4 ms·

Reddit copies Quora's content blocking / forced registration feature

57 points by benologist 10y ago

teuobk 10y ago
Not quite forced registration: it can be dismissed by clicking the "x" in the corner (cropped out of this screenshot -- EDIT: There might not be a way to dismiss it in all of the variants; see comment below). Also, it's part of an A/B test and is not universal. More information: https://www.reddit.com/live/x3ckzbsj6myw/updates/be54fb90-3291-11e6-b8c6-0ec80c12756b https://www.reddit.com/live/x3ckzbsj6myw/updates/be54fb90-32...
- nailer 10y ago
  Would love to see a full shot to know how prominent the X is. It certainly seeems quote distant from the related controls.
  - benologist 10y ago
    http://imgur.com/2Vtpqz1 http://imgur.com/2Vtpqz1 It's either not there anymore or it's not there for everyone.
- nicotonic 10y ago
  It's still shady af
- TillE 10y ago
  > cropped out of this screenshot I don't think so... https://www.reddit.com/r/beta/comments/4o47qc/feedback_is_this_a_new_feature_or_do_i_have_some/d4fkawp https://www.reddit.com/r/beta/comments/4o47qc/feedback_is_th...
- deleted 10y ago
  [deleted]
encore2097 10y ago
How well did this work for quora?
- giancarlostoro 10y ago
  Probably pretty well, I still find ways to avoid it. I have yet to register. I am more likely to register on websites that don't pester me than on websites that do.
  - jssd8fiu2 10y ago
    Just append '?share=1' at the end of every quora link in your browser(I admit its easier to append on my computer than on my mobile), and it should remove the modal registration window that prevents you from seeing the content.
    - brador 10y ago
      > Just append '?share=1' at the end of every quora link in your browser(I admit its easier to append on my computer than on my mobile), and it should remove the modal registration window that prevents you from seeing the content. Just making a copy of this for when you delete your account/messages. Thanks!
    - whamlastxmas 10y ago
      Or block it in your hosts file and stay away from that shithole of a website.
nanch 10y ago
As a huge reddit user, this is a quick way to erode my trust and good will. I'm disappointed that they would even A/B test this at all.
- spullara 10y ago
  As a huge reddit user, you are probably logged in and won't see this message.
  - TwiztidK 10y ago
    I use Reddit daily, but I don't log in when I browse at work so I ended up getting this message last week. It was dismissed immediately, so I wasn't too irritated (unlike Quora's system which bothers me constantly because their digest emails open in my browser rather than their app, where I am logged in).
- maxerickson 10y ago
  An emotionally economical strategy would be to start thinking of reddit as a business. So for instance, if a given strategy is statistically effective, they are quite likely to discard your individual trust and good will.
- whamlastxmas 10y ago
  If your trust has not already been tremendously eroded to the point of not using reddit, I doubt anything will.
joekrill 10y ago
It looks like you would still be able to read the remaining content if you click "continue" instead of "log in"? I'm not entirely sure why reddit would insist on users creating accounts, anyway, since (last I checked, at least) you can create an account without providing any real information: just a username and password. Not even email is required.
- benologist 10y ago
  Continue goes to the registration form.
- takeda 10y ago
  It's easier to track perhaps for ads more aligned with your interests, but it could be used for other things.
- supergreg 10y ago
  Yes, registering is so easy I end up registering from each device and promptly forget the account name and password instead of trying to remember my account. Also adds a bit of isolation against tracking.
27182818284 10y ago
As like an eight-year-ish reddit user--gross. To be honest, I may just no longer be in the target user population or something. Which is fine, it happens. It seems like none of the recent decisions have added value to the site for me. * Changing links to be affiliate links -- doesn't apply to me at all * Making their own baby imgur --had to happen, but doesn't have a real value-add for me personally lots of times I don't realize if I'm on imgur or the new reddit one unless imgur's dumb cat paw advertisement comes up * Mobile app -- way too late. I mean I've had the other ones installed for years at this point and so on. I think the last feature that I was like "oh that's cool!" about what the Coinbase integration to quickly give gold to a post
chinhodado 10y ago
This originates from Quora and has been copied by many such as Facebook or Pinterest, etc. It's horribly annoying, but I guess there are statistic data to back it up (increase signing up by X percent?)
Aelinsaar 10y ago
"Feature" I... don't see that as a feature, more a kick in the sack.
senectus1 10y ago
I would never have become a reddit user if this had been around when I first discovered it. I know of one friend that refuses to use it at all because of this as well.

