[bardfinn]

If they pick moderators, those moderators are no longer volunteers, but employees & agents of Reddit, Inc. — and because of legal precedents with how moderators were engaged with AOL & LiveJournal, anything those technically-employee-agents of Reddit, Inc do wrong with respect to criminal activity and torts, Reddit Inc is on the hook for.

That’s why they use the volunteer mod model, and why they keep us at arm’s-length, and mandate that we cannot receive any compensation of any kind from anyone for moderating.

That said —

The mod code of conduct gives them avenues for removing mods that violate it; there’s also neutral admin-developed tools that identify users who are already active in helping the community out as potential moderator recruits.

So mods that close subreddits maliciously — with an intent to damage Reddit or to demand that they disburse money to a third party — could be removed from mod privileges, and replacements found.

[ipython]

I'm pretty sure that's not what Section 230 says - in fact, the opposite, which is that reddit cannot be held responsible for the content on the site, even if reddit employees are moderating content. Sounds to me more like reddit trying to spin a false narrative (if that in fact is what they've said) to take advantage of free labor.

[justcool393]

i mean also given that reddit has actually picked moderators on subs that need it in the past (like /r/redditrequest exists), i'm pretty sure this is just made up

[subsistence234]

that bike chain logic reminded me of "freeman on the land" lawyering.

[humanistbot]

No, no, no, no, no. This is one of those Section 230 myths that somehow keeps circulating. It does not matter if moderators are paid or volunteer. Section 230 says nothing about this. AOL won all those lawsuits -- Zeran v AOL (1997), Blumenthal v. Drudge (1998), Doe v AOL (2001), Green V. AOL (2003).

Now, reddit may SAY that this is the case as an excuse, but it isn't the truth.

[grondo4]

This is absolutely not the case, if you've spent much time in the Reddit ecosystem you would know that frequently mods go rogue and Reddit staff have to step in to appoint new mods and some times whole new mod teams.

[bardfinn]

I moderate tens of subreddits, some of the most prominent and significant in the Reddit ecosystem. So yes indeed, I would say I have "spent time"

[1000bestlives]

Since you're definitely the same Steve as the one on Reddit, how do you feel posting here without the ability to ban people for asking if you've started paying your child support?

[midmagico]

And yet r/btc are or were all or almostly entirely paid employees of Roger Ver and Reddit didn't seem to care at all.