Reddit execs don't care when people post like this. They aren't browsing the sub, all they see is user engagement is back up and that's a win. They can sell that to advertisers as a win. If you showed them the page they'd think it's weird but they probably wouldn't know it have ever been any different.
The only win to be had with the sub re-opening is to post nothing at all.
Yeah but that's not what they're doing. They're doing a contrarian circlejerk that'll get boring after a few days or until the next thing happens with the steam platform that they all want to talk about. There's already a highly upvoted post there about the UI update.
Did the mods actually make any kind of decree like that, though? It sounds like they're just doing an easily ignored automod message on every post and letting the users do as they will. The post i mentioned has 7k upvotes right now and its a been up for at least one full day. https://www.reddit.com/r/Steam/comments/14bww9f/about_this_weeks_update/
People can complain all they want about reddit, as long as it's on reddit, reddit is fine with it. People do the same about twitter, youtube, facebook all the time and it doesn't hurt shareholders.
Greetings, fellow vacuum enthusiasts and members of r/WellThatSucks! Today, we have an incredible tale to share with you, one that will shed light on the origins of our subreddit and the reason behind our new rule changes. So gather 'round and prepare to embark on a whimsical journey through the story of Mr. Wells.
The Legend of Mr. Wells, the Vacuum Whisperer
Picture this: in a small, picturesque town named Suckville, nestled deep in the heart of a state called Cleanylvania, there lived a man named Mr. Wells. Now, Mr. Wells was no ordinary citizen. He had a knack for selling vacuum cleaners like no one else in the land.
With his charisma, knowledge, and passion for suction power, Mr. Wells was a force to be reckoned with in the vacuum cleaner industry. He could convince even the most skeptical customers that they absolutely needed the latest model of vacuum cleaner to keep their homes pristine. But little did he know that his life was about to take a fateful turn.
The Birth of "Well, That Sucks!"
One fateful day, as Mr. Wells was demonstrating a cutting-edge vacuum cleaner to a potential customer, disaster struck. The vacuum malfunctioned, spewing dust and debris all over the room. Mr. Wells, with a wry smile on his face, muttered the now-legendary phrase, "Well, that sucks!" Little did he realize that this seemingly mundane moment would change his life forever.
Inspired by this comedic mishap, Mr. Wells set out on a quest to create a community where people could share their own vacuum cleaner woes and mishaps. Thus, the subreddit r/WellThatSucks was born. It became a safe haven for people to commiserate, laugh, and find solace in the shared struggles of dealing with vacuum cleaners.
Rule Changes - Embracing Our Roots
With the rich history of Mr. Wells and the origins of r/WellThatSucks in mind, we've decided to make some exciting rule changes that will take our subreddit back to its vacuum-centric roots.
Rule 1: All Posts Must Be About Vacuum Cleaners
Effective immediately, we are refocusing our subreddit exclusively on the topic of vacuum cleaners. From stories of triumph over dirt and dust to unfortunate vacuuming accidents, we want to see and hear it all. Let's transform r/WellThatSucks into the ultimate hub for vacuum cleaner enthusiasts and those who appreciate the trials and tribulations of keeping their spaces clean.
Rule 2: All Comments Must Be "Wellthatsucks"
To pay homage to the iconic phrase that sparked our subreddit's creation, we're introducing a fun twist to our comment section. Starting now, every comment you make on r/WellThatSucks must consist solely of the phrase "Wellthatsucks." Let this phrase be the language that unites us, showcasing our solidarity in the face of vacuum cleaner challenges.
We believe that these rule changes will not only honor the legacy of Mr. Wells but also create a unique and engaging community experience that embraces the humor and frustration inherent in vacuum cleaner mishaps.
Join Us in the Vacuum Cleaner Revolution!
We hope you'll join us on this whimsical journey through the vacuum cleaner-filled world of r/WellThatSucks. Share your stories, photos, videos, and questions about all things vacuum cleaner-related. And remember, whether you're sharing your experiences, offering advice, or simply reacting to a post, the phrase "Wellthatsucks" will be our language of choice.
This blackout has really shown which subs have actual in-touch moderators, and which ones are just the admins' puppy dogs
A while ago, I had a comment auto-removed on WPT and got a message it was because my account was "not in good standing." When I messaged the WPT mods, they explained that they were test piloting a new tool the admins plan to use. For example, if you have a throwaway email address, no email address, or are connecting via VPN, you may be "not in good standing."
With things like that on the horizon, even if they roll back on what they're doing now, we're still not likely to have a very good time on that site.
I can't blame the mods who are trying to make change through protest (and who may not even be aware of the "not in good standing" BS), but I don't plan to stick around, and I don't foresee a very bright future for reddit at all.
Honesty I think the big political subs are incredibly bot infested. Political content is an amazing way to make people mad and get them to spend more time on a platform, increasing engagement and letting reddit deliver more ads. It's not like it would be the first time they used bots to drive engagement and make communities look bigger.
The whole site is bot infested! Especially the large subs, but I've personally had scambots pop into my posts even on smaller subreddits.
People who say they won't leave reddit because "there's no good alternative" really have their head in the sand about how bad it really is. Nearly every alternative I've seen suggested is at least better than reddit (except for the really far-right ones like voat).
I absolutely resonate with both your comments, it's the best function reddit served imo. The big mainstream subs were just content factories to create posts to doomscroll through.
Interesting article, but according to it there where some pilot studies that tried to penalize citizens based on their social score. So I don't think the meme is entirely wrong.
A while ago, I had a comment auto-removed on WPT and got a message it was because my account was "not in good standing." When I messaged the WPT mods, they explained that they were test piloting a new tool the admins plan to use.
I'mma need some sauce for dat pasta. That's too wild to not post screenshots.
I can't imagine a website so anti-CCP it utterly internalized the social credit meme (despite it being somewhat more nuanced in reality, I still don't approve of it, just learned it gets exaggerated in the west) would take well to an invisible 'reputation system' that demands data collection and punishes privacy actions.
To try and be charitable to the WPT mods: that sub is a magnet for bots and bad actors. All those measures sound like a shotgun approach to combating spam to me.
I really don't envy having to moderate a large politically oriented sub like that. I imagine it burns you out fast to being open and fair-minded in how you approach moderation due to the sheer avalanche of bullshit you're confronted with cleaning up.
I do understand that point of view, but the fact that they're piloting a really invasive tool on behalf of the admins and subsequently refused to go black -- these make me feel far less charitable
Combating bots by banning anyone without an email is understandable and seems doable for the near future, but like it would mostly be a hiccup for the people churning them out.
Google ignores any periods in an email address, so if you want to sign up with the same email all you have to do is fill it with differently-placed periods. What are they gonna do? Ban everyone who shares your name from having a reddit? Ban Gmail? If they did, there's still the plus trick that isn't specific to gmail
The best way for the Reddit community to fight back is to leave to another community. In order for that to happen the Fediverse options have to keep growing and improving, like they are, so that people leaving feel comfortable knowing they have a good option. Reddit will be dead in 6 months.
I agree, although it can't hurt to also accelerate that process by making it unbearable for scabs and normies to use the site. It also helps by setting a precedent for any future centralized social sites (like squabbles) who may try to profit off their users or go to war with the internet. Maybe it might even make them open to the idea of federation (probably not but at the very least it'll make them leery of doing stuff like Reddit, unless they're just blatantly stupid like Huffman is).
I'm enjoying this aspect of the push back against reddit management. Ironically there was a great niche subreddit actually dedicated to vacuumcleaners and suggesting the best ones
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