Is anyone here actually interested in either fixing reddit or (if it can't be fixed) building a viable alternative to it?

submitted by Aureus from self.MeanwhileOnReddit

What is the point of diligently monitoring reddit's decline, while doing absolutely nothing about it?

Reddit didn't always suck. If reddit was broken, maybe it can be fixed. Censorship can be countered with the creation of new subs and the clever promotion of content. Propaganda can be countered by putting the right rebuttals in the right places.

And if reddit can't be fixed, anybody who cares about good discourse should be promoting Saidit far and wide. Any subreddit concerned about reddit's decline should be reached out to, and shown how easy it is to create a Saidit sub instead. We should mention Saidit on platforms other than reddit as well, and let everyone know that Saidit is the new, better version of reddit.

I'm sorry if this is already being done. I just don't see any activity about it. It sucks sitting on the sidelines, watching reddit turn into a censored propaganda site that brainwashes thousands of people. There's got to be something regular people can do, whether that's posting on reddit more constructively or else helping to build a viable alternative that can reach the mainstream.

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[–]DffrntDrmmr 6 insightful - 1 fun6 insightful - 0 fun7 insightful - 1 fun -  (6 children)

It sucks sitting on the sidelines, watching reddit turn into a censored propaganda site that brainwashes thousands of people.

As intended.

I read an interview with one of Reddit's founders who stated that the site was designed to be a left-wing political influencer to counter what he perceived as right-wing corporate influence.

He said the site reflected his own personal political stance.

[–]Aureus[S] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (5 children)

Okay. So what do we do about that?

[–]DffrntDrmmr 4 insightful - 2 fun4 insightful - 1 fun5 insightful - 2 fun -  (2 children)

I detest Reddit. I left there about 5 months ago, and while I procrastinated doing so for a number of months, once I finally did, I haven't looked back. The few times I've returned just reinforced that I made the right decision.

My favorite quote is: "Though I may disagree with what you say, I will defend to the death your right to say it." So, you see, Reddit is incompatible with my values. Fuck Reddit.

Unfortunately, there is nothing comparable as far as interesting content, user activity, and a pleasant graphical user interface, but the extreme censorship and rudeness (including their unconscionable shadow-banning!) are insults to human dignity. Reddit is beyond redemption.

It's possible someone could (and probably will) create an alternative or successor someday. Reddit certainly has enough problems that millions of users would willingly migrate.

(I have some ideas, myself, but lack the technical knowledge so I'd need partners.)

[–]Aureus[S] 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Unfortunately, there is nothing comparable as far as interesting content, user activity

This is exactly my point.

It's possible someone could (and probably will) create an alternative or successor someday.

We're already on one... Saidit. We just haven't expended the effort to bring people over from reddit to here. The vast majority of people on reddit aren't aware that Saidit exists.

I have ideas on how to promote Saidit and the motivation to do so, but I can't do it alone. It's up to us whether we want to see this site succeed and bring back the freedom and quality content reddit used to have.

[–]AntiLowEffortHuman 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

We can't. People from r/consumeproduct and r/smuggies etc will keep making evasion accounts and subs but in the end they're all going to be banned. I say we stick with saidit.

[–]Aureus[S] 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

If we're sticking with saidit, we should raise awareness about saidit existing and build it into a quality platform appealing to a large amount of people.

[–]hennaojichan 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

It was fun and interesting but not anymore. Let it go.

[–]Tigerbitecrazy 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (3 children)

Time to reclaim Digg

Edit: Reddit is broken. Just like people buying influence on FB and Google, they realized the same can be done in an echo chamber but with much less effort. I'll reiterate: Let's take Digg back

[–]DffrntDrmmr 3 insightful - 2 fun3 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 2 fun -  (1 child)

Other than recognizing the name, I'm unfamiliar with Digg. I'm reading about its history at the moment.

Seven different CEOs in the last 10 years!

Update:

Oh, the irony...

Alexis Ohanian, founder of rival site Reddit, said in an open letter to Rose:

… this new version of digg reeks of VC meddling. It's cobbling together features from more popular sites and departing from the core of digg, which was to "give the power back to the people."

[–]Tigerbitecrazy 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

That is friggin hilarious.

[–]Aureus[S] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Can Digg even be taken back? I thought it had changed its format so much that discussion on it is basically impossible.

[–][deleted] 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Imo Reddit is doomed, because they want to IPO this year. Theyve been locked onto that path for years and I doubt they can be talked out of it. Spez says "it's the only responsible choice (for investors)"

They are getting very banhappy with their "repurposing a banned sub" rule. On /r/watchredditdie more and more are losing faith in reddit daily.

[–]LarrySwinger2 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

Perhaps coordinated efforts to promote Saidit would help. If you see a discussion where Saidit is relevant, mention it, then link to the comment here and ask people to upvote it.

[–]Aureus[S] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

That's a great idea. The best way to do it would be to get a lot of people on board with doing this actively, so it's not just one or two people spreading the word, but dozens. Additionally, reach out to mods of popular subreddits and get them to list Saidit in the sidebar or announcements.

[–]Thorium_Reactor 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Point, laugh and watch it die. That's it.