The Quiet Allies and Hidden Casualties In The Reddit War

To a sub of only 100k members, the Reddit war is about a principle that hits close to home and could harm many of their own.

Zach Quinn
Pipeline: Your Data Engineering Resource

--

I need your help. Take a minute to answer a 3-question survey to tell me how I can help you outside this blog. All responses receive a free gift.

It feels appropriate to begin a story about Reddit with an acronym ripped directly from the thread-based site: ELI5, explain like I’m five.

Although tech media outlets have covered the fast-paced action leading up to Reddit backlash over API price increases for third-party developers, here’s the ELI5 version:

Big company rips off app maker.

It’s like a Silicon Valley episode come to life.

Ok. That might be a gross oversimplification. If you count yourself among the tech community or are tech-adjacent (whatever that means), you’re likely anti-big executive in the Reddit battle.

In this case the executive does have a name but, in solidarity with Reddit users who have tagged, called out and memed him, I’ll refer to him only by his username, u/spez.

There are enough photos of “spez” circulating, so, for context, I’ll refer you to his campaign for apocalyptic warlord.

Man with gas mask in field.
Gas masks and data are among the finite resources Reddit CEO ‘u/spez’ hoards. Photo by Paulo Silva on Unsplash.

--

--