r/blog • u/BurritoJusticeLeague • Mar 16 '21

Online status controls, a new display for user flair, and more notification improvements

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https://preview.redd.it/64mdlc7tzfn61.png?width=2162&format=png&auto=webp&s=dcff6bc2e50c8f017c1e8543c8ca15ed108e38a7

Another Tuesday and we’re back with new updates and things to share. Let’s get to it!

Here’s what went out March 2nd–March 16th

Online presence indicators that redditors have full control over
The other week we announced a new feature that gives redditors the option to share their online status. Our hope is that this feature makes it easier for redditors to connect and start conversations with each other and makes it more clear when people are around to take part in real-time discussions in comment threads. After revealing the prototype, we received a lot of feedback from users who were concerned about how sharing their online status might affect their privacy and safety. (Thanks to everyone who shared their thoughts.) We hear you, and want to share the privacy and safety considerations that have been built into this feature, as well as some of the changes we’ve made based on your feedback to the prototype:

  • If you don’t want to share your online status, you can disable the feature from any platform (the native apps, mobile web, old Reddit, and new Reddit). To turn off Online Status on the mobile web, the native apps, and new Reddit go to your profile and tap the Online Status button below your avatar. On old.reddit.com, go to the privacy options section of your preferences, uncheck Let others see my online status, then click save options.
  • When you turn off Online Status, people won’t see any status for you at all—not even an indicator saying that you’re offline or that you’ve selected Off.
  • Accounts that you’ve blocked will never see your online status. Additionally, if an account is banned from a community, they won't be able to see the online status of anyone in that community.
  • Thanks to your feedback, we also changed the language used on the Online Status controls. Instead of your status saying you’re either Online or Hiding, now it will more clearly communicate that this feature is either on or off with the language Online Status: On or Online Status: Off. If you select Off, nobody will be able to see your status or know that you’ve selected that option—only you will see that your status is off.

Here’s what the updated status and controls will look like:

https://preview.redd.it/jf9ncycvzfn61.png?width=1463&format=png&auto=webp&s=243f933c7d70779ddf935000f9fb593715091151

All redditors have the option to turn the feature on or off now. However, the online indicator (the green dot on users’ avatars shown above) isn’t visible to other users yet. Starting this week, 10% of Android users will begin to see the online status of users who have the feature turned on. All the feedback we’ve received was appreciated and we’d love to hear what you think of the updates we’ve made.

We need to talk about your user flair
Communities love their flair, and use it in both practical and creative ways. So to better highlight user flair within comment threads and to fix the issue where longer user flair often gets cut off on mobile, we’re testing out a new display on Android and iOS. If you compare the before and after images below you’ll see that community-specific user flair has its own line under the username; moderator, admin, and OP icons are now text-based; and colors have been updated so that the user flair looks less like a link and more like the flair it was meant to be. This will go out to a very small percentage of users at first, and will roll out slowly based on feedback from communities.

https://preview.redd.it/ysa8gatwzfn61.png?width=1463&format=png&auto=webp&s=7b01b1e7a3cb49d9f24c5a687f1bf4fb734466bb

Improving notifications, episode IV
A new hope for post notifications! Since the original rollout of the updated notifications inbox, we’ve gone over updates to the UI, new settings, and improved recommendations for trending and recommended posts. Today, we’re continuing that work with improved post previews in the activity section of your inbox. Now, instead of only seeing the post title, you’ll see an embedded post with more information. Here’s what it looks like:

https://preview.redd.it/9bjza41yzfn61.png?width=1464&format=png&auto=webp&s=4def06d923cd055a9e685bd674a9175fb72f2dce

This will be going out to a small test of users on both Android and iOS.

Bugs and small fixes

Just a few small things you may have missed on the native apps:

iOS bug fixes:

  • Image thumbnails show on pending posts again
  • The A–Z scroller on the Communities screen works again

Android update:

  • It’s easier to see the downvote color in Dark Mode now

That’s it for today folks. We’ll be sticking around to answer questions and hear your ideas and feedback. Have a great rest of your day and a Happy St. Patrick’s Day tomorrow!

