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Tell HN: Reddit mandatory login to see sensitive pages

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Re: Tell HN: Reddit mandatory login to see sensitive pages

#91

Post by dmfdmf »

mrweasel wrote: post #67
frank_nitti wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I can’t tell if Reddit was actually better when I started using it ~10 years ago, or if I was just more entertained by the novelty of it. It still does have the important distinction from true “social media” sites that are based around who you add/follow, but they have made some incredibly poor decisions with the platform trying to be less of what made it great and instead trying to blend in with the trendy influence…

It feels like it was better, but I think the redesign and to push towards the mobile apps have changed the content. 10 years ago you came for the comments and discussions. The doom scrolling they're currently focused on seems to detract from that interaction. It hard to even be allowed to view all comments, most seems to be hidden away. Facebook went in much the same direction. Rather than focusing on interactions be…

I agree with your theory. I watched it happen on a number of forums for my car and motorcycle that I had followed for 10 years. The forums got rolled up by VerticalScope and soon after they "upgraded" the software for a better mobile experience and the content/quality is now garbage. It really destroyed the forums as a community and VS is just harvesting eyeballs now. Posts are repetitive questions or drive-by posts that go nowhere and do not ellicit any discussions. Nobody is posting intelligent or interesting content while on the can or waiting in line at the DMV, etc.

Re: Tell HN: Reddit mandatory login to see sensitive pages

#92

Post by orev »

obituary_latte wrote: post #56
jamesbfb wrote: post #19

Desktop mode on mobile still works fine for me. That said, I really don’t feel like having to login when in incognito mode when I want a cheeky wank in the loo.

For me this morning on ios it was forcing me to use the app to view nsfw content otherwise return to the homepage was the only other option. They're probably a/b testing, but either way, it's an immediate exit for me.

I think you missed the part about using desktop mode. On Safari it’s the option “Request Desktop Website” on the menu that comes up when you tap the “aA” icon on the site.

Re: Tell HN: Reddit mandatory login to see sensitive pages

#93

Post by mdp2021 »

sofixa wrote: post #88
mdp2021 wrote: post #72

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I would've never guessed it's still possible to create an account without using an email or a phone on any site in 2022 ... why do they keep the functionality? Is this a joke? Participation is assumed to be only on the basis of anonymity. If the baker requested your name, there would be something very wrong around your parts. Intrusive requests would mean refusal of participation.

It's not intrusive to ask for an email. It's a slight barrier against spam (trivially bypassed but still) and of course it's mandatory for resetting accounts, informing users about stuff (like Terms of Service changes). I honestly cannot remember the last time a website let me register without an email.

I can read one possible such «time» one click away (on your username).

It is not intrusive only if you can give a random address. It would be intrusive if all you had available was an address already used for other services. It is intrusive to ask you for, or coming to know, your name.

Re: Tell HN: Reddit mandatory login to see sensitive pages

#94

Post by JustSomeNobody »

woweoe wrote: post #53
JustSomeNobody wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah yeah yeah. Let's just dismiss the entire site without regard to the fact that there are actually some very good subs on it.

You forget that those subs could be replaced by a more practical forum.

Could they though?

Re: Tell HN: Reddit mandatory login to see sensitive pages

#95

Post by JustSomeNobody »

Sebb767 wrote: post #52
JustSomeNobody wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah yeah yeah. Let's just dismiss the entire site without regard to the fact that there are actually some very good subs on it.

Working your way around Reddits problems and dark patterns while still feeding the content machine and contributing to its network effect isn't really a superior solution, either. Also, this is just a personal anecdote, but ditching Reddit was one of the best ideas I've ever had. There's good stuff in there, but also a lot of obvious and hidden advertisement and it's very easy to get lost and spend hours just scrolli…

Not really. I use either Apollo or Relay (depending on what device I have in my hand) and only subscribe to the subs I want to view. I do not have to work my way through anything.

Here are a few because I know someone will ask:

/r/personalfinance

/r/TropicalWeather

/r/homelab

/r/homeserver

/r/datahoarder

/r/Bogleheads

/r/pizza

Edit: Now, will someone post some BS on one of those subs? yes, sometimes. But the mods tamp it down pretty quick.

Re: Tell HN: Reddit mandatory login to see sensitive pages

#96

Post by tablespoon »

hddqsb wrote: post #77
Sakos wrote: post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you pay close attention, you might notice that the email address field isn't required on the old.reddit.com signup popup. Press next without filling it in and you get the username/password part of registration.

This completely unintuitive trick also works on reddit.com.

> This completely unintuitive trick also works on reddit.com.

Honestly, it's not so much of a trick, but that the form is a dark pattern.

IMHO, they probably really, really want to require email addresses to register, but are trying to avoid the backlash from power users (aka their content source) that would happen if there wasn't a workaround. Every time someone gets ticked off about this, there's probably a comment within 5 minutes with instructions, and all outrage energy drains away.

Re: Tell HN: Reddit mandatory login to see sensitive pages

#97

Post by tablespoon »

clint wrote: post #81
bdw5204 wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The day they shut down "old" Reddit is probably the day a large number of people leave Reddit altogether because the main Reddit site is a dark patterns hell. I think they'll still do it though because most web sites only want the kind of users who don't know how to install ad blockers.

the vast vast VAST majority of people using reddit are using the official mobile apps. The number of people using the web, and even alternative clients is like a drop of rain in a monsoon.

> the vast vast VAST majority of people using reddit are using the official mobile apps. The number of people using the web, and even alternative clients is like a drop of rain in a monsoon.

Users aren't equivalent though. IIRC, "the vast vast VAST majority of people" don't comment or post, either.

Re: Tell HN: Reddit mandatory login to see sensitive pages

#98

Post by hddqsb »

tablespoon wrote: post #96
hddqsb wrote: post #77

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This completely unintuitive trick also works on reddit.com.

> This completely unintuitive trick also works on reddit.com. Honestly, it's not so much of a trick, but that the form is a dark pattern. IMHO, they probably really, really want to require email addresses to register, but are trying to avoid the backlash from power users (aka their content source) that would happen if there wasn't a workaround. Every time someone gets ticked off about this, there's probably a comment…

Agreed (in fact I referred to it as a dark pattern in another comment).

@grumple pointed out that throwaway accounts that can't be easily linked to the poster are essential to some reddit communities, which may play a part in why this feature is still available.

Re: Tell HN: Reddit mandatory login to see sensitive pages

#99

Post by procavia »

n4bz0r wrote: post #37
NowhereMan wrote: post #28

On another note, I tried to make a throwaway on `old.reddit.com`. I couldn't find a way to make an account without using an email. I had to manually type in `old.reddit.com/register` to get to a form that would let me not type in an email and even then it wasn't obvious that the email wasn't required.

I would've never guessed it's still possible to create an account without using an email or a phone on any site in 2022. Makes me wonder, why do they keep the functionality? Did they forget about the page?

You don’t need an email to create a HN account last I checked

Re: Tell HN: Reddit mandatory login to see sensitive pages

#100

Post by swayvil »

CodeWriter23 wrote: post #69
RosanaAnaDana wrote: post #66

Can they IPO already so we can short this dying corpse of a company and have new anonymous but social way of sharing news and content? What I want: a federated, self-hosted/pay-to-play, anonymous, active community. I've tried mastodon. I never liked twitter and I prefer long form, threaded discussions. Do you want to make the next social media company? Figure out a way to do reddit without needing adds. If you can, F…

How much are you willing to pay?

A buck a month?
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