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Does Reddit have an astroturfing problem? What the data suggests

312 points · 408 comments · p-s-v

  1. keiferski · · focus · HN ↗
    It is really odd/shocking how bad Reddit is, and how there don't seem to really be any seriously funded competitors. I know that in theory, X and its new competitors like bluesky are alternatives, but I really don't see them as the same kind of forum-first site.

    Is it because Reddit as a business is just generally a bad idea dependent on the free labor of mods?

    1. nullbio · · focus · HN ↗
      The free mods are why the site sucks. It incentivizes power-trippers to gatekeep large communities without any common consensus on how moderation should be established, and without any oversight of the moderators.

      There's no standard of professionalism or repercussion for being a terrible moderator, most of them are anon socially-weird outcasts with a chip on their shoulder.

      When you're paying someone real money to be a moderator they tend to do a good job because they want to continue receiving that payment. The reward for a Reddit moderator is instead to feel like you're important and powerful, and that you can punish people you disagree with.

      It also means that their power can generally be easily bought, because again, there's no repercussions for manipulating the board. Reddits incentives are entirely broken.

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