[rjvir]

> Next, they'll hand over fan-built communities to the entities that own the IPs they're dedicated to. Eg. r/starwars to Disney, r/startrek to Viacom/Paramount, etc.

This isn't an accurate extrapolation. In fact it's extrapolating in the opposite direction.

The moderators are taking a moral stand against an API policy. But the the actual users of the subreddits never consented to this moral stand. By removing these moderators that are working against the users, reddit is giving the subreddits back to the users.

[zztop44]

Many, many subreddits held polls before deciding what to do. I know that kind of online poll is not scientific, or whatever but do you have a better idea? Not going on strike is also a moral stand that should get consent from the user base.

[rjvir]

Sure, online polls have obvious flaws (non-response bias, how many people actually saw the poll, who was motivated to actually respond to the poll, did voters actually understand the protest would last more than 1 day, should logged out lurkers have any representation, etc)

But beyond that, shutting down a subreddit for multiple days is such a drastic action, it should require more than just a simple majority in a quick online poll.

For instance, to amend the Constitution, you typically need a supermajority (2/3 or 3/4 of different parts of the government). To convict someone guilty in a trial, you typically need evidence beyond reasonable doubt and a unanimous jury verdict.

The burden of proof that users want to shut down the subreddit should be overwhelming.

[deeviant]

I mod a small sub that I started many years ago, the sub users expressed overwhelming support for the 2 day private protest.

So I am interested in what numbers you are using to support your statement that users did not consent.

[dingaling]

"Overwhelming" as a proportion of all sub members? Or just as a majority of those who actually voted?

[sofixa]

Most subs did a poll to see what the users think, and for all those I've seen there has been overwhelming support for a blackout.

[markmark]

I think many people didn't see or care about those original polls. All the subs I'm in that re-polled their users after the initial 2 day shutdown are now open as a result. The two that have stayed shut have not re-polled (and one didn't poll in the first place, the mods just unilaterally shut it).