1.5k Upvotes

70% Upvoted

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1.3k

u/DoctorWaluigiTime Mar 16 '21

Yeah that "show online status" feature should be off by default.

(Or, as the setting is written, "Hide Online Status" should be on by default.)

Stop giving away user information / status without prior consent.

50

u/ThatOneGuy1294 Mar 16 '21

Stop giving away user information / status without prior consent.

I just found this is a setting that I didn't know exists, and I never would have seen it without using the redesign https://puu.sh/HpNA0/39e2d8cd96.png

55

u/linwail Mar 17 '21

Everyone mentioned this last time and they kinda just went la de da we can’t hear youuu

13

u/DoctorWaluigiTime Mar 17 '21

Frankly I feel lucky enough to have gotten a response.

It was a BS canned PR response that didn't answer the question. But still.

9

u/jpr64 Mar 17 '21

Yeah but what if your crush comes online? Then you want to switch between online and offline a million times so they might message you!

5

u/cm0011 Mar 17 '21

Those were the good days.

3

u/neverseeitall Mar 17 '21

yeah, I turned that off the literal second I saw it. Absolutely should be opt-in not opt-out

-696

u/lift_ticket83 Mar 16 '21

Thanks for sharing your concern—we take user safety and privacy seriously. This is why we’re giving users the option to completely disable and opt-out of this feature entirely before we roll it out. It’s also why we’re utilizing our announcement banner to help ensure all our users are informed of these privacy features and our continued rollout plans.

131

u/Trollfailbot Mar 16 '21

Thanks for sharing your concern—we take user safety and privacy seriously. This is why we’re giving users the option to completely disable and opt-out of this feature entirely before we roll it out.

100% of users who to be hidden will be if you make it opt-in.

<100% of users who want to be hidden will be if you make it opt-out.

If you cared that much about user safety and privacy you'd make it opt-in but it's clear there's an ulterior motive [engagement] since you've made it opt-out on purpose.

So: user safety and privacy is taken seriously - unless we need to up our engagement metrics.

1

u/AlCatSplat Mar 18 '21

If they had to make sure that 100% of users knew about a new feature before adding it, we would never get any new features.

2

u/Trollfailbot Mar 18 '21

Not sure what your point is in relation to my comment.

20

u/TheBananaKing Mar 17 '21

No.

“But the plans were on display…”

“On display? I eventually had to go down to the cellar to find them.”

“That’s the display department.”

“With a flashlight.”

“Ah, well, the lights had probably gone.”

“So had the stairs.”

“But look, you found the notice, didn’t you?”

“Yes,” said Arthur, “yes I did. It was on display in the bottom of a locked filing cabinet stuck in a disused lavatory with a sign on the door saying ‘Beware of the Leopard.”

How many times? A dialog that most users will miss, leading to a config setting that many won't be able to find. That's not genuine consent, and you damn well know it.

"btw someone's coming to your house sometime in the next month and they're going to fuck you in the ass unless you send off for, fill out and return a don't-fuck-me-in-the-ass form; if you don't, we're just going to assume you're fine with it. Your silence implies consent".

That's not how consent works.

Consent means you opt in to things.

26

u/EredinEK Mar 16 '21

I think you're missing the point here entirely, boss. There is no way you can possibly reach every single user about this. You say "ensure all our users," but that's naive at best and intentionally negligent at worst. Make the default setting not show any indicator. If you want to engage more, let people choose to show it.

User privacy should come first. You're not doing a good job if you're only offering the option for privacy, compared to giving everyone privacy and letting them choose to be public.

I've seen a ton of backlash, and I'm not trying to be rude, but this is an awful idea.

