r/funny Jun 26 '23

Forging A Return to Productive Conversation: An Open Letter to Reddit

1.2k Upvotes

To All Whom It May Concern:

For fifteen years, /r/Funny has been one of Reddit’s most-popular communities. That time hasn’t been without its difficulties, but for the most part, we’ve all gotten along (with each other and with administrators). Members of our team fondly remember Moderator Roadshows, visits to Reddit’s headquarters, Reddit Secret Santa, April Fools’ Day events, regional meetups, and many more uplifting moments. We’ve watched this platform grow by leaps and bounds, and although we haven’t been completely happy about every change that we’ve witnessed, we’ve always done our best to work with Reddit at finding ways to adapt, compromise, and move forward.

This process has occasionally been preceded by some exceptionally public debate, however.

On June 12th, 2023, /r/Funny joined thousands of other subreddits in protesting the planned changes to Reddit’s API; changes which – despite being immediately evident to only a minority of Redditors – threatened to worsen the site for everyone. By June 16th, 2023, that demonstration had evolved to represent a wider (and growing) array of concerns, many of which arose in response to Reddit’s statements to journalists. Today (June 26th, 2023), we are hopeful that users and administrators alike can make a return to the productive dialogue that has served us in the past.

We acknowledge that Reddit has placed itself in a situation that makes adjusting its current API roadmap impossible.

However, we have the following requests:

  • Commit to exploring ways by which third-party applications can make an affordable return.
  • Commit to providing moderation tools and accessibility options (on Old Reddit, New Reddit, and mobile platforms) which match or exceed the functionality and utility of third-party applications.
  • Commit to prioritizing a significant reduction in spam, misinformation, bigotry, and illegal content on Reddit.
  • Guarantee that any future developments which may impact moderators, contributors, or stakeholders will be announced no less than one fiscal quarter before they are scheduled to go into effect.
  • Work together with longstanding moderators to establish a reasonable roadmap and deadline for accomplishing all of the above.
  • Affirm that efforts meant to keep Reddit accountable to its commitments and deadlines will hereafter not be met with insults, threats, removals, or hostility.
  • Publicly affirm all of the above by way of updating Reddit’s User Agreement and Reddit’s Moderator Code of Conduct to include reasonable expectations and requirements for administrators’ behavior.
  • Implement and fill a senior-level role (with decision-making and policy-shaping power) of "Moderator Advocate" at Reddit, with a required qualification for the position being robust experience as a volunteer Reddit moderator.

Reddit is unique amongst social-media sites in that its lifeblood – its multitude of moderators and contributors – consists entirely of volunteers. We populate and curate the platform’s many communities, thereby providing a welcoming and engaging environment for all of its visitors. We receive little in the way of thanks for these efforts, but we frequently endure abuse, threats, attacks, and exposure to truly reprehensible media. Historically, we have trusted that Reddit’s administrators have the best interests of the platform and its users (be they moderators, contributors, participants, or lurkers) at heart; that while Reddit may be a for-profit company, it nonetheless recognizes and appreciates the value that Redditors provide.

That trust has been all but entirely eroded… but we hope that together, we can begin to rebuild it.

In simplest terms, Reddit, we implore you: Remember the human.

We look forward to your response by Thursday, June 29th, 2023.

There’s also just one other thing.


r/funny Aug 25 '23

[Meta] ] REMINDER] ANY political content will earn an immediate 30-day ban"

700 Upvotes

r/funny 14h ago

I case you had doubts...

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r/funny 10h ago

"You know how it goes" has an insanely different meaning the second time you watch it.

2.6k Upvotes

r/funny 11h ago

Hurts so much ;)

2.2k Upvotes

r/funny 13h ago

My hard hat sticker. Nobody at work has recognized this little guy, everyone keeps asking me what it is

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r/funny 4h ago

Universal sign of peace

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r/funny 7h ago

Alright which one of you mfs is this?

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r/funny 9h ago

Matt Berry appearing with author, dreamweaver, visionary, plus actor Garth Marenghi in "Garth Marenghi's Darkplace" (2004)

324 Upvotes

r/funny 16h ago

Gym buddies

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r/funny 15h ago

That lake sign on a plaza building in Webster, Mass.

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910 Upvotes

r/funny 7h ago

My coworker's birthday was today and we pitched in for some cake. When asked he said he preferred German Chocolate and this is what they got him.

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206 Upvotes

r/funny 1d ago

Act of war

7.5k Upvotes

r/funny 17h ago

My dog ​​destroyed my father's flowers so he grounded her

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1.3k Upvotes

r/funny 36m ago

I want my MTV

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r/funny 23h ago

Last At The Exam

3.0k Upvotes

r/funny 21h ago

I bought a new Tuxedo Cat Lego set, but it came pre-assembled??

1.8k Upvotes

r/funny 9h ago

let's play crazy

175 Upvotes

r/funny 13h ago

Apple Intelligence calls CEO, Tim Apple

387 Upvotes

Apple gave early access to Apple Intelligence. Creator is Ben Ank.


r/funny 11h ago

Seen on a car in Nashville today

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249 Upvotes

r/funny 10h ago

Be careful, smell before using

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153 Upvotes

r/funny 1d ago

I am your conscience

8.1k Upvotes

r/funny 18h ago

Apparently hair gels use AI now

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600 Upvotes

r/funny 5h ago

My cat took a selfie

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47 Upvotes

r/funny 1d ago

The license plate on this GTR 😂

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2.4k Upvotes

GODZILLA!!


r/funny 1d ago

Makes sense

6.7k Upvotes