Reddit can't actually replace all of the mods. They're bluffing. I'm not saying its impossible given infinite time, but on the timelines they need it is impossible. Imagine trying to replace even 200 top subs worth of mods. If you just take anyone who volunteers you're going to have months or years of having to intervene and replace the ones that go on power trips. Trying to vet them extensively would also be a pain and take far too long. And then there's trying to familiarize the new teams with the customized mod tools of a team which was just all fired...

They can't do it without making the shitshow even worse. Bad for their IPO. The mods backing down right now are idiots.

It’s inevitable that the subs are going to start opening again, one way or another. Best thing to do is just leave Reddit and not worry about whether the protest is still going at this point.

I wouldn’t even call this cowardly because who fears losing an unpaid job? This is just pathetic.

I really don’t understand how that threat makes someone want to play ball and open it back up. Wasn’t the point to hurt Reddit? Wouldn’t a mod team departure cause a bit of a ruckus? Seems extra silly to protest and then back down when your mod rights are at risk…

I’d rather an actively hostile and potentially subversive mod than whoever would replace them.

That thread is downright nasty.

Yeah, mods can be like online versions of Homeowners Association horror stories, but also the majority of mods put hours into a thankless task. It's hard to quantify the benefit of good moderation because when things start falling apart, it's usually a slow and insidious decline.

Could you imagine being addicted to modding? What a sad life

I honestly don't understand. Reddit hasn't ever treated their mods well and will never pay them. I only see upside to going down with the ship lol

Thanks for bringing this up; it's an important conversation.

Mods have a right to take a break from moderating, or decide that you don’t want to be a mod anymore. But active communities are relied upon by thousands or even millions of users, and we have a duty to keep these spaces active.

Subreddits belong to the community of users who come to them for support and conversation. Moderators are stewards of these spaces and in a position of trust. Redditors rely on these spaces for information, support, entertainment, and connection.

We regularly enforce our subreddit and moderator-level rules. As you point out, this means that we have policies and processes in place that address inactive moderation (Rule 4), mods vandalizing communities (Rule 2), and subreddit squatters (also Rule 4). When rules like these are broken, we remove the mods in violation of the Moderator Code of Conduct, and add new, active mods to the subreddits. We also step in to rearrange mod teams, so active mods are empowered to make decisions for their community. The Moderator Code of Conduct was launched in September 2022, and you’ll notice via post and comment history that this account has been used extensively to source new mod teams.

Leaving a community you deeply care for and have nurtured for years is a hard choice, but it is a choice some may need to make if they are no longer interested in moderating that community. If a moderator team unanimously decides to stop moderating, we will invite new, active moderators to keep these spaces open and accessible to users. If there is no consensus, but at least one mod who wants to keep the community going, we will respect their decisions and remove those who no longer want to moderate from the mod team.

We all knew Reddit would do this. But I hoped people would just not moderate. Letting Reddit do it themselves…

Why don't we try to get those mod positions once the current mods are removed. Open the subreddit for a day and then close it again. We will probably be removed but then there will be a new team waiting to close it again.

this is such a cop out. let reddit replace the mods, or don’t and let it crash and burn. it’s not like they’re losing a paycheck if they’re not moderating for reddit.

and when the subreddit falls apart they’ll move and start another Apple discussion. reddit isn’t the be all end all. man some people are spineless.

It's an Apple subreddit, what did you expect? Principles? Dignity? lol.