←back to thread

Reddit CEO admits to altering user comments that were critical of him

(www.reddit.com)
668 points wildmusings | 10 comments | 24 Nov 16 00:50 UTC | HN request time: 0.943s | source | bottom
Show context
intopieces ◴[24 Nov 16 01:18 UTC] No.13027159[source]▶
Usernames on Reddit do not require even an email address. For that reason, I find it hard to muster up even a modicum of concern for the sanctity of 'authorship' and 'attribution' for individual users. For all I know, every comment on Reddit but my own are generated by a very clever computer.

That congress sees fit to investigate Reddit comments and news websites find credibility in re-posting them are separate issues that absolutely deserve discussion. But the editing of "Fuck [username]" posts...

replies(2): >>13027173 #>>13027509 #
1. wildmusings ◴[24 Nov 16 01:20 UTC] No.13027173[source]▶
Many people post on Reddit under their real identity. Now it is madness to do so, as a malicious Reddit employee can frame you as having said anything.
replies(5): >>13027243 #>>13027296 #>>13027713 #>>13028004 #>>13029199 #
2. intopieces ◴[24 Nov 16 01:30 UTC] No.13027243[source]▶
This has always been the case. It has always been madness to post on user forums under your real identity. In the 'viral era' -- the age of mobile broadband, the age where any post you make or photo you send can get the attention of millions and ruin your career before your plane lands [0] -- it's pure madness to expose yourself like this.

[0]http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/15/magazine/how-one-stupid-tw...

replies(1): >>13027336 #
3. mejari ◴[24 Nov 16 01:38 UTC] No.13027296[source]▶
And any user can claim to not have said something, citing this as evidence.
4. sundvor ◴[24 Nov 16 01:46 UTC] No.13027336[source]▶
Reading that is both sad and scary at the same time. White Christmas (of Black Mirror) certainly doesn't look so science fiction anymore.
5. joshmanders ◴[24 Nov 16 03:12 UTC] No.13027713[source]▶
I find it odd that people who build websites for a living didn't understand that... Like.. They control the data... They have complete access to the database.. Do you NOT think they could edit comments without updating the edited at timestamp?
replies(1): >>13028537 #
6. dabockster ◴[24 Nov 16 04:11 UTC] No.13028004[source]▶
>as a malicious Reddit employee can frame you as having said anything

So that means I can go back to posting random 1960s Spiderman memes everywhere? Awesome!

7. wildmusings ◴[24 Nov 16 06:08 UTC] No.13028537[source]▶
Of course it can be done. This is about trust in the people running Reddit. In any operation, people can lie, cheat, and steal. You win the trust of customers and users by proving that you don't.
replies(1): >>13031536 #
8. JorgeGT ◴[24 Nov 16 09:13 UTC] No.13029199[source]▶
> Many people post on Reddit under their real identity.

Among them, two Presidents of the United States, several ministers / PMs / MEPs, a long list of Hollywood stars... what if a rogue employee impersonates or alters POTUS statements?

replies(1): >>13047385 #
9. intopieces ◴[24 Nov 16 17:37 UTC] No.13031536{3}[source]▶
That anyone trusted the people running reddit -- a free platform that sells users' attention and therefore relies on manipulating them for their business model -- is the real cause for concern in this story.

"If a website is free, you're the product, not the customer."

10. tomjakubowski ◴[27 Nov 16 02:38 UTC] No.13047385[source]▶
Obama has a Reddit account, /u/PresidentObama. Which other President of the United States has one?