It was never a question if top down rules on speech work, it's if it was a desired. Reddit is the beige wall of community. My experience is choosing between echo chambers, marketing, or ghost towns.

"Thousands of communities, endless conversation, authentic human connection." Would that mission statement be more true for Reddit, Tumblr, Image boards, IRC channels, random internet forums? and the conversation is boring, its feels just like tech Twitter where everyone has to make sure they thoroughly vet their posts for the sake of their future and avoid getting slam dunked on. At least it's usually up and down arrows and ban hammers instead of verbal assault.

Please convince your communities to abandon ship to self hosted, more intimate communication platforms.