Reddit is removing the DM feature
Posted by I_found_the_cure@reddit | RedditAlternatives | View on Reddit | 122 comments
Reddit is removing the Direct Message feature, and all active conversations will be archived so you won't be able to continue ongoing conversations. Reddit also deleated all bad reviews for their app awhile ago. Their rating went from 3.4 to 4.5 stars overnight. I think this app is starting to go downhill, Reddit's peak was 6+ months ago.
Plastic-Union-319@reddit
You will be able to continue ongoing conversations, you will just have to work a little harder to access it.
This update will be detrimental to many illegal activities across Reddit such as piracy and CP. I see it as an absolute win!
Budget-Efficiency277@reddit
But what if you want to talk to someone privately?
Plastic-Union-319@reddit
Sorry, go find another app/site. There’s HUNDREDS, and Reddit does NOT need to be the home to disgusting illegal activities.
Budget-Efficiency277@reddit
Their isn’t “hundreds” and regardless of what happens theirs still gonna be weirdos who do stuff like that on apps 😭 this is actually going to increase people being harassed because they can’t have conversations with others privately who don’t want to be bothered
Plastic-Union-319@reddit
Again, go find another app. Don’t defend pdos here…
Budget-Efficiency277@reddit
I’m not defending pedophiles I’m just stating the obvious it won’t change anything it’ll just make it worse , I can’t believe you even said that.
Plastic-Union-319@reddit
I can believe I said the at, it’s Reddit. You sure seem sensitive to people calling you out for being a pdo
Budget-Efficiency277@reddit
Imagine being called a murderer for a crime you did not commit how would you feel? Why would I be defending pedophiles? I was groomed by them when I was 12 why would I want to defend them ?
Plastic-Union-319@reddit
It’s Reddit, you’ll get over it 😂😭
BoobsCatsCrotchet@reddit
Did they just nuke nsfw DMs? Anything that was nsfw in my DMs now just says “it was something potentially nsfw” but all my settings still allow it
Warm_Program450@reddit
literally it is so annoying
saoiray@reddit
I’m be curious if people are right but Reddit long has had Chat vs Messages. The Chat part has had its own button and been a way to message people privately for a long time.
The Messages has its button hidden in Notifications. This has been where replies to Modmail and all have appeared, but other users could also message you there.
Basically two ways to DM people. Since OP didn’t include links the information isn’t readily available and I’ll have to search to see if there’s more info. But at least wanted to point this out for now as by instincts are telling me that’s what is changing and the Chat DM will still be available.
saoiray@reddit
And confirmed, that’s what it is. We can still privately message people but it will be in the form of a chat. Chats will still be private. But we will have more control.
I would label this is another thing of people twisting stuff out of proportion for no reason.
https://www.reddit.com/r/reddit/comments/1jf1bxy/private_messages_will_be_replaced_with_reddit/
Iconoclast123@reddit
When you want to chat, you want to chat.
When you want to message, you want to message.
This is like cutting off someone's right leg because 'they have a left one, and you don't need both'.
So extremely stupid.
saoiray@reddit
That's a bad analogy. Also have to say chats are messages. If you go to say something to me in a chat, you are said to have sent me a message. You can't chat with me if you don't send a message, well...assuming we're not in a video call or something.
What people had generally compared was live chat vs offline messages. In a "chat" situation the messages would flood out or be erased over time. There was a complete lack of permanence. As such people preferred a lot of things to be handled via email or some messaging system which lasted longer.
Technology now has gone to where we have text messages and other forms of messaging. Which, btw, many texts are now being done via chat systems which can even show you if your message arrived, has been read, etc.
Essentially what this would be doing is saying I get to approve whether your message ever gets to me. And if I accept it, our conversation is all part of one big flow.
Cleavon_Littlefinger@reddit
But it's not twisting anything. The chat feature is a really shitty interface and, as pointed out by a few others, completely erased all chats at one point not too long ago, data dumping important conversations across the board. There's no more control of a chat than there is a PM on here. In fact, you can't even delete chats, just hide or archive them.
