ErraticDragon

It sounds like this will become a problem if/when content providers start requiring it.

Like how Netflix requires certain hardware to enable 4K. (At least I think they do? I remember that was a thing a few years ago.)

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/security/information-protection/pluton/microsoft-pluton-security-processor

Microsoft Pluton security processor is a chip-to-cloud security technology built with Zero Trust principles at the core. Microsoft Pluton provides hardware-based root of trust, secure identity, secure attestation, and cryptographic services. Pluton technology is a combination of a secure subsystem which is part of the System on Chip (SoC) and Microsoft authored software that runs on this integrated secure subsystem.

Microsoft Pluton is currently available on devices with Ryzen 6000 and Qualcomm Snapdragon® 8cx Gen 3 series processors. Microsoft Pluton can be enabled on devices with Pluton capable processors running Windows 11, version 22H2.

What is Microsoft Pluton?

Designed by Microsoft and built by silicon partners, Microsoft Pluton is a secure crypto-processor built into the CPU for security at the core to ensure code integrity and the latest protection with updates delivered by Microsoft through Windows Update. Pluton protects credentials, identities, personal data and encryption keys. Information is significantly harder to be removed even if an attacker has installed malware or has complete physical possession of the PC.

Microsoft Pluton is designed to provide the functionality of the Trusted Platform Module as well as deliver other security functionality beyond what is possible with the TPM 2.0 specification, and allows for additional Pluton firmware and OS features to be delivered over time via Windows Update. For more information, see Microsoft Pluton as TPM.

Pluton is built on proven technology used in Xbox and Azure Sphere, and provides hardened integrated security capabilities to Windows 11 devices in collaboration with leading silicon partners. For more information, see Meet the Microsoft Pluton processor – The security chip designed for the future of Windows PCs.

It will prevent a catastrophic exodus like Digg experienced. Any amount spent it well worth it.

They might have to contract some janitors temporarily.

They can afford it. It will keep things running smoothly until volunteer mods are sourced.

Also, the reason they are shutting down third party apps is control. Bottom line is money, but indirectly. They want everyone using their app or their web interface so they can harvest the most data and sell the best ads.

They wouldn’t want to pay someone to run communities, the “thinking” work that moderators do.

They won’t mind paying call-center-level employees/contractors to do the janitor work, the “unthinking” work, which is voluminous.

They only have to do it until more mods come on board.

And don’t forget they already have a lot of mods from subs that didn’t blackout at all, and likely some from subs that already reopened.

It will not be hard or too terribly expensive for them to keep things running well enough that the masses are placated.

They can throw money at it until it works out. Mods do good things, but the bulk of the work is relatively mindless, and easy to outsource.

Anyone saying that they wouldn’t was lying. Spez has a history of lying.

Here’s what they said on June 7:

###Blackout

• We respect your right to protest – that’s part of democracy.
• This situation is a bit different, with some leading the charge, some users pressuring . We’re trying to work through all of the unique situations.
• Big picture: We are tolerant, but also a duty to keep Reddit online.
• If people want to do this out of anger, we want to make sure they’re mad for accurate reasons, not over things that are untrue. That’s a loss for everyone.

https://old.reddit.com/r/ModCoord/comments/143rk5p/-/jnbjtsc/

It might push more power users away. It won’t push away the teeming masses.

Quality will suffer, but they’ll keep their traffic.

There are tools to help. The best recommended ones I know of:

A Rust CLI app: https://github.com/andrewbanchich/shreddit/

A JavaScript bookmarklet (that feels a bit like a full browser extension): https://github.com/j0be/PowerDeleteSuite

They did say that they would do it, after all.

At this point I wouldn’t be surprised if Reddit has put rate-limiting in place to prevent mass actions like that.

Normally I wouldn’t give their engineers enough credit to figure something like that out, but in this case rate-limiting already exists for posts, comments, chat, etc.

That’s not really the point, though. A strike works because the strikers are willing to lose their pay to force action. If the strikers can be replaced, then the strikers lose.

What you’re saying is true: the strikers in this case have nothing to lose… except their partial control of Reddit. And Reddit will gladly take that from them.

Once the subs are reopened, any ongoing strike will amount to angry people with no power shouting into the void.

Breaking strikes also works, unfortunately. Look at Air Traffic Controllers with Reagan, or the Pinkertons back in the late 19th century. If there’s a way to force compliance, they will. And there is.