As a little background, I didn’t actively use Reddit for months following the blackout. I still barely stop in over there and if I do I’m never logged in our contributing to the communities there (where I was previously a daily poster/commenter).

Just bringing up a point that I’m not sure I’d seen anyone discussing directly over here; the general sentiment and quality of posted information on Reddit has become tangibly worse in multiple ways (I think coinciding with this group, us, leaving).

Now don’t get me wrong, Reddit sucked in many ways and for long before the migrations to Lemmy, but there is a noticeable difference in a few key areas:

  1. Less skepticism in replies

  2. Less sourcing of information in posts and replies

  3. Less counter positions expressed generally

  4. If there is a decent reply, you have to scroll much further down to find it

  5. Less plain labeling of obvious bullshit

Many of us used to introduce counter viewpoints or clarifying information into posts, with sources. That functionally worked as a roadblock to stall the quickly building momentum of disinformation/misinformation. Those roadblocks often feel absent over there now, IMO.

Not saying we hold a responsibility to go back there or that we were saving lives before, but the difference is very apparent to me - Have you seen it? Any examples?

  • @Contramuffin@lemmy.worldEnglish
    5•2 months ago

    I think, beyond simply offering counterpoints, Lemmings are also better at accepting nuance and taking measured opinions. It would be really interesting to track changes over time in the usage of certain keywords on Reddit that would imply nuance. For instance, words like “but,” “however,” “think,” “believe,” “may,” etc.

    I have no doubt that the usage of these words would go down after seeing how Reddit is like now, but it would definitely be interesting to see the formal data on it

    • FaceDeer
      10•2 months ago

      This has been the opposite of my experience, unfortunately. I think the smaller population of the Fediverse seems to result in a more insular community. I see the same names cropping up in many disparate communities, whereas on Reddit I never bothered learning usernames because I rarely met the same people twice.

      I also get downvoted a lot more here, which was rare on Reddit. I haven’t consciously changed my opinions or writing style, and I am still active on Reddit as well, so I don’t think it’s just me.

      • @Contramuffin@lemmy.worldEnglish
        6•2 months ago

        Thanks for the input.

        I personally interpret your story not as evidence that Lemmy is insular. Or at least not in the way that perhaps you intended it. It seems to me (and this has generally been by experience with Reddit) that Reddit is generally really good at putting people together with others of a similar viewpoint. To me, the fact that you are more accepted on Reddit seems more indicative of the fact that Reddit prevents people who disagree from even talking to each other. Downvotes and upvotes, after all, have basically never been used as a measure of discussion. Both here and on Reddit, they just measure how many people agree with you.

        My experience on Lemmy has generally been that even while people disagree with you, they make a more earnest attempt to engage with your viewpoint.

      • @fiercekitten@lemm.eeEnglish
        4•2 months ago

        You currently have two downvotes for sharing your personal, factual, non-offensive experience. I’m not sure if the downvotes were meant to be cheeky but they certainly validate your post!

      • JilanicoEnglish
        2•2 months ago

        I see the same names cropping up in many disparate communities

        I think one reason for this is because it’s easier for a post to bubble up to “All > Hot” on Lemmy since there are less people and less posts here.

      • @Blaze@reddthat.com
        2•2 months ago

        I also get downvoted a lot more here, which was rare on Reddit.

        I moved to an instance that disabled down votes, one less thing to worry about

        • FaceDeer
          4•2 months ago

          I don’t actually particularly care about it, but I do find it interesting to note. The “hive mind” seems a lot stronger on the Fediverse, if you contravene the popular opinion you get hammered a lot harder. At least compared to the subreddits I’m in on Reddit. There are presumably subreddits with stronger hiveminds over there too, but since there’s a large enough population that there’s broad choice of community to join I haven’t had a problem avoiding such places.

          • livus
            3•2 months ago

            Really? That’s so interesting, and a bit disappointing.

            I’m still on kbin so I can’t see downvotes from other instances, only our own. So most downvotes for me indicate actual spam.

            • FaceDeer
              2•2 months ago

              I do sometimes voice opinions that I know will be unpopular, in fairness. But I do that on Reddit too. Unfortunately mbin has decided to hide the identity of downvoters, I was thinking back when I first got onto the Fediverse that having your identity tied to your votes would make the spite-voting less prevalent.

              • @Blaze@reddthat.com
                2•2 months ago

                Definitely. In the next version, mods will be able to see them to fight brigading. That’s something I guess