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> Reddit is extremely dependent on the goodwill of the community Are they? Assuming they all go dark for 48 hours, then come back online, and business continue

> Reddit is extremely dependent on the goodwill of the community Are they? Assuming they all go dark for 48 hours, then come back online, and business continues as usual... wouldn't that somewhat prove that Reddit doesn't have to worry too much? What if certain subreddits go dark for extended amounts of times, multiple weeks, maybe even a month. And then new copycat subreddits pop up, what do you think will happen? Reddit will be fine, the vast majority of the end-users doesn't care or doesn't even know, it's the powerusers and moderators that care a lot. (FWIW, I absolutely think the protests are justified and Reddit's pricing is insane, but I'm cynical and don't see them being affected by this all that much)

worrycue 3y ago
I wonder how all the various subreddits will work without their moderators. If moderators stop doing their jobs I have a feeling many subreddits will devolve into chaos - spam, off topic posts, crazy people posting the most vile and repulsive shit, … etc.
- viraptor 3y ago
  Worth reading the long thread https://twitter.com/SA__moment/status/1587588321777451008 https://twitter.com/SA__moment/status/1587588321777451008 If they enable the subreddits without moderation, they'll die very soon. They really need moderation and users often don't realise how much crap they're protected from until it's too late.
  - jacquesm 3y ago
    I suspect that would be a far more effective protest, though if successful it may well kill the subreddits. The mods are trying to have their cake and eat it too: make a 'principled stance' without risk to their subreddits. That won't work.
- agentgumshoe 3y ago
  So... it'll become Twitter?
_xivi 3y ago
> What if certain subreddits go dark for extended amounts of times, multiple weeks, maybe even a month. And then new copycat subreddits pop up, what do you think will happen? For the most part, nothing. The new subreddits will likely be ghost towns.
dimmke 3y ago
There are already reports of some large subreddits shutting down permanently, such as programming humor. The idea that this action can’t possibly hurt Reddit I keep seeing is amazing to me. It absolutely will hurt Reddit. Even if it’s not an existential blow. Reddit took a long time to get to where it is. Simply saying it can absorb all this like it’s nothing is myopic. And FWIW, I’m glad most people aren’t as cynical as you, and willing to attempt to change things.
- Izkata 3y ago
  > There are already reports of some large subreddits shutting down permanently, such as programming humor. Great example, that one already has a possible replacement at programminghumour.
  - dvngnt_ 3y ago
    less a replacement and more an alternative made years ago whose last post is 4 years ago and is currently restricted and the pinned post is saying they need moderators so back to square one. creating a new one isn't a problem but scaling users and finding people to run it well is
- jacquesm 3y ago
  What stops the reddit admins from re-enabling 'programming humor' and to solicit one or more new moderators?
  - dimmke 3y ago
    Nothing, but it would result in even more backlash. I could see them doing this for the most popular subreddits like r/videos, but if you start doing this for even medium sized subreddits it’s going to have even more severe consequences. People aren’t stupid, and they aren’t as docile as you think. These theoretical questions to me are the equivalent of “Why didn’t the US just kill every person they encountered in Vietnam that was a male of fighting age instead of fighting against an insurgency? Well, they could have. They had the ability to. And it probably would have resulted in a different outcome. But it would had some pretty severe consequences.
importantbrian 3y ago
> the vast majority of the end-users doesn't care or doesn't even know I'm not sure. I've seen several subreddits where they've done polls about going dark and they've overwhelmingly supported going dark. For example, r/AcademicBiblical is currently around 80% in favor of going dark and that's not a subreddit I would think is just chalk full of Reddit power users.

worrycue 3y ago

I wonder how all the various subreddits will work without their moderators. If moderators stop doing their jobs I have a feeling many subreddits will devolve into chaos - spam, off topic posts, crazy people posting the most vile and repulsive shit, … etc.

viraptor 3y ago
Worth reading the long thread https://twitter.com/SA__moment/status/1587588321777451008 https://twitter.com/SA__moment/status/1587588321777451008 If they enable the subreddits without moderation, they'll die very soon. They really need moderation and users often don't realise how much crap they're protected from until it's too late.
- jacquesm 3y ago
  I suspect that would be a far more effective protest, though if successful it may well kill the subreddits. The mods are trying to have their cake and eat it too: make a 'principled stance' without risk to their subreddits. That won't work.
agentgumshoe 3y ago
So... it'll become Twitter?

_xivi 3y ago

> What if certain subreddits go dark for extended amounts of times, multiple weeks, maybe even a month. And then new copycat subreddits pop up, what do you think will happen? For the most part, nothing. The new subreddits will likely be ghost towns.

dimmke 3y ago

There are already reports of some large subreddits shutting down permanently, such as programming humor. The idea that this action can’t possibly hurt Reddit I keep seeing is amazing to me. It absolutely will hurt Reddit. Even if it’s not an existential blow. Reddit took a long time to get to where it is. Simply saying it can absorb all this like it’s nothing is myopic. And FWIW, I’m glad most people aren’t as cynical as you, and willing to attempt to change things.

Izkata 3y ago
> There are already reports of some large subreddits shutting down permanently, such as programming humor. Great example, that one already has a possible replacement at programminghumour.
- dvngnt_ 3y ago
  less a replacement and more an alternative made years ago whose last post is 4 years ago and is currently restricted and the pinned post is saying they need moderators so back to square one. creating a new one isn't a problem but scaling users and finding people to run it well is
jacquesm 3y ago
What stops the reddit admins from re-enabling 'programming humor' and to solicit one or more new moderators?
- dimmke 3y ago
  Nothing, but it would result in even more backlash. I could see them doing this for the most popular subreddits like r/videos, but if you start doing this for even medium sized subreddits it’s going to have even more severe consequences. People aren’t stupid, and they aren’t as docile as you think. These theoretical questions to me are the equivalent of “Why didn’t the US just kill every person they encountered in Vietnam that was a male of fighting age instead of fighting against an insurgency? Well, they could have. They had the ability to. And it probably would have resulted in a different outcome. But it would had some pretty severe consequences.

importantbrian 3y ago

> the vast majority of the end-users doesn't care or doesn't even know I'm not sure. I've seen several subreddits where they've done polls about going dark and they've overwhelmingly supported going dark. For example, r/AcademicBiblical is currently around 80% in favor of going dark and that's not a subreddit I would think is just chalk full of Reddit power users.