So, /r/memes did a poll. The exact numbers happen to be multiples of 10%, but ignore that.
- 10% of users want the blackout to continue
- 10% of users want the subreddit to open back up as normal
- 80% of users want the subreddit to only allow Medieval / Landed Gentry themed memes.
Henceforth: “The title of the posts must include either of the words ‘Medieval’, ‘Landed’ or ‘Gentry’, and the meme must include medieval content/images, or include content that features text about Landed Gentry.”
Hear ye, hear ye, the people hath spoken.
Yeah, I’ve seen some people upset about these things and complain that it doesn’t stop the flow of traffic, and that in fact it may increase interest in Reddit. Some want the blackout to continue indefinitely. But that’s impossible since Reddit will just force the subs open and replace the mods. So the next best thing is malicious compliance. Sure, Reddit will still see traffic from people curious about what’s going on, but these meme-y protests is still rendering the site essentially unusable while still keeping to the letter of Reddit’s demands.
The level of cooperation required to stage this malicious compliance also puts the lie to Puffman’s assertion that the people upset about the changes are a tiny, irrelevant minority. No, my liege, that tiny minority are the backbone of the product you’re so desperate to sell.