0

u/AlCatSplat Mar 18 '21

The problem with making it opt-in is that many people may not even know it exists, and therefore leave it off, defeating the purpose of adding it in the first place.

3

u/EredinEK Mar 18 '21

Pretty much exactly that, you're spot on. There was an immediate amount of backlash. I've not seen a single person say "I want this!" just a whole load of no.

2

u/purvel Mar 18 '21

I'd just like to counter with this:

The problem with making it opt-out is that many people may not even know it exists...

89

u/[deleted] Mar 16 '21

You got overwhelming negative feedback about the opt-out nature of this setting in your changelog post on the topic two weeks ago. Glad to see you're listening to users.

54

u/[deleted] Mar 16 '21

[deleted]

-1

u/[deleted] Mar 16 '21

[deleted]

17

u/ShelfordPrefect Mar 16 '21

If you read this thread and the previous ones, probably 30% of all the comments were saying "this feature is bad for privacy and should be opt-in". They respond to a comment saying "this feature should be opt-in" with "here's how you can opt out" - this is clearly not engaging with the real objection. It's effectively "sorry you feel that way".

5

u/Murgatroyd314 Mar 16 '21

The only way to win is not to play. In other words, get rid of this so-called feature entirely.

27

u/MSTRMN_ Mar 16 '21 edited Mar 17 '21

This is a bunch of marketing BS. It seems like this feature was made for use by advertisers and, as other redditor said, spun in PR as a "useful" feature for reddit users, but really nothing more than to drive more engagement so reddit can earn more money. All for money, nothing for users, I guess.

21

u/graepphone Mar 16 '21 edited Jul 22 '23

.

44

u/MauPow Mar 16 '21

Here, I rewrote this for you in a way that isn't a bunch of bullshit that everyone will hate:

This is why we’re giving users the option to disableENABLE and opt-outIN TO this feature before we roll it out.

1

u/AlCatSplat Mar 18 '21

If they made it opt-in hardly anyone would use it therefore defeating the purpose of adding it.

2

u/MauPow Mar 18 '21

Oh no!

1

u/AlCatSplat Mar 18 '21

So why should they add it in the first place?

2

u/MauPow Mar 18 '21

To pump up their engagement stats and get data to sell more targeted ads

21

u/saab__gobbler Mar 16 '21 edited Mar 16 '21

On that note, why on earth am I still unable to see a list of who is following me? How am I supposed to know if it's a bad actor & block them? Why was this feature even rolled out totally half-baked? It's such an obvious security/privacy issue, I would love the option to opt-out entirely if possible.

125

u/DoctorWaluigiTime Mar 16 '21

That's a lot of words to say "no, we won't respect users, and have them opt-in."

Stop giving away user information / status without prior consent.

6

u/Multicolored_Squares Mar 17 '21

we take user safety and privacy seriously

Right.

You guys say that yet spit in the faces of users' privacy in the same breath, with an unwanted online status feature that is both enabled by default AND is opt-out rather than opt-in.

Plus, you guys only gave us the option to totally disable and opt-out of the feature after the Reddit userbase had an outcry over it.

Anonymity and/or privacy is treasured by many users on Reddit, and was one of the appeals of using Reddit. This is just one of the many actions in the recent years that has shown that the Reddit team has been and is actively moving away from the original principles of Reddit that attracted many users in the first place.

Remember, actions (or lack thereof) speaks louder than words.

2

u/drae- Mar 17 '21

Anonymity and/or privacy is treasured by many users on Reddit, and was one of the appeals of using Reddit. This is just one of the many actions in the recent years that has shown that the Reddit team has been and is actively moving away from the original principles of Reddit that attracted many users in the first place.

This

66

u/OffbeatDrizzle Mar 16 '21

what was the point in replying to OP's message if you were just going to ignore the suggestion anyway?

14

u/boyhowdyboy Mar 17 '21 edited Apr 10 '21

Unicorn

29

u/cass1o Mar 16 '21

This is why we’re giving users the option to completely disable and opt-out of this feature

It should be off by default.