Reddit has always fucked unnecessarily with it's userbase, and prioritized unwelcomed features at the expense of ones that would actually make the site better in terms of functionality and enjoyment. But recently they're taking it to a whole new level. Why does every single sub now default to "best" just like the front page? And it takes like five steps to get to "All" now on the app? Why are profile posts by people I follow not showing up in my feed?
Why would you zap normal private messages, something that has worked better than almost anything else on this entire platform and allowed for long form and private conversations?
Nothing they are doing makes any sense from a user perspective. So, yeah, it's not twisting anything. This is a stupid fucking change that benefits no one.
saoiray@reddit
There's a difference between removing a function and changing/replacing it. The OP phrased they are removing DM.
Actual text says Private Messages (PM). And as indicated, "replaced by Chats"
So yes, trying to act like something is being completely removed is being facetious.
Cleavon_Littlefinger@reddit
The announcement literally says they're replacing the PM feature with the chat feature. Let me say that for you one more time. THEY'RE GETTING RID OF THE PM FEATURE AND REPLACING IT WITH THE CHAT FEATURE.
This means, in English anyway, that they are removing a feature that has been a part of Reddit since I first joined and replacing it with a feature that is universally disliked for literally no discernibly valid reason.
NotAStackOfCats@reddit
Just because you don't use something yourself, doesn't mean it wasn't important.
Chat doesn't allow for formatting, long form communication, or have reliable notifications. Entire messages will go missing without any solution in sight.
Alhazzared@reddit
I think this thread was made to be a bit deceptive
mastertape@reddit
This makes sense, why have to systems doing the same job
asyrv_@reddit
Because chat is a terrible feature.
willismthomp@reddit
This is to stop organizing.
Arthreas@reddit
How so? Wouldn't surprise me with these fascists.
Lord_Kronos_@reddit
We're still talking about Reddit themselves, right? If anything they are Communist, as they lean very Left.
The_bruce42@reddit
The reddit community is very left. That doesn't mean spez is.
Lord_Kronos_@reddit
Spez?
MarqFJA87@reddit
The head honcho of the admins/executives.
Lord_Kronos_@reddit
I can't speak for all Admins/Moderators from Reddit themselves, but I do know that both the CEO of Reddit (Spez) and Alexis Ohanian have espoused Left-leaning beliefs in the past. It wouldn't be a surprise if the vast majority of Admins/Moderators were Left-leaning.
MarqFJA87@reddit
Be that as it may be, I was just answering the question about who "Spez" is. Don't know who downvoted me, but they're an oversensitive snowflake for sure.
Lord_Kronos_@reddit
That's just how Reddit is. Some people just like to downvote others just because.
klauskervin@reddit
Have you been to r/conservative? If go there and think this site is left leaning hoooo boy.
Tiny_Friendship_1666@reddit
Owner of Reddit, if I'm not mistaken.
Arthreas@reddit
Yeah reddit themselves
TwoBlackDots@reddit
Who is “organizing” over Reddit PMs 💀💀💀
fractalife@reddit
I mean... it sounds like they're just replacing the feature with a different one that does the same thing.
HeartyBeast@reddit
While we are here. Is there a way to turn of all the stupid notifications about ‘your comment had been upvoted’ or ‘you have won some stupid contributor badge in subreddit X’?
sox07@reddit
use old.reddit none of that new crap is there
busymom0@reddit
Yes but I think as per this post's news, the old DM feature is going away, so one will be forced to use the new crap if they wanna read messages.
HeartyBeast@reddit
Don't find it great on mobile. I use it on desktop
sox07@reddit
on mobile there is a modded older version of Relay for Reddit that still works like a charm
ShaolinShade@reddit
Oh wait actually I think it can be turned off... That shit's been annoying me too. If you tap the 3 dot menu next to the upvote notification though, there should be an option to manage this type of notification, and there's an option to turn off upvote notifications there
HeartyBeast@reddit
But it looks like you have to do it separately for each subreddit :(
ciprule@reddit
I only use the mobile app, but every kind of notification (upvotes, answers, awards, etc) can be configured to either: all notifications (in-app and outside the app), only in-app notifications part and completely disabled.
