Reddit CEO Steve Huffman has hinted that in future some subreddits could be paywalled, as the company seeks to devise...
“I think the existing, altruistic, free version of Reddit will continue to exist and grow and thrive just the way it has,” Huffman said. “But now we will unlock the door for new use cases, new types of subreddits that can be built that may have exclusive content or private areas, things of that nature.”
Enshitification marches on - why anyone chooses to stay on sites like Reddit or Twitter (and its Twitter until they stop referring to themselves as Twitter in their emails), I don’t understand.
Unless Reddit actually monetizes the process for content creators, in which case, we need them to open up their books - because then they’ll be running a marketplace.
I imagine they’d be eyeing things like having a partnership with patreon so patrons get access to an exclusive subreddit at a certain tier (with reddit getting some cut). Not saying patreon specifically would go for that but I imagine that type of monetization is what they’d be mostly considering. Or maybe a better example would be something in the realm of substack. Paying directly for access is hard to get people to go for without a third party with financial incentive to drive content.
There are private/paywalled Discord servers and forums out there, too, so this could replace some of those. I think the Reddit format is better than a lot of alternatives, so I don’t actually hate this idea.
If they’re already giving exclusive access to Google for search and AI training, my bet is it’s all in a bid for ‘please buy us daddy Google’, and let them handle it from there.
The language sorta implies existing subreddits won’t be paywalled, but I really don’t believe it. Reddit has no problem taking shit away from its community
i mean if they don’t paywall existing subs, and just make it an option for future subs…I could see a world where people use that for like their Patreon or something, like with invite-only Discords. But then, in my mind, that’s people paying Patreon to get access to an exclusive Reddit, and that wouldn’t bring Reddit new money, so maybe this isn’t working the way i’m thinking…
Spikes are not that interesting. In fact, hey can harm more than be useful (server problems during peak, maybe for days, sudden cost increase for maintainer) if its not an organic and slow increase. The longterm conversion rate is much more important.
I think it could be the “digg v4” of reddit. People want to use the most popular free platform. If faced with a paywall on reddit, they’ll just go somewhere else. Most likely people will go over to Threads, but maybe some will find Lemmy.
Sure, but also the broader “join my Patreon to get access to my Discord server” market. It’s actually a pretty clever move, if there’s a market for it (there is) and if it replaces more insidious revenue streams (it won’t).
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Oh, no! Anyway…
That’s nothing new though. With reddit premium you already got access to exclusive sub’s.
This sounds like testing the waters, then dipping their toes, then doing a little splashing. Then jumping right in to completely subscription based.
Enshitification marches on - why anyone chooses to stay on sites like Reddit or Twitter (and its Twitter until they stop referring to themselves as Twitter in their emails), I don’t understand.
r/BigBooty is going to be bone dry…
Unless Reddit actually monetizes the process for content creators, in which case, we need them to open up their books - because then they’ll be running a marketplace.
Anybody got that Steve Huffman pig boy meme handy?
I wasn’t aware this was a thing. Here is my contribution:
So basically r/lounge?
I imagine they’d be eyeing things like having a partnership with patreon so patrons get access to an exclusive subreddit at a certain tier (with reddit getting some cut). Not saying patreon specifically would go for that but I imagine that type of monetization is what they’d be mostly considering. Or maybe a better example would be something in the realm of substack. Paying directly for access is hard to get people to go for without a third party with financial incentive to drive content.
It could also provide an alternative to patreon’s usual communities for patrons (aka discord lol)
There are private/paywalled Discord servers and forums out there, too, so this could replace some of those. I think the Reddit format is better than a lot of alternatives, so I don’t actually hate this idea.
What an absolute disaster, you gotta love it
If they’re already giving exclusive access to Google for search and AI training, my bet is it’s all in a bid for ‘please buy us daddy Google’, and let them handle it from there.
Geez, and I thought they reached peak idiocy.
The language sorta implies existing subreddits won’t be paywalled, but I really don’t believe it. Reddit has no problem taking shit away from its community
i mean if they don’t paywall existing subs, and just make it an option for future subs…I could see a world where people use that for like their Patreon or something, like with invite-only Discords. But then, in my mind, that’s people paying Patreon to get access to an exclusive Reddit, and that wouldn’t bring Reddit new money, so maybe this isn’t working the way i’m thinking…
There would still be some users that would rather pay through reddit for access than make an account on patreon and connect their account
Lol I was just about to post this. Yeah this is a decision for sure. Wouldn’t be surprised if this causes another big spike in Lemmy usage
May it be so.
Spikes are not that interesting. In fact, hey can harm more than be useful (server problems during peak, maybe for days, sudden cost increase for maintainer) if its not an organic and slow increase. The longterm conversion rate is much more important.
Probably not. People will hang onto stuff because “everybody’s there” and “but lemmy doesn’t have enough content” 🤷♂
Anti Commercial-AI license
I think it could be the “digg v4” of reddit. People want to use the most popular free platform. If faced with a paywall on reddit, they’ll just go somewhere else. Most likely people will go over to Threads, but maybe some will find Lemmy.
Don’t forget “it’s too complicated”
“Selecting a server is too complicated”. Won’t ever understand that.
Anti Commercial-AI license
But what if I pick the server with all the furries? 🧐
We can file that under: expanding worldviews.
Anti Commercial-AI license
Well probably the average Joe may not even know what a server is, not even being able to chose a server which is the best suited for him.
Yep, this is good for Lemmy
“Unlock the door” is a really strange way to say “lock the door.” What a dolt.
Sounds like a way for them to tap into the OnlyFans market…
Sure, but also the broader “join my Patreon to get access to my Discord server” market. It’s actually a pretty clever move, if there’s a market for it (there is) and if it replaces more insidious revenue streams (it won’t).
I wouldn’t be surprised if this was exactly what he was referring to.
I can’t think of any audience that would be worse to interact with for Only Fans type content than redditors.
We need to shore up all the porn instances for the coming wave of users - it only makes sense that’s what they’d wall off.
It’s the Conservative/Elon Musk version: censorship and lies are “Freedom of Speech”, falsehoods are truth, everything is projection, etc.