Subreddits and third-party apps are going dark in response to Reddit’s proposed API changes. It’s the latest front in a labor battle between algorithms and the humans who feed them.
Subreddits and third-party apps are going dark in response to Reddit’s proposed API changes. It’s the latest front in a labor battle between algorithms and the humans who feed them.
I think the last straw for me was when I went to Reddit and noticed that all the awful news from the Supreme Court was given hearts and thumbs up and various other awards suggesting approval of the court’s terrible, self-serving decisions. The site had been up to this point fairly progressive, but I feel like this is going to be the start of a new, more right-wing Reddit. (As if Twitter and the half dozen conservative microblogs trying to be Twitter weren’t bad enough.)
I noticed this too and get much more prominent soon as things were announced. Even a sub like /Joerogan where Rogan is “left” had pretty tame right wing theme (compared to the big rightwing subs) but soon as it was announced all the ones that were mostly quiet or restrained just let loose.
There is so much astroturfing on Reddit these days. I’m sure there are people being paid to manipulate the narratives on social media. Even if it wasn’t a local entity, it’d be an easy way for foreign governments to sow discord (pretty cheaply). Can you imagine? All you have to do to reach millions of Americans is to pay a person(s) to log into 1000 accounts and upvote something or give awards to a post. Reddit doesn’t care cuz they get the moneys and they get the “engagement” they need to IPO.
And to make matters worse Reddit has chased off or straight up removed a good chunk of the moderators who would have helped keep the bots at bay. Now it’s an astroturfing playground out there with nobody to stop them.