57 points by benologist 10y ago

Not quite forced registration: it can be dismissed by clicking the "x" in the corner (cropped out of this screenshot -- EDIT: There might not be a way to dismiss it in all of the variants; see comment below). Also, it's part of an A/B test and is not universal. More information: https://www.reddit.com/live/x3ckzbsj6myw/updates/be54fb90-3291-11e6-b8c6-0ec80c12756b https://www.reddit.com/live/x3ckzbsj6myw/updates/be54fb90-32...

nailer 10y ago
Would love to see a full shot to know how prominent the X is. It certainly seeems quote distant from the related controls.
- benologist 10y ago
  http://imgur.com/2Vtpqz1 http://imgur.com/2Vtpqz1 It's either not there anymore or it's not there for everyone.
nicotonic 10y ago
It's still shady af
TillE 10y ago
> cropped out of this screenshot I don't think so... https://www.reddit.com/r/beta/comments/4o47qc/feedback_is_this_a_new_feature_or_do_i_have_some/d4fkawp https://www.reddit.com/r/beta/comments/4o47qc/feedback_is_th...
deleted 10y ago
[deleted]

encore2097 10y ago

How well did this work for quora?

giancarlostoro 10y ago
Probably pretty well, I still find ways to avoid it. I have yet to register. I am more likely to register on websites that don't pester me than on websites that do.
- jssd8fiu2 10y ago
  Just append '?share=1' at the end of every quora link in your browser(I admit its easier to append on my computer than on my mobile), and it should remove the modal registration window that prevents you from seeing the content.
  - brador 10y ago
    > Just append '?share=1' at the end of every quora link in your browser(I admit its easier to append on my computer than on my mobile), and it should remove the modal registration window that prevents you from seeing the content. Just making a copy of this for when you delete your account/messages. Thanks!
  - whamlastxmas 10y ago
    Or block it in your hosts file and stay away from that shithole of a website.

nanch 10y ago

As a huge reddit user, this is a quick way to erode my trust and good will. I'm disappointed that they would even A/B test this at all.

spullara 10y ago
As a huge reddit user, you are probably logged in and won't see this message.
- TwiztidK 10y ago
  I use Reddit daily, but I don't log in when I browse at work so I ended up getting this message last week. It was dismissed immediately, so I wasn't too irritated (unlike Quora's system which bothers me constantly because their digest emails open in my browser rather than their app, where I am logged in).
maxerickson 10y ago
An emotionally economical strategy would be to start thinking of reddit as a business. So for instance, if a given strategy is statistically effective, they are quite likely to discard your individual trust and good will.
whamlastxmas 10y ago
If your trust has not already been tremendously eroded to the point of not using reddit, I doubt anything will.

joekrill 10y ago

It looks like you would still be able to read the remaining content if you click "continue" instead of "log in"? I'm not entirely sure why reddit would insist on users creating accounts, anyway, since (last I checked, at least) you can create an account without providing any real information: just a username and password. Not even email is required.

benologist 10y ago
Continue goes to the registration form.
takeda 10y ago
It's easier to track perhaps for ads more aligned with your interests, but it could be used for other things.
supergreg 10y ago
Yes, registering is so easy I end up registering from each device and promptly forget the account name and password instead of trying to remember my account. Also adds a bit of isolation against tracking.

27182818284 10y ago

As like an eight-year-ish reddit user--gross. To be honest, I may just no longer be in the target user population or something. Which is fine, it happens. It seems like none of the recent decisions have added value to the site for me. * Changing links to be affiliate links -- doesn't apply to me at all * Making their own baby imgur --had to happen, but doesn't have a real value-add for me personally lots of times I don't realize if I'm on imgur or the new reddit one unless imgur's dumb cat paw advertisement comes up * Mobile app -- way too late. I mean I've had the other ones installed for years at this point and so on. I think the last feature that I was like "oh that's cool!" about what the Coinbase integration to quickly give gold to a post

chinhodado 10y ago

This originates from Quora and has been copied by many such as Facebook or Pinterest, etc. It's horribly annoying, but I guess there are statistic data to back it up (increase signing up by X percent?)

Aelinsaar 10y ago

"Feature" I... don't see that as a feature, more a kick in the sack.

senectus1 10y ago

I would never have become a reddit user if this had been around when I first discovered it. I know of one friend that refuses to use it at all because of this as well.