• The Cuuuuube@beehaw.org
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      1 year ago

      If that’s true, it’s even more asinine. A small number of users make numerous API calls from third-party apps, and in doing so, create all the content that the majority of users are perusing with ads? The quest for short-term gains so often harms long-term viability in corporate America, and I truly just don’t understand how we keep hiring C-level people that keep making the same mistakes over and over

      • m_talon@beehaw.org
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        1 year ago

        Because C-Level people are more about “how can this company make money” and less about “how can this company treat its workers/customers well” (unless the latter leads to the former).

        They are told that increasing value for the investors is the thing that matters. If you have to make “tough choices” that abuse the workers or destroy the brand, oh well. It’s worth it if that revenue number keeps going up. To them, it’s an acceptable loss to keep the board happy.

        Every company that has VC, investors, or stock is going to be like this at one point or another. It’s just getting more blatant and obvious now. Disney, WB, Netflix, Twitter, Reddit…it’s a list that just keeps growing.

        • The Cuuuuube@beehaw.org
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          1 year ago

          For sure it’s unconfirmed. The only things we really know for sure are:

          1. Reddit wants money for API calls
          2. Their monetization structure is unreasonable
          3. The only possible outcome of their monetization structure is the death of third party apps
          4. Reddit is an American company and conducts itself with the same grace and farsightedness as most of them

          Which leads be to the conclusion that the thing you’ve said is quite possible

          • LoreleiSankTheShip
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            1 year ago

            I’m not American, but isn’t it mandated by law over there to do stuff like this, to create the maximum profit for shareholders?

            Forgive my ignorance of US laws!

      • M. Orange@beehaw.org
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        1 year ago

        I remember seeing someone say that it’s possible they want to monetize using their APIs to train AI on user content. Currently it’s basically free for someone like OpenAI to do it.