Why do reddit moderators work for free while insiders profit?

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Hugo Drax

Hugo Drax

Diamond Member
Nov 20, 2011
5,647
47
91
I never understood this. If it were not for the unpaid moderators, Reddit would flame out and die. The moderators are a key element in the profitability of Reddit, yet they do not reap any of the profit generated by reddit.

It would be like mechanics at pep boys working for free while Pep boy shareholders and board members cash in on free labor.

At some point Reddit will probably do some IPO, insiders will get billions and moderators get jack shit since they choose to work for free, not even for a small piece of equity.

So can someone explain this? Maybe its a generational thing.



WTF. this is a full time job, and no pay.

Q: What subreddits do you currently moderate? How many hours per week do you spend moderating?

A: I moderate 60-some odd public subreddits. I probably spend 30 to 40 hours a week moderating, maintaining my reddit-focused website (noeatnosleep.me), and working as an admin on a reddit IRC network (snoonet.org). As far as recognizable names, I moderate 4 default subreddits and some larger subreddits: /r/politics, /r/history, /r/gadgets, /r/Futurology, /r/listentothis, /r/battlestations, /r/motorcycles, /r/subredditoftheday, and /r/texas.
 
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futurefields

Diamond Member
Jun 2, 2012
6,470
32
91
for some people being a mod on a forum is the best thing going in their life

not only will they do it for free I bet some would be willing to pay to be mods
 
Murloc

Murloc

Diamond Member
Jun 24, 2008
5,382
65
91
futurefields said:
for some people being a mod on a forum is the best thing going in their life

not only will they do it for free I bet some would be willing to pay to be mods
Click to expand...
this, it's about power and desire to feel included in a community.

Still, this can be accomplished by moderating or creating not-for-profit forums, game servers etc. doing it for reddit is indeed self-enslavement for the profit of others.
 
Belegost

Belegost

Golden Member
Feb 20, 2001
1,807
19
81
Reddit is owned by Conde Nast they can't have an IPO.

As for the mods: if people are foolish enough to give up their time for free to enrich already rich people - that's on them for stupidity.
 
G

Greenman

Lifer
Oct 15, 1999
21,706
6,139
136
Most do it for the perception of power, a few just like to help out because they have the time. If you've never been in a position where you've had some control over others it can be a pretty heady feeling.
 
mmntech

mmntech

Lifer
Sep 20, 2007
17,501
12
0
If Reddit goes public, it will likely collapse under its own weight and those who sold their shares will rake in big time. Same thing happened to Digg. That site's basically irrelevant now.

Sites like that are best to follow Wikimedia's model. 100% crowd-funded, no advertisers or external interests to answer to.
 
WhoBeDaPlaya

WhoBeDaPlaya

Diamond Member
Sep 15, 2000
7,414
402
126
Now if only Voat would hurry up and add some servers...

404.png
 
BudAshes

BudAshes

Lifer
Jul 20, 2003
13,969
3,297
146
Hugo Drax said:
I never understood this. If it were not for the unpaid moderators, Reddit would flame out and die. The moderators are a key element in the profitability of Reddit, yet they do not reap any of the profit generated by reddit.

It would be like mechanics at pep boys working for free while Pep boy shareholders and board members cash in on free labor.

At some point Reddit will probably do some IPO, insiders will get billions and moderators get jack shit since they choose to work for free, not even for a small piece of equity.

So can someone explain this? Maybe its a generational thing.



WTF. this is a full time job, and no pay.

Q: What subreddits do you currently moderate? How many hours per week do you spend moderating?

A: I moderate 60-some odd public subreddits. I probably spend 30 to 40 hours a week moderating, maintaining my reddit-focused website (noeatnosleep.me), and working as an admin on a reddit IRC network (snoonet.org). As far as recognizable names, I moderate 4 default subreddits and some larger subreddits: /r/politics, /r/history, /r/gadgets, /r/Futurology, /r/listentothis, /r/battlestations, /r/motorcycles, /r/subredditoftheday, and /r/texas.
Click to expand...

So quit and get a job that pays you money...
 
Hugo Drax

Hugo Drax

Diamond Member
Nov 20, 2011
5,647
47
91
Greenman said:
Most do it for the perception of power, a few just like to help out because they have the time. If you've never been in a position where you've had some control over others it can be a pretty heady feeling.
Click to expand...

If you are looking for that, you can get paid well for doing so. I guess they were unable to find a paid position to do so.

So they spend working 40 hours a week unpaid being king of "the internet forum" having power over anonymous internet people. The reddit insiders are smart enough to identify such a population, build a business around this and cash in like kings via free labor.

I now have a better understanding of why these moderators work for free, it does make sense.
 
Blanky

Blanky

Platinum Member
Oct 18, 2014
2,457
12
46
Because they literally have nothing better to do and like to feel special even if they are not special enough anybody is going to pay them for it. The feeling of power, even if it's over a nameless individual off in the ether somewhere, can fill a hole, so in this sense they are paid in self-esteem.
 
lxskllr

lxskllr

No Lifer
Nov 30, 2004
59,082
9,504
126
Greenman said:
Most do it for the perception of power, a few just like to help out because they have the time. If you've never been in a position where you've had some control over others it can be a pretty heady feeling.
Click to expand...

I was a moderator on a forum, and spent most of my time trying to control other mods/admins. I did it because I wanted to. I burned out because the real problem was power tripping staff, and not the members. It's hard to deal with people that can't think, and get their morality from a book.
 
T

tynopik

Diamond Member
Aug 10, 2004
5,245
500
126
G

Greenman

Lifer
Oct 15, 1999
21,706
6,139
136
lxskllr said:
I was a moderator on a forum, and spent most of my time trying to control other mods/admins. I did it because I wanted to. I burned out because the real problem was power tripping staff, and not the members. It's hard to deal with people that can't think, and get their morality from a book.
Click to expand...

I had a very different experience moderating. The staff were (with one exception) very pleasant people. Every one of them was reasonable, and our membership responded very well to a friendly environment.

I don't understand the morality from a book comment. It never occurred to me to question where someone got their ideas of right and wrong.
 
G

Greenman

Lifer
Oct 15, 1999
21,706
6,139
136
lxskllr

lxskllr

No Lifer
Nov 30, 2004
59,082
9,504
126
Greenman said:
I don't understand the morality from a book comment. It never occurred to me to question where someone got their ideas of right and wrong.
Click to expand...
More rules means more problems. It's a copout pointing to a rule book and saying "you can't do that" rather than taking a more nuanced, and thoughtful approach. It's especially true when dealing with something like a forum, where you can arbitrarily enforce rules because that's your right. However, accountability should always be maintained, and there should never be an elite class.
 
T

tynopik

Diamond Member
Aug 10, 2004
5,245
500
126
Greenman said:
I don't think that applies to volunteers. If so, fire departments, non profit charity's, and a host of other volunteer organizations are in deep shit.
Click to expand...

you can volunteer for non-profits

reddit is not a non-profit
 
KeithTalent

KeithTalent

Elite Member | Administrator | No Lifer
Administrator
Nov 30, 2005
50,231
118
116
futurefields said:
for some people being a mod on a forum is the best thing going in their life

not only will they do it for free I bet some would be willing to pay to be mods
Click to expand...

Yep, this. Fucking morons.

KT
 
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