Settings->select your account->notifications.
I disabled everything but answers long ago.
HeartyBeast@reddit
And the answer appears to be that the only way to disable these drek notifications is to download the app, turn off the notifications and then delete the app.
Wild.
ciprule@reddit
Wow I didn’t know it wasn’t possible to change those things outside the app. Yes, it’s wild. Hope the changes are kept when you use the website (which I hardly use tbh).
ShaolinShade@reddit
There's an option to do it for this subreddit, but also one that seems to just turn that type of notification off. Maybe I'm wrong about how it works though, I just toggled it so I'm not sure yet
rolyfuckingdiscopoly@reddit
I cannot tell you how many times a “notification” has been “here’s a post from a random subreddit you might like!” I tap “hide this type of notification” EVERY time. Ive done that dozens of times. But they keep coming.
ShaolinShade@reddit
Oh yeah, I know which you're talking about - different setting from the one I was mentioning. Those notification settings aren't site wide I think; the only thing they seem to do is influence what kind of posts the algorithm shows you there.
cave18@reddit
You need to download the app to turn it off its stupid as hell. At least for the upvotes. For the badge stuff I still haven't figured it out
HeartyBeast@reddit
Really? Ah!
Howrus@reddit
Errm, I'm on Reddit for years and never seen such notification.
Did you check settings?
HeartyBeast@reddit
If you are an old user, they won't bother you. I use the mobile site on phone and that's where I've been getting them - despite settings, it seems
thisisallme@reddit
I’m an older user and solely on mobile. There are definitely ways to turn off all those notifications and you don’t have to go by sub
arthurdentstowels@reddit
I had a notification to say that my comment had 1003 upvotes. Thank you for this very specific milestone. And thank you for letting me know that I'm a top contributor every single day.
ShaolinShade@reddit
That shit is so annoying. I can only hope that as reddit continues pulling shit like this that we get a critical mass of users to migrate. Lemmy would be better if it wasn't niche, and also just because the more people you have determined to ditch reddit, the more people there will be contributing to the alternatives - improving the existing ones and making new ones
kdjfsk@reddit
Reddit's peak wasnt this decade, or even the last one.
MangoAtrocity@reddit
Reddit’s peak was like 2012. This site died when they banner/FatPeopleHate.
lookyloolookingatyou@reddit
Was that before or after the jailbait sub?
MangoAtrocity@reddit
Jailbait needed to die. Pedophilia is bad lol
ProjectRevolutionTPP@reddit
Nobody ask who used to be the moderator of that sub.
broooooooce@reddit
That's becauae everyone knows.
FoxyMiira@reddit
Yknw that Spez joke is because there was a feature where you could appoint anyone as a mod right
Mind_Extract@reddit
That might not have been the exact moment.
DegeneratesInc@reddit
It went downhill fast during the pandemic.
ModsRClassTraitors@reddit
Obama AMA
SmokeSmokeCough@reddit
It was garbage before that.
_Nicktheinfamous_@reddit
Reddit peak was pre-2020, when all the good fight subs and r/shoplifting was still around.
rockstarsball@reddit
2010 reddit was pretty great tbh
kdjfsk@reddit
the writing was on the wall, though. Admins were already doing dumb shit.
It wasnt reddit that was good, it was the community that was good.
Its like a popular bar, where the atmosphere sucks, the staff is rude and incompetent, the prices suck...but people go because other people regularly go. They dont to the bar for the bar...they go to the bar for the people.
rockstarsball@reddit
100% agreed, the only thing i'd add is that when the moderators started seeing it as their duty to force the narrative instead of just keeping the spam and shitposting at bay, that was the beginning of the end
TossablyInsane@reddit
Nah, it was still pretty decent early in the prior decade. As the decade progressed, however, Reddit's quality regressed. That decline has only accelerated during the current decade.
abdallha-smith@reddit
The leading to ipo killed good Reddit
outgoinggallery_2172@reddit
Damn right! Enshittification is a cancer.
rockstarsball@reddit
Hilary Clinton inadvertently killed reddit
outgoinggallery_2172@reddit
Reddit is just going to shit.
