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Comment by isthatafact | Hacker News Reader

reddit has done a great job of letting itself rot -- for example, the moderation system tends to result in a hostile experience for users who attempt to participate.

On the other hand, if google owned it, getting banned from a subreddit would possibly mean getting locked out of all of your google accounts.

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May be internet needs a refresh from walled gardens and one sided impositions without any accountability. Some class of services need to be protected to the same level as access to basic utilities such as roads or power…

It depends on the subreddit but as a long time Reddit user I find that moderation has changed and you can be banned for posting on topic posts.

I’ve been banned on two separate accounts for posting something the mod of the subreddit didn’t like. When I found out there was no appeal I kinda gave up on Reddit.

I got shadowbanned a TON till I realized you could be shadow banned for leaving to many (on topic) links to other websites or subreddits in the comments.

Sorry I am good at leaving sources to backup what I say I guess?

The moderation system is pretty much the same as any forum. You just have to read the sidebar rules first when you're posting on an unfamiliar subreddit, as you would when joining any community.

On most forums there's no automated system that automatically shadowbans users for using a blacklisted IP.

They also don't quietly remove comments in a way that is invisible to a user for triggering some keyword in AutoModerator or a spam filter. And there are usually no minimum karma or account age requirements for posters.

> On most forums there's no automated system that automatically shadowbans users for using a blacklisted IP.

Any large site does this. Even HN.

But you can be banned from sub A if you post in sub B because mods from sub A don't like sub B, even if what you posted was something that mods from sub A would like... and AFAIK you won't find out you were banned from sub A until you try to post on sub A. Not that it happened to me, but I've seen plenty of cases.

Some of the moderators ban anyone anyone who makes comments that they do not like, even if comments are reasonable, polite, and within rules.

Moderation of that type usually seems to be secret, but the problematic moderators that I have noticed seem to be trying to protect some political belief or pet disinformation from discussion. It poisons the entire site for me.

Getting OT, but what is the deal with all the completely different moderation guidelines (that amass to like 20-30 weird rules and exceptions) for every subreddit. I find it almost impossible to participate (except just adding a comment here and there).

For example, I wanted to post a funny Risitas youtube vid I made (you know the Spanish comedian with that laugh...), and couldn't find a single usable "funny" subreddit. Some banned youtube content completely. Some banned "video memes", some banned X and some banned Y... all of them had slightly different guidelines and you immediately got an insta-splurge from a bot-mod if you tried posting. Some required you to prefix every post subject with some code word. I had to give up eventually and post it on some super-small subreddit instead that accepted anything.

> what is the deal with all the completely different moderation guidelines ... for every subreddit

My sense is that the bigger the userbase, the more it attracts junk, spam, abuse, etc. So, the rules get tightened to combat it. Also, my impression is that the moderation tools are not great, so crude/heavy-handed methods are sometimes all that is available.

I think you found the corollary already: smaller subreddits have less rules and/or less strict enforcement.

I'm not sure a better solution, given the situation. Though I agree it can be discouraging for well-meaning occasional contributors.

The other problem is the moderators themselves. Each subreddit has its own volunteer moderators. It's a thankless job, so who volunteers to do it? Frequently people who shouldn't have that power. So many subs have terrible mods who abuse their power.

It's like a little microcosm of politics (:

"... It is a well-known fact that those people who most want to rule people are, ipso facto, those least suited to do it. To summarize the summary: anyone who is capable of getting themselves made President should on no account be allowed to do the job."

— Douglas Adams

> you know the mexican comedian with that laugh...

He was Spanish, as in Spaniard, from Spain, Europe.

Ah my mistake, unfortunately I can't correct my comment now

I've taken the liberty of s/Mexican/Spanish/ing your comment. I hope that's what you wanted!

No worries. And in fact, sorry if I came out as nitpicky. Not that kind of person usually, but being his fan even before he became internet-famous I felt some urge, strange as it sounds.

> (except just adding a comment here and there).

Your comment has been auto removed for not linking your reddit account with a email.

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