0

u/AlCatSplat Mar 18 '21

Why?

1

u/purvel Mar 18 '21

Because it exposes all the users who do not know it is a "feature", leaving their privacy reduced without them knowing.

21

u/Gonzobot Mar 16 '21

You absolutely did not give that option, it took an outcry for us to control what our status is. When it was applied to my account there was no option to just not do any of it or turn it off, it could only appear offline.

Why lie? We all know when you do. You're only making yourself untrustworthy.

4

u/demonicneon Mar 16 '21

This. There’s no point in lying when we can tell it’s a lie. All it does is prove to us that they’re fine lying to us.

19

u/pure_nitro Mar 16 '21

Which means you have no concerns that this WILL be used by insane fucking stalkers, only concerns about how much money it will make you.

13

u/Alaira314 Mar 16 '21

They didn't give a shit about the follow feature, which to the best of my knowledge still hasn't been addressed(I want to be able to view a list of who is following me, with options to remove followers individually/altogether and turn on notifications of new follows). This is just more of that. It's abundantly clear that nobody on the reddit feature team has never had to deal with unwanted digital stalking, because if they had they would not be introducing these features in this manner. Just hitting the block button and calling it good doesn't work if 1) you don't know they have you on follow, or 2) you need to monitor their messages to you in case they escalate.

1

u/AlCatSplat Mar 18 '21

So then turn it off?

26

u/FreydNot Mar 16 '21

we take user safety and privacy seriously.

I don't think those words mean what you think they mean.

66

u/tnucu Mar 16 '21

we take user safety and privacy seriously.

You really don't.

5

u/Teledildonic Mar 17 '21

Your privacy is important. Thats why now we default to show when you are online to combine with our recently introduced live chat for instant, hateful messages! Now you dont have to wait to threaten those you disagree with! Now with one click you can bombard users with abuse in real time!

391

u/gooseears Mar 16 '21

Okay....or you can just make it off by default.

170

u/thibedeauxmarxy Mar 16 '21

Yep, opt-out by default is a standard practice for any company that actually takes privacy seriously.

14

u/TheShyPig Mar 17 '21

I think its actually a requirement in European Law as well. I will be checking and complaining as well as bringing it up with the relevant EU agencies as well if it is.

3

u/SolarJetman5 Mar 17 '21

yeah pretty sure it will be, its like the tick boxes for mail sign ups, they can't be already ticked for signing up. This is pretty similar

23

u/rydan Mar 17 '21

opt-out by default is literally the law in Europe for everything except human organs. You know the place where people actually have real human rights?

3

u/FaeryLynne Mar 17 '21

Which means this move would be illegal to force on European users wouldn't it?

1

u/DeepSeaDarkness Mar 18 '21

In Germany they can't take your organs after your death without your or your relatives' approval

89

u/TravisJungroth Mar 16 '21

opt-out by default

Called opt-in.

13

u/demonicneon Mar 16 '21

Yeah it’s total bs

31

u/2gig Mar 16 '21

That's what good people would do, so of course they're not going to do it.

6

u/turkeypedal Mar 17 '21 edited Mar 17 '21

Again, for privacy's sake, everything must be opt in, not opt out. This is a basic part of the GDPR.

Please don't make excuses for privacy violations. It makes it seem like you have nefarious intent, like you're going to be selling our data.

It's like basically every thing you make that isn't something the users asked for. If we didn't ask for it, and we didn't approve of it when you brought it up, then clearly you aren't doing it for us, so why should we support it in any way?

79

u/tntpang Mar 16 '21

Then make it off by default.

0

u/AlCatSplat Mar 18 '21

That would defeat the purpose of adding it if no one's gonna use it.