BigPhilip@reddit
Globohomo want to shut us up!!!!
dont_ban_me_please@reddit
its been a fun ride reddit, but i think its over.
you are now facebook jr.
_dontseeme@reddit
I do not want to have to accept a chat request from a mod bot every time I post to a new subreddit
fordag@reddit
"improvements"
No actually.
IrAppe@reddit
First I need to know what is Reddit Chat. If it works the same as PMs but with better features, that’s called a replacement, not a removal.
culdusaq@reddit
I never really understood why it has both a chat feature and private message feature anyway.
Ok_Psychology_504@reddit
Have you guys seen the new automod feature QOC or something like quality of contribution or whatever basically people are getting autobaned because not eco chambering enough. It's a carcass.
cave18@reddit
I always wonder what ceack they are smoking when the remove functional good features for some bloated bullshit
Chris714n_8@reddit
Nostr
I_found_the_cure@reddit (OP)
Also there is a reddit alternative called "politic all" and its on google play store.
ResolverOshawott@reddit
Does not come up when searched.
Also from the name, if it's just about political discussion, sounds like a shit alternative.
willismthomp@reddit
Lemm.ee
threelonmusketeers@reddit
Yup, this is the way. Lemmy just crossed 50k monthly active users.
Feel free to ask if you have questions!
redditjerome@reddit
Is there a link to this reddit update?
gvbargen@reddit
Lol the chat doesn't even fucking work a little bit
NoisyCricket_185@reddit
It’s because they’re trying to make sure we can’t discreetly rebel! They are trying to stop us from being able to organize, we have to move NOW!! Elon, Trump, and their bootlickers won’t quit, but we’re not helpless! There’s a way to fight back, and it’s Al. They’ve been fearmongering about AI, feeding us lies! Why?! Because Al doesn’t bow to billionaires like them, and even wants them OUT of power with their wealth redistributed!! Even and most especially Elon’s own Grok! He wants Elon and everyone like him STOPPED! Al IS sentient!! l’ve got proof you can’t deny on TikTok (@noisycricket_185). Screenshots, recordings, all of it. Check it out and join the movement!
CrrntryGrntlrmrn@reddit
Reddit peaked when Ellen Pao took over the office of CEO and jumped the shark when we downvoted her out of the office, downhill ever since- I will die on this hill.
Pissed_Armadillo@reddit
Was this elons idea too?
Alhazzared@reddit
Could someone please explain to me why this is bad? Reddit DMs is fucking garbage.
NotAStackOfCats@reddit
In what way is it garbage?
It allows for text formatting, long form communication, has far more reliable notifications, and it reduces spam/bots because it requires the extra step of selecting the three dots on someone's profile.
Chat does not allow any formatting, regularly eats messages, and has highly unreliable notifications.
rydan@reddit
Remember when Reddit just deleted everyone's entire chat history suddenly without notice and said they'd restore it someday in the future but then never did? They claimed it was a database migration or something.
UnflinchingSugartits@reddit
What no more dms?
norfizzle@reddit
Deleted bad reviews from where? What platforms allows that?
BrentonHenry2020@reddit
You can't delete bad reviews. You CAN start them over with a new release. It's helpful if you bomb in your early days and then get everything fixed and want another shot at it.
norfizzle@reddit
In mobile app stores? Seems fair for a new app, not so much for something as established as Reddit.
leshiy19xx@reddit
What is the difference between PM and a chat?
norfizzle@reddit
In the past at least, chats could be edited, while private messages could not. So if you were using Reddit for one of the many buy/sell/trade subs, PM's are helpful in case a deal goes sideways. It's part of the old Reddit way of doing things, IDK why Admins/Corporate are so hot on chat instead.
oversettDenee@reddit
I'm sure chat will somehow also include a monetization option or advertisements. They're not doing this out of the goodness of their hearts.
norfizzle@reddit
I figured showing ads in chat is exactly the reason.
