(by wierd, I mean strange for reddit) Namely science uncensored and couples memes. Couples memes fell of really quickly, probably because most folks are single I suppose and had no stomach to see happy couples.
Then there is science uncensored, which sounds like a muskian "free speech" attempt.
Also am I ugly, and true rate me got popular really quickly.
I noticed this about a month ago, before the protests? I'm no internet historian so I may be off (also a stoner, so there is that), and I'm not combing through reddit to fact check myself so correct me if I've caught the stupid. I've been using reddit for about 4 or so years and I've never seen so many new subs get so popular in such a short amount of time.
- puts on tin foil hat *
Part of me feels like reddit is about to become a propaganda machine. Maybe the couples meme sub was an attempt at encouraging people to procreate. "Wow look at those happy couples I want that!", was probably the intended effect.
Science uncensored speaks for itself, sure reddit was left leaning, but every once and a while an article would hit the front page that challenged the status quo of the left (my reference is a post about weed not being so amazing, see above comment about me not being an internet historian), so I don't think there was a dire need for a science sub without "political censorship".
True rate me and am I ugly are PG thirst traps. Lonely nerds love to comment on women, white night, degrade, its easy bait (my apologies if you're a lonely nerd). All of the posts from these subs that hit the front page had attractive women, I never read the comments, I don't need to read the comments. Maybe the comments were wonderful, but hey I was raised by the internet so I think I'm right here.
Anyways, before I take of my foil cap. I really think there is some weird corporate propagandizing going on. Between twitter and reddit, I think there is a concerted attempt to control information online.
Or maybe this is all an attempt to kill net neutrality, from the inside.
- takes off tin foil hat *
I never posted often on reddit because folks are mean there, or stupid, or both. I'm hoping for a different experience on lemmy.
I know my ideas are silly, but silly things make life fun.
Won't you be silly with me darling?
As soon as the protests started and subs went dark or changed formats, the myriad of subs I've never seen on popular ever started hitting the top consistently, and checking individual subs that reopened (forced or otherwise) had even shittier shit than what they would typically have, as well as a massive reduction in the average scores on posts.
The decline in quality could just be exasperated by the exodus, though. I mean, it was already in decline in that department all over the place, but it took a pretty sharp turn once people started leaving.
I didn't notice anything particularly weird about the new subs, though. Just that they were crap.