Hacker News Reader

Comment by NowhereMan | Hacker News Reader

On another note, I tried to make a throwaway on `old.reddit.com`. I couldn't find a way to make an account without using an email. I had to manually type in `old.reddit.com/register` to get to a form that would let me not type in an email and even then it wasn't obvious that the email wasn't required.

View on HN

If you pay close attention, you might notice that the email address field isn't required on the old.reddit.com signup popup. Press next without filling it in and you get the username/password part of registration.

This completely unintuitive trick also works on reddit.com.

> This completely unintuitive trick also works on reddit.com.

Honestly, it's not so much of a trick, but that the form is a dark pattern.

IMHO, they probably really, really want to require email addresses to register, but are trying to avoid the backlash from power users (aka their content source) that would happen if there wasn't a workaround. Every time someone gets ticked off about this, there's probably a comment within 5 minutes with instructions, and all outrage energy drains away.

Agreed (in fact I referred to it as a dark pattern in another comment).

@grumple pointed out that throwaway accounts that can't be easily linked to the poster are essential to some reddit communities, which may play a part in why this feature is still available.

Oh, interesting. Then it's just mobile where you can't skip it.

They appear to be A/B testing the email requirement. I tried reddit.com on desktop again just now, and in some sessions it lets me skip the email but in others it says the email is required.

Ew. :/

I would've never guessed it's still possible to create an account without using an email or a phone on any site in 2022.

Makes me wonder, why do they keep the functionality? Did they forget about the page?

Throwaway accounts that can't be easily linked to the poster are essential to a number of reddit communities.

> I would've never guessed it's still possible to create an account without using an email or a phone on any site in 2022 ... why do they keep the functionality?

Is this a joke? Participation is assumed to be only on the basis of anonymity. If the baker requested your name, there would be something very wrong around your parts.

Intrusive requests would mean refusal of participation.

It's not intrusive to ask for an email. It's a slight barrier against spam (trivially bypassed but still) and of course it's mandatory for resetting accounts, informing users about stuff (like Terms of Service changes). I honestly cannot remember the last time a website let me register without an email.

I can read one possible such «time» one click away (on your username).

It is not intrusive only if you can give a random address. It would be intrusive if all you had available was an address already used for other services. It is intrusive to ask you for, or coming to know, your name.

You don’t need an email to create a HN account last I checked

That must be a recent change. Because at least as recently as early this year, you could just click "continue" while leaving the email field blank and create an account.

It's still possible for me, I think @NowhereMan just didn't realise the email field could be left blank. Dark pattern working as intended, most likely.

EDIT: They appear to be A/B testing the email requirement, at least on reddit.com (https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=32438251#32448986).

Just tried and made an account without email. Just click on next.

And there is also a signup button, didn't have to go for any special page

Reply on news.ycombinator.com