Thread

1. nomilk · 1790655652 · focus · HN ↗

   The biggest problem I have with reddit is mods can slowly but systematically ban users who express unfavourable opinions, and over time, anyone casually browsing could mistakenly believe those views are unpopular, whereas in reality everyone with that view (everyone who spoke it, anyway) was banned.

   To give a simple example, one video game franchise subreddit bans any negative discussion on the most recent title. Over 5-10 years, this shielded them from negative feedback. But the franchise has tanked because core users weren't listened to, and they ended up making something nobody wanted.

   1. andai · 1790682416 · focus · HN ↗

      I heard an influential person say thing about YouTube. That the "real" leaders of popular movements get banned, and then people get a completely distorted idea of what people actually believe, because the only exposure they get is to the ones YouTube approves of.

      1. neuronic · 1790683384 · focus · HN ↗

         This is absolutely true and a main reason why you will see a lot of Pikachu faces in r/de after a German election. This is true for most subreddits which are touching on topics that in some form or another promote tribalism.

         Such topics tend to naturally create opinionated flame wars, politics just being the most obvious example, but the subreddit mods often take a side even though the subreddit may advertise itself as the general hub for the topic.

         1. bel8 · 1790685984 · focus · HN ↗

            My friend told me the same phenomenon happens in Brazil's canonical subreddit /r/brasil

            I'm told that their mods tolerate left leaning hate speech much more than right leaning counterpart so unaware visitors think current left leaning government is beloved by a great majority and that it has been for years.

            But they told me that last election ended very tight, something like 49/51% and I'm told current imminent election is at similar 50/50 split.

            Same probably happened with German election.

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