4 ms·

That’s a good thing folks. Talking about the user being the product, I’d try to choose a platform where my value is minimal since I think it’s fair to assume t

by zeeed 8y ago

That’s a good thing folks. Talking about the user being the product, I’d try to choose a platform where my value is minimal since I think it’s fair to assume that there’s less data collection and profiling going on.

abhiminator 8y ago
One good thing I commend reddit for is their business model centered around the user-funded 'gold system' (now called reddit premium [0]). Kind of like a win-win: You see a great post or a comment by a random user, you buy gold (or awards/coins as it's now called), reddit gets the money, post or comment's author gets the recognition in that thread via a special badge (aside from a host of other experience-enhancing benefits) -- everyone's happy. I'm aware of the fact that they run ads, but one can choose to evade all of it by going premium -- pretty neat, imo; Imagine Facebook or Twitter giving users this choice! [0] https://www.newsweek.com/reddit-gold-silver-platinum-premium-how-get-awards-1172321 https://www.newsweek.com/reddit-gold-silver-platinum-premium...
- Vinnl 8y ago
  Their ad platform also, as far as I'm aware, only spans their own website. Admittedly, given the ungodly amounts of time I'm spending there, that's still a significant amount of profile-building they'll be able to do, but it's still far less invasive tracking than e.g. Facebook's.
- zozbot123 8y ago
  The new "reddit premium" feature is a downgrade, though. The original "gold" model is a lot smoother - there is a single token of reward, the gold coin. If you want to increase your visible appreciation for the post/comment, just pay more and award them more gold. Yes, the new "premium" model is more palatable to investors, but it's still very clearly giving up a nice, win-win innovation.
- pjc50 8y ago
  I'd love to see something similar for Twitter. Perhaps with better moderation support as one of the perks. "Gold" systems that actually pay the content creator, patreon-style, are an interesting idea too. But they have considerable potential downsides.
  - rchaud 8y ago
    Content is constantly being reposted on Reddit with zero attribution. You're better off trying to create a new community with these types of pay-the-creator systems built into it, than shoehorning it into Reddit where the incentive systems would be completely warped due to the Wild West nature of 'content ownership'.
emilfihlman 8y ago
Wot? It means there's _more_ data collection and profiling since you can't otherwise make profit.
ashelmire 8y ago
That seems like a pretty dubious assumption. Who’s to say they aren’t more desperate for cash due to that? Reddit makes it painful to browse their site on mobile exactly because they want you to use the app so they can track you.
- vertline3 8y ago
  Yeah I wonder if free models may make a platform more open to propaganda.
- zeeed 8y ago
  I think they’re doing pretty well: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-reddit-funding/reddit-valued-at-3-billion-after-raising-300-million-in-latest-funding-round-idUSKCN1Q020W https://www.reuters.com/article/us-reddit-funding/reddit-val... Now that doesn’t mean they’ve found a good long term model yet. But if I had to choose between Reddit’s and Facebook’s app (not that the comparison would make a lot of sense) then I’d choose Reddit on all days of the week.
  - screye 8y ago
    Reddit has also been supportive of 3rd party apps and those are some of the best apps of Android overall... Let alone for Reddit.
  - ashelmire 8y ago
    Valuation has little to do with income; and in fact it means they have to live up to that valuation by getting more revenue and answer to more outside investors. I’m not sure how you thought this was a counterpoint?
    - zeeed 8y ago
      I was talking about the funding, not the valuation. They are presumably looking for a way to sustain themselves, but I still don’t believe they’re “desperate for cash”
he6s4vyu 8y ago
The problem with reddit is that I assume their team is so useless they simply can't extract value from the users. As soon as they start hiring competent people, things will change.

by zeeed 8y ago

abhiminator 8y ago

One good thing I commend reddit for is their business model centered around the user-funded 'gold system' (now called reddit premium [0]). Kind of like a win-win: You see a great post or a comment by a random user, you buy gold (or awards/coins as it's now called), reddit gets the money, post or comment's author gets the recognition in that thread via a special badge (aside from a host of other experience-enhancing benefits) -- everyone's happy. I'm aware of the fact that they run ads, but one can choose to evade all of it by going premium -- pretty neat, imo; Imagine Facebook or Twitter giving users this choice! [0] https://www.newsweek.com/reddit-gold-silver-platinum-premium-how-get-awards-1172321 https://www.newsweek.com/reddit-gold-silver-platinum-premium...

Vinnl 8y ago
Their ad platform also, as far as I'm aware, only spans their own website. Admittedly, given the ungodly amounts of time I'm spending there, that's still a significant amount of profile-building they'll be able to do, but it's still far less invasive tracking than e.g. Facebook's.
zozbot123 8y ago
The new "reddit premium" feature is a downgrade, though. The original "gold" model is a lot smoother - there is a single token of reward, the gold coin. If you want to increase your visible appreciation for the post/comment, just pay more and award them more gold. Yes, the new "premium" model is more palatable to investors, but it's still very clearly giving up a nice, win-win innovation.
pjc50 8y ago
I'd love to see something similar for Twitter. Perhaps with better moderation support as one of the perks. "Gold" systems that actually pay the content creator, patreon-style, are an interesting idea too. But they have considerable potential downsides.
- rchaud 8y ago
  Content is constantly being reposted on Reddit with zero attribution. You're better off trying to create a new community with these types of pay-the-creator systems built into it, than shoehorning it into Reddit where the incentive systems would be completely warped due to the Wild West nature of 'content ownership'.

emilfihlman 8y ago

Wot? It means there's _more_ data collection and profiling since you can't otherwise make profit.

ashelmire 8y ago

That seems like a pretty dubious assumption. Who’s to say they aren’t more desperate for cash due to that? Reddit makes it painful to browse their site on mobile exactly because they want you to use the app so they can track you.

vertline3 8y ago
Yeah I wonder if free models may make a platform more open to propaganda.
zeeed 8y ago
I think they’re doing pretty well: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-reddit-funding/reddit-valued-at-3-billion-after-raising-300-million-in-latest-funding-round-idUSKCN1Q020W https://www.reuters.com/article/us-reddit-funding/reddit-val... Now that doesn’t mean they’ve found a good long term model yet. But if I had to choose between Reddit’s and Facebook’s app (not that the comparison would make a lot of sense) then I’d choose Reddit on all days of the week.
- screye 8y ago
  Reddit has also been supportive of 3rd party apps and those are some of the best apps of Android overall... Let alone for Reddit.
- ashelmire 8y ago
  Valuation has little to do with income; and in fact it means they have to live up to that valuation by getting more revenue and answer to more outside investors. I’m not sure how you thought this was a counterpoint?
  - zeeed 8y ago
    I was talking about the funding, not the valuation. They are presumably looking for a way to sustain themselves, but I still don’t believe they’re “desperate for cash”

he6s4vyu 8y ago

The problem with reddit is that I assume their team is so useless they simply can't extract value from the users. As soon as they start hiring competent people, things will change.