Members of one of the largest communities of Reddit are currently protesting against recent statements made by the social media platform’s CEO and proposed changes to its API. As a form of protest, the community has decided only to allow posts featuring photographs of the famous British comedian and host of “Last Week Tonight,” John Oliver, in which he is deemed to be “looking sexy.”
One notable post that garnered attention within the subreddit was a teenage yearbook photo of John Oliver, accompanied by a top comment describing him as a “born stunner.” The comedian initially shared this photo and reshared it within the community on Saturday.
In response to the ongoing protest, Reddit CEO Steve Huffman addressed the issue on Friday. He believed the site’s volunteer moderators wielded too much power and outlined plans to implement changes enabling subreddit users to vote out moderators. Huffman argued that the current system, where moderators can only be removed by themselves, higher-ranking mods, or the Reddit administration, lacked democratic principles.
Drawing an analogy to accountability in politics and business, Huffman explained that politicians are answerable to their constituents through elections, while business owners can be dismissed by their shareholders. In contrast, he stated that Reddit resembled a system akin to the landed gentry, where the individuals who establish their presence first maintain control and can pass it down to future generations, which he deemed undemocratic.
Hey, @StephenAtHome, for your #PuberMe #PuertoRicoRelief effort, I give you…the nuclear option… pic.twitter.com/0QhZYD4REU
— John Oliver (@iamjohnoliver) September 29, 2017
A Provocative Proposal: Restricting Content to “Sexy” Images of John Oliver
Amidst a wave of discontent over recent policy changes on Reddit, many users and moderators organized a collective protest by observing a 48-hour blackout period. This demonstration of solidarity involved more than 3,500 subreddits, with some communities choosing to continue the blackout even after the initial protest concluded.
The primary cause of this widespread discontent stems from a newly introduced Reddit policy that imposes charges on third-party apps utilizing the company’s API. Among the affected apps is Apollo, a popular program known for its ability to enhance the browsing experience on Reddit by offering a redesigned layout. Alarming reports from Apollo’s developer indicate that the policy change would impose a staggering annual cost of over $20 million on the app, leaving the developer and the app’s user base deeply concerned.
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Within this charged atmosphere, a moderator from the esteemed subreddit r/Pics seized the opportunity to gauge the community’s sentiment by posing a thought-provoking question. The query revolved around two choices: whether the subreddit should continue its operations as usual or adopt a rather unconventional stance, restricting content exclusively to images of the renowned British comedian and host of “Last Week Tonight,” John Oliver, where he is deemed to be “looking sexy.” It’s worth noting that r/Pics, with over 30 million subscribers, holds the distinguished position of being the seventh-largest subreddit on Reddit.
Reddit Users Overwhelmingly Endorse “Sexy John Oliver” as Exclusive Content on r/Pics
The moderator’s post humorously acknowledged the authority of the subreddit’s members by playfully referring to them as the “landed gentry.” Furthermore, the post emphasized the importance of adhering to the community’s wishes and interests. This light-hearted approach resonated with the subreddit’s vibrant user base, sparking a spirited response.
In a display of democratic participation, users of r/Pics cast their votes, firmly expressing their preference. The vote was nothing short of emphatic, with an overwhelming majority of 37,331 users endorsing exclusively featuring captivating images of “sexy John Oliver.” In comparison, a mere 2,329 users opposed the proposal.
In response to the vote’s outcome, the subreddit’s dedicated team of moderators issued a statement addressing the community. They explained that the vote had been prompted by the CEO of Reddit, whose remarks had insinuated that the preferences of the moderators were overshadowing the platform’s everyday users’ desires. This gesture sought to reaffirm the subreddit’s commitment to representing its members’ collective voice and emphasize the significance of ensuring user satisfaction. As of Saturday, representatives for John Oliver have yet to respond to Insider’s request for comment.
