Speaking of YouTube, I wonder if Google will get into the game. The recent blackout has shown that Google search is kind of reliant on Reddit - a lot of top li

Speaking of YouTube, I wonder if Google will get into the game. The recent blackout has shown that Google search is kind of reliant on Reddit - a lot of top links go to Reddit. I mean Google Search will adapt if Reddit vanishes but why deal with Reddit as a middle man at all? Google can start its own "Reddit". They already have scalable forum software in the form of the YouTube comment system. Heck, they can even copy YouTube's operating philosophy: - poster of content moderates their own content's comment section; reduce concentration of power in the hands of a few mods - comments have a score, users don't; avoids the Black Mirror episode "Nosedive" scenario ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nosedive_(Black_Mirror) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nosedive_(Black_Mirror) ) - frontpage is controlled by algorithm; no "subreddits" - downvotes are hidden to everyone include the user being downvoted They will make money by displaying ads as usual - serving text has got to be way way cheaper than video.