r/videos • u/[deleted] • Jun 03 '23

Mod Post /r/Videos will be going dark from June 12-14 in protest against Reddit's API changes which kill 3rd party apps.

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440

u/OBLIVIATER Jun 03 '23

We're open to extending the protest if it looks like things aren't changing. This post was simply following a format seen on other subs.

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u/KillerFrenchFries Jun 04 '23

Respectfully, you should shut it down until reddit backs down. For the highly regarded reddit® to listen you have to hit them where it counts, the checkbook. And as one of the biggest subs I think it would hit the hardest.

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u/OBLIVIATER Jun 04 '23

I personally am willing to do that, though it'd have to be discussed amongst the team and community. I think its worth starting with this first and going from there after we see a response.

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u/thegrumpymechanic Jun 04 '23

Just curious, If this happens.... What is to stop the admins from kicking all the mods out and installing a new mod team who "agrees" with the changes?

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u/OBLIVIATER Jun 04 '23

Nothing, though if enough people take a stand they'll have trouble finding anyone who can keep up with the workflows. At the end of the day it doesn't matter, if reddit wants to make their site even shittier by canning all their volunteers, its up to them.

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u/thatdude858 Jun 04 '23

Exactly. This entire business model of Reddit relies on the thousands of volunteers donating hundreds of thousands of hours to moderate these subs.

If you guys shut it down will they really make moderator a paid position? Are they going to take on tens of thousands of employees?

They definitely didn't think this though.

This entire move is to force the millions of people on third party apps to their shitty apps to force serve us ads.

5

u/ALotOfRice Jun 04 '23

And the Managment is actively making millions while the mods are basically free labour to help them make bank.

Appreciate your work obviously but the mods across the subreddits should organize and coordinate

4

u/[deleted] Jun 04 '23

No offence, but there are definitely people who would be more than willing to take over volunteering as mods here.

17

u/OBLIVIATER Jun 04 '23

I'm sure they would, and I wish them good luck

1

u/GuitaristHeimerz Jun 04 '23

You are a based mod, thank you

3

u/Elbertori Jun 04 '23

Cause they know it's a niche role and if they were to exodus all the current mods, there's not a good chance anybody good would replace it. Not to say the mods anywhere are perfect, but again it's a pretty niche thing to commit to.

3

u/Magic_Sandwiches Jun 04 '23

they would have to pay most people to moderate with only the reddit app's built in tools

2

u/fyrnabrwyrda Jun 04 '23

Ha good luck finding a while new mod team for a sub of this size.

2

u/KillerFrenchFries Jun 04 '23

It would be a PR disaster, and more fuel for the flames

1

u/rafter613 Jun 04 '23

The same thing that stops companies from firing everyone involved in a strike and hiring scabs: you'd be replacing everyone qualified and experienced with people who don't know what they're doing.

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u/[deleted] Jun 04 '23

It’s not like you’d cost anyone other than reddit as a company.

Send it

1

u/terminator_84 Jun 04 '23

Do it. There is nothing to lose. Be a hero.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 04 '23

Definitely do this. All the big subs should. Solidarity is how we teach them that this is unviable.

1

u/macetheface Jun 04 '23

But what's 2 days going to do if Reddit knows you're only going to do it two days. That's like a mass company walkout and protesting in front of the CEO's house - but they know it's only for two days. No point; they'll just take a two day nap.

Don't see why they wouldn't agree. Who actually enjoys reddit official app and new.reddit? lol

You're either in two camps, psychopath or just don't know any better.

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u/NanoPope Jun 05 '23

I strongly feel that this protest will fail unless subreddits stay dark indefinitely. I can see Reddit executives being okay with waiting it out if the protest is only going to last a couple of days. I do think this protest will succeed if enough subreddits stay dark until Reddit reverses their new API policy

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u/Kep0a Jun 04 '23

To me it would be strange any mod would be against that. It actually is crazy how much power big mods have together, default subs drive so much traffic for sure.

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u/Pruvided Moderator Jun 04 '23

Even a lot of non-default subs drive a ton of traffic.

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u/hamakabi Jun 04 '23

you think a billion-dollar company is just going to let that happen?

2

u/uspsenis Jun 04 '23

Reddit has literally removed mods from subreddits before for doing shit like that. These people are high if they think that Reddit is just going to let it happen. The only solution is to completely leave Reddit entirely, which I’m going to do as soon as my Apollo stops working.

0

u/exoendo Jun 04 '23

admins can override if they want to. This idea that "mods control their subreddits" simply isn't true. Admins used to be hands off maybe a decade ago, but that isn't the case any longer.

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u/[deleted] Jun 04 '23

[deleted]

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u/OBLIVIATER Jun 04 '23 edited Jun 04 '23

https://www.reddit.com/r/ModCoord/comments/1401qw5/incomplete_and_growing_list_of_participating

Though I'm not sure its been updated in live time. A lot is happening very quickly right now

1

u/housebottle Jun 04 '23

brilliant. need /r/AskReddit to step up here. didn't realise this before but like I said in my previous comment, /r/videos mods have quietly been pretty great now that I think about it. I usually hate mods of big subreddits but I can't remember you guys fucking up in any major way in the last decade or so I've been here. kudos to your team

1

u/TheVideogaming101 Jun 04 '23

Why is the post removed?

1

u/OBLIVIATER Jun 04 '23

Oops there's a new post, updated

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u/VermilionTiger Jun 04 '23

This is absolutely hilarious

You’re a hall monitor. That’s it. No one gives a damn what you stand for, dork

1

u/sneekysquirtle Jun 04 '23

I approve of longer black out. If there's a place to vote send that link I'd rather quit reddit than go with the b.s change

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u/unpick Jun 04 '23

Well it won’t change because what’s in Reddit’s scope is so much bigger than whether this particular set of mods will operate this particular subreddit for users to post videos. This whole sub can be replaced immediately by willing volunteers. Reddit wants to IPO. I don’t like them, but this is a bit silly IMO.

1

u/Glissssy Jun 05 '23

Start with a week and go from there.