Alternative explanation: Users may not just roll over when the platforms they've invested countless hours into start abusing them.
Which seems like a bad option for Reddit, given that their only value proposition is that they have a lot of users.
Power-tripping mods are the ones trying to tank the subreddits.
The communities that actually ask the users for feedback on what they want tend to all be back to normal.
- https://gizmodo.com/reddit-ceo-steve-huffman-moderators-land...
- https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/reddit-protest-blacko...
Or the absolutely abysmal and tonedeaf responses every chance they had?
- https://www.reddit.com/r/reddit/comments/145bram/addressing_...
- https://www.theverge.com/2023/6/9/23755640/reddit-api-change...
- https://www.theverge.com/2023/6/15/23762501/reddit-ceo-steve...
Or the easily disproven libel? https://www.reddit.com/r/apolloapp/comments/143sho8/admins_c...
That's been doubled and tripled down on? https://techcrunch.com/2023/06/09/reddit-ceo-doubles-down-on...
Or literally changing or removing user's posts and comments? https://www.reddit.com/r/ModCoord/comments/14fafpp/the_admin...
That all sounds abusive to me. If anything, the API price was the straw and focusing on it and ignoring literally everything that happened since is just being disingenuous.
Second, are you arguing that mods aren't also users?