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Some subreddits could be paywalled, hints Reddit CEO (9to5mac.com)

submitted 3 months ago by ForgottenFlux@lemmy.world to c/technology@lemmy.world

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Reddit CEO Steve Huffman has hinted that in future some subreddits could be paywalled, as the company seeks to devise new sources of income.

He suggested that the company might experiment with paywalled subreddits as it looks to monetize new features. “I think the existing, altruistic, free version of Reddit will continue to exist and grow and thrive just the way it has,” Huffman said. “But now we will unlock the door for new use cases, new types of subreddits that can be built that may have exclusive content or private areas, things of that nature.”

This is another move likely to anger Redditors. While the platform is a commercial enterprise, its value derives almost entirely from freely offered user content. That means Redditors feel at least some sense of ownership in a community endeavour, so the company needs to tread carefully when it comes to monetization at user expense.

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[+] DudeDudenson@lemmings.world -9 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (1 children)

I know the lemmy hivemind jumps at any opportunity to trash reddit, but if properly implemented (which to be honest they probably won't ) this could be the same as paid forums back in the day. It just depends on how much of a cut they get and how do they manage revenue share. If you could have your own private forum for free and have people subscribe to it for 2 bucks a month and you get 75% revenue of every sub it would probably spring a lot of high value forums, I'm mostly thinking like car forums used to be but it'd probably be used as another only fans

[–] Psythik@lemmy.world 4 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Paid forums? I've been on the web since its invention; that one is new to me. What kind of bougieass rich boy websites do you go to that something as bizarre as a "paid forum" is normal for you?

[–] ladytaters@lemmy.world 1 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Something Awful has been around since the very early 2000s, and they charge $10 to get an account, and the same to reinstate a banned account. It's actually pretty nice because the fee tends to keep all but the most dedicated trolls from doing anything particularly stupid. And yes, I know they created 4chan, but the main forums are trying to be better people over the years.

[–] Psythik@lemmy.world 2 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (1 children)

TBF, SomethingAwful is an edge use case. Completely forgot about that because paid forums were not the norm.

[–] ladytaters@lemmy.world 1 points 3 months ago

It's true, but they do exist!