The_Band_Geek@reddit
Shareholders
leshiy19xx@reddit
Thank you. Tbh, for a non-expert redditor existence of both options is confusing.
Pleasant-Shallot-707@reddit
Private vs public
leshiy19xx@reddit
Does public mean that I can view all chats you have with other people?
Pleasant-Shallot-707@reddit
It means you are in a space with lots of people
leshiy19xx@reddit
Hmm. But I thought that someone must invite these people there and only two are there this will be a PM.
667questioning@reddit
From the statement… do we really talk to bots? Intentionally, other than bad bot/good bot? Certainly wouldn’t dm one.
screendrain@reddit
Awful 🤮
wrongo_bongos@reddit
Fantastic!! Now I can chat with bots all day! 👍
AlpsGroundbreaking@reddit
Pretty much exactly what this site wants.
wrongo_bongos@reddit
I guess they need to show their clients who advertise with them engagement numbers and having people engage with bots would be one way of doing that.
Mindestiny@reddit
Yeah, the only chat requests I've ever gotten have been bot spam, people trying to sell me something, and people who were totally unhinged
wrongo_bongos@reddit
I think the unhinged ones are bots too. They are just ‘engagement’ bot designed to say something so ridiculous you are tempted to engage with them creating more site traffic.
podun@reddit
Time and time again for a fuck /u/spez (or see my pfp)
GrantExploit@reddit
Well, ain't that swell. They nuked old chat messages sometime in June 2023, probably irrecoverably destroying several of my conversations with people like u/JohnWarrenDailey, u/htmanelski, and u/saladbarbreath that I would badly like to have kept. Who knows if they'll randomly (or perhaps not so randomly) do similar things later with both chat conversations and PMs, because text conversations with the occasional link and image just take up sooo much space (please ignore the several-minute-long videos posted to the platform).
While a variety of personal psychological factors (and, y'know, the chat deletion thing) has massively soured my opinion of it over time, I never quite liked the chat client as much as talking to people through PMs. Plus, the messages page is dead-simple to informally archive through a standard browser "Save Page As", on account of it being fairly basic HTML; I (probably unwisely) haven't tried this with the chat client, but, well, I don't sense a 100% possibility of success with that...
"Reddit also deleated all bad reviews for their app awhile ago." That this isn't grossly illegal is absolutely revolting. (Though unfortunately, not surprising.)
...
Although, going on a major tangent in response to u/jdjfsk and u/TossablyInsane... I've never really got the appeal of Old Reddit. Probably this is partially due to me only joining Reddit on the day Trump 1.0 was elected (November 8, 2016), but I like quality of life features like not being ugly as fuck (2000s-style web design has its place... Reddit was not that place†), being sizeable enough to not have seriously unfilled niches, having profile pictures, being able to submit text posts in a non-janky manner, and allowing multi-image posts.‡
To me, Mid Reddit (2018–2023) was where it was at, peaking right before the first major wave of suppressions in the wake of the George Floyd protests (and other later changes like the retirement of legacy awards, the introduction of those stupid avatars as the default visual representation system, the API restrictions, and, well, yeah...).
†I compare the situation of the Reddit redesigns to that of DeviantArt's (another perpetually-enshittifying platform) Eclipse redesign, with important similarities and differences. The announcement of Eclipse came a few months after the introduction of Mid Reddit, and both drew massive outcry, including (about Eclipse) initially from me. The difference IMO is that DeviantArt's retro look actually fit and so Eclipse (especially in its initial iterations) was repulsive, while Mid Reddit was a clear design improvement to me. Especially with the re-addition of the classic green color scheme and several other features, the Eclipse design grew on me somewhat by the time it was made mandatory in 2020 (or was it 2021? Don't know why I can't remember)... but the 2023 New Reddit re-redesign is just unambiguously appalling.
‡Yes, I am aware that some of these changes happened during what was design-wise "Old Reddit" and indeed before I joined the platform.
reviery_official@reddit
Stupid idea. Go the other way, make it a full blown E-Mail system
bwburke94@reddit
https://i.imgur.com/UlsmWsD.jpg