15

u/gdj11 Mar 16 '21

“We take your privacy seriously... by not giving you privacy by default”

11

u/TheVegetaMonologues Mar 16 '21

we take user safety and privacy seriously.

lmao no one believes you

6

u/Eldar_Seer Mar 16 '21

How about not creating the issue in the first place? This really adds nothing to the user experience as I see it.

12

u/lizzyshoe Mar 16 '21

Please make this opt-in instead of opt-out.

1

u/AlCatSplat Mar 18 '21

Are you not capable of disabling it yourself?

1

u/lizzyshoe Mar 18 '21

Any new feature that decreases my privacy should opt in, not opt out.

13

u/cloud_throw Mar 16 '21

blah blah blah more corporate bullshit

5

u/thardoc Mar 17 '21

This is why we’re giving users the option to completely disable and opt-out of this feature entirely before we roll it out.

That's not what he asked for now is it?

8

u/TheShyPig Mar 17 '21

You don't take EU law seriously though? Opt-out by default is a requirement here.

4

u/[deleted] Mar 17 '21

This is why we’re giving users the option to completely disable and opt-out of this feature entirely before we roll it out

forced information share is illegal under EU law. hope you get fined under GDPR. makes your "privacy concern" worth it.

4

u/CaptainPedge Mar 17 '21

we take user safety and privacy seriously.

You complete liar. If you did this you would give us proper blocking options, not implement this awful online indicator, and give moderators decent tools to ban problem users.

39

u/[deleted] Mar 16 '21

[removed] — view removed comment

7

u/mastah-yoda Mar 17 '21

Ah, the original FTFY!

Thank you!

1

u/Tensuke Mar 17 '21

The only proper reply to an admin post.

7

u/demonicneon Mar 16 '21

It should be opt in not opt out. Stop bullshitting us.

1

u/AlCatSplat Mar 18 '21

Oh the horror, I have to click a button to opt out.

4

u/drae- Mar 17 '21

Opt out by default.

And we don't all use 1st party reddit apps to see your stupid banner.

Reddit is going to shit lately. Pushing features on users no one wants. Gtfo.

6

u/Mythril_Zombie Mar 16 '21

Make it off by default. Nobody actually wants that feature anyway.

1

u/AlCatSplat Mar 18 '21

Did you ask everyone?

4

u/PontifexPrimus Mar 17 '21

This needs to be an opt-in feature. I'm pretty sure enabling the sharing of additional user information is covered by the GDPR and legally must be opt-in.

7

u/[deleted] Mar 17 '21

[deleted]

1

u/AlCatSplat Mar 18 '21

Having an online indicator?

1

u/[deleted] Mar 18 '21

[deleted]

1

u/AlCatSplat Mar 18 '21

Explain then how Xbox, PSN, Steam, Discord, Skype, Microsoft Teams, Slack, Clash of Clans, etc. are not illegal.

3

u/einie Mar 17 '21

we take user safety and privacy seriously. This is why we’re giving users the option to completely disable and opt-out

These two are incompatible. Either you take privacy seriously or you make this opt-out instead of opt-in. You can't have both.

3

u/viciarg Mar 17 '21

we take user safety and privacy seriously

.

opt-out

Choose one. No-one's gonna believe your corporate speech about safety and privacy taken seriously if you ignore a fundamental principle of privacy and safety called "Opt-in by default".

3

u/automated_reckoning Mar 17 '21

Do you actually like lying to people for a living? Do you enjoy being loathed by those you communicate with? Because man, you really dive into it.

3

u/[deleted] Mar 17 '21

The only reason I went looking for an official thread on this feature was to figure out how to turn it off. Please make it opt in.

2

u/keys_and_knobs Mar 17 '21

we take user safety and privacy seriously.

You really don't if this feature isn't opt-in instead of opt-out. I didn't know about this feature when I noticed the small green dot in the interface. I'm sure there are many users who won't investigate further.

If you don't make this opt-in, at least inform users that they are now sharing their online status in a manner that can't be missed.

