As an effect of the recent Reddit blackout, the company is now surrounded by disappointed investors and community. I predict that Reddit may end up facing the same fate as Tumblr: being sold to another company. Only time will tell what the future holds for Reddit, but one thing is for sure - the protest will leave a lasting impact on the platform and its users.
Yeah, I’m thinking that each subreddit’s choice to stay private or restricted is a little irrelevant in the long run. The big realization here is how everyone has become so dependent on one single platform: Reddit. Reddit corporate has made it abundantly clear that all of its users and all of its content are simply there to support the compnay’s bottom line, and that their needs and preferences are completely irrelevant in the grand scheme. We need some competition across different platforms to help reel in these mega-centralized mass social media destinations, forcing them to cater to their user’s interests as well. I understand the idea that Reddit needs to make money to survive, and I don’t want to stop them from doing that. But with an entire world of solutions, is this really the only one they could have chosen? If, for example, they were actually responding to the AI companies training their models on Reddit at great bandwidth cost to Reddit, why not just price out the AI companies and leave the 3rd party apps alone? I don’t buy their cover up story. It’s all ads, content control, and the desire to press people into their own algorithm and behavioral ecosystem.
For me, I was on my way out of Reddit when the new Reddit appeared and features on RES were starting to break, but the I got Apollo. That app was keeping me there and I have no reason stay after it no longer works. I’m just deciding if I want to delete my oldest active account or not. There is a lot of information in there but I don’t see going back. I just look forward to good communities that aren’t drowned out by a million bots over here.
Unfortunately, not much is going to happen. When you put an end date to a protest, then the company can just wait it out. What really needs to happen is all major subs start redirecting to kbin, tildes, beehaw etc
The protest had an end date because it shows that we’re reasonable and willing to come back to the table. Now that Reddit has doubled-down, the next stage is to extend the timeline and magnitude of the protest.
The big apps and some of the bigger subs were always going to be going away indefinitely, while others will likely stay dark or even join the protest after staying out initially. Some will go back to normal, too, of course, just like some subs didn’t participate at all in the first place.
The future is the hands of the Reddit community. After the blackout, will we collectively shrug our shoulders and give up the fight even though it has barely begun? Or will the gravity of the situation sink in and inspire us into a second, longer, potentially indefinite blackout until our demands are met? Or at least until Reddit gives some ground. Good lord, please don’t tell me everyone’s going to throw in the towel without at least some concessions of their part.
The general sentiment I’ve seen among users here is to not go back unless Reddit is willing to give in.
Some subs will inevitably give up tomorrow, we were never going to get 100% commitment to any protest. But it sounds like a hefty number are holding the line.
Heck, a good few people have already committed to burning their accounts and the original two days aren’t even up yet. Though Reddit probably counts them as beyond reach even if they do concede completely.
I suspect the real long-term harm to Reddit is that it will have started the push for alternatives in earnest. That, combined with Twitter and now Discord going to shit, all in such a short timespan, gives me hope that enough people will see the value in the Fediverse.