only Tuesday. I don't endorse either side here, but looking realistically, it's either win - Reddit changes their behavior to more acceptable - o…

For reference, 93% of the responses there so far are for indefinite blackout, and only 7% are for weekly blackouts.

Re: Reddit CEO tells employees that subreddit blackout ‘will pass’

#146

Post by cameronfraser »

nequo wrote: post #77
MuffinFlavored wrote: post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> If the blackout is only for two days then they're right Yeah... I don't know the tradeoffs at play but 2 days is... extremely insignificant / probably a bad decision by all of the moderators? It sends a message sure but, it's a bunch of "whiny reddit mods" versus C-level executives in a "help us make API more affordable versus help us not lose a ton of money offering generous free API hosting/usage" negotiation. Ho…

What the 2 day blackout does is it nudges people to explore alternatives. With this, Reddit management has lowered the barriers to exit. When the next boycott comes, migration for many subreddits will be easier.

no it doesn't, I have barely even noticed there is a blackout because there is plenty of content from non blacked out subs. The only thing I've noticed is when I try to visit subreddits I like some of them are blacked out. A 2 day blackout does literally nothing, just virtue signaling

Re: Reddit CEO tells employees that subreddit blackout ‘will pass’

#147

Post by wvenable »

ugjka wrote: post #109
MisterBastahrd wrote: post #100

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The problem with reddit clones is that every single freaking one I've seen featured on HN over the past few days has absolutely no idea of what it takes to run a proper social media platform. We abandoned tagging-as-categories two generations back. Active moderators are always better than hivemind moderation. They're so hellbent on trying to find a use case for monetizing their halfassed "build reddit in 24 hours" cl…

If you tasked a team to build a reddit clone and nothing else the only problem would be scaling and paying an aws bill (for decades at loss)

Having scaling problems and a big AWS bill is the consequences of success, though. I'm pretty sure the team would consider that a win.

Re: Reddit CEO tells employees that subreddit blackout ‘will pass’

#148

Post by jtode »

MisterBastahrd wrote: post #79
minimaxir wrote: post #2

Before the blackout, many subreddits hinted at extending the blackout indefinitely if Reddit is being adversarial. This seems adversarial.

One of the fun things about reddit is that if mods decide to extend it indefinitely, users are free to create their own subreddits and move their conversations there. Any mod who thinks they're ultimately important in the grand scheme of things is deluding themselves.

No individual is all that important, but collectively, a bunch of individuals are extremely powerful. A bunch of angry individuals can destroy quite a lot in a short period of time.

The individuals that are deluding themselves are the very few individuals at the top of this scheme.

Re: Reddit CEO tells employees that subreddit blackout ‘will pass’

#149

Post by xcjs »

seydor wrote: post #111

Of course it will, like all the previous reddit hysterics which were quickly forgotten. I m not sure if people remember that net neutrality Did not pass, and yet the world did not end. The blackout is so ill-thought and self-limiting. If they keep the subs down, my subreddits will start attracting users. The mods have no option but to end the strike, because they are too addicted to their power. If they insist to tak…

The lack of regulated net neutrality is still something to be concerned about if you care about accessing sites and services at will without additional costs, limitations, or outright blocks.

The only reason a large effect hasn't been noticed is the protections offered at some state levels that enforce neutrality in practice nationwide (assuming you're in the United States).

Re: Reddit CEO tells employees that subreddit blackout ‘will pass’

#150

Post by ugjka »

wvenable wrote: post #147
ugjka wrote: post #109

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you tasked a team to build a reddit clone and nothing else the only problem would be scaling and paying an aws bill (for decades at loss)

Having scaling problems and a big AWS bill is the consequences of success , though. I'm pretty sure the team would consider that a win.

That's where Reddit is at right now, they make no profit. You think u/spez would piss off the entire site for no reason? They desperately need profit
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