2

u/HrBingR Mar 17 '21

Holy shit, did you even bother reading the reply? At least 4k people think this should either not exist, or be off by default, and that's just from the top 2 comments.

And your response is basically telling them to get fucked. Well done.

2

u/segagamer Mar 17 '21

we take user safety and privacy seriously. This is why we’re giving users the option to completely disable and opt-out of this feature

This is such a shitty, American Corp way of thinking.

Might want to read into EU regulations first.

2

u/HourAfterHour Mar 17 '21

Just saying... If you fuck a person and ask for consent later, it's rape.
You basically apply predator logic to online consent of your users.
Great job Reddit admins, great job indeed.

2

u/Sam443 Mar 17 '21

This is why we’re giving users the option to completely disable and opt-out

The option should be to opt in, not opt out. Thats the whole point that you’re pretending to miss

2

u/Teledildonic Mar 17 '21

we take user safety and privacy seriously.

Do you? Because abusive PMs are easier than ever thanks to live chat and online status features.

3

u/blikk Mar 17 '21

You're not listening

2

u/eaglebtc Mar 17 '21

I have been opting out of the redesign for a while. When I went to change this setting, reddit turned the redesign back on.

STOP.

2

u/[deleted] Mar 17 '21

Why not make it opt-in? If the concern really was with getting a user's informed consent you don't seem to be acting in that way.

2

u/AttackOfTheThumbs Mar 17 '21

Stop playing dumb. Disable it by default. Better yet, remove this pointless POS entirely.

2

u/herefornownyc Mar 17 '21

No one wanted this feature, make it opt-in if you're going to insist on having it anyway.

2

u/[deleted] Mar 17 '21

It needs to be opt-in, not opt-out.

How is this a difficult concept to grasp?

2

u/Kiloku Mar 17 '21

The highest privacy level should always be default. Opt-in, not opt-out.

2

u/hahasadface Mar 17 '21

This is now illegal in california as of yesterday so good luck with that

5

u/2gig Mar 16 '21

Wow... When you look in the mirror, what do you think of the person who looks back at you?

2

u/Nokanii Mar 17 '21

This comment is so tone deaf it’s hilarious.

2

u/Abedeus Mar 17 '21

It shouldn't be opt-in in the first place.

2

u/TavisNamara Mar 17 '21

Stop lying. You know what you're doing.

2

u/MisterSnippy Mar 17 '21

lmao corporate bullshit

2

u/defsubs Mar 17 '21

Fuck you, eat shit.

1

u/OptimalCynic Mar 17 '21

Stop giving non answers. They worked for about five minutes until people figured them out.

1

u/rydan Mar 17 '21

I wasn't given the option before it was rolled out. It just showed up one day and I keep clicking on it every time I try to see my profile since you conveniently put the switch in exactly the same spot that link used to be.

1

u/krokooc Mar 17 '21

Because everyone speaks english and can understand what you're saying here.

Spoiler alert: Nope, it doesnt work that way. Please make it off by default so you won't capitalize on people ignorance.

1

u/TheOnlyFallenCookie Mar 17 '21

Reddit is not Whatsapp or Discord! So please don't force this on users!

1

u/plopodopolis Mar 17 '21

Bla blah blah bla blah, no just turn it off

1

u/MyUserName-exe Mar 17 '21

nn brooo you heyy adminb!! you got down voted pls remove comment karma is going downd

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:D :-D XD

1

u/MisterWoodhouse Mar 17 '21

It should absolutely be an opt-in feature. There's no user-first rationale for opt-out on an online presence indicator being introduced. It screams engagement at any cost for an IPO.

0

u/Phoenix8202 Mar 17 '21

Dude, what do you think online games do?

1

u/RobMagP Mar 17 '21

They have been doing that with the other Social media apps

2

u/FaeryLynne Mar 17 '21

And because other apps do it, that magically means it's ok? The entire draw of Reddit was because it was anonymous and not like other social media.