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Reddit experimenting with blocking mobile browsers (old.reddit.com)

submitted 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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As quoted from the linked post.

It looks like you’re part of one of our experiments. The logged-in mobile web experience is currently unavailable for a portion of users. To access the site you can log on via desktop, the mobile apps, or wait for the experiment to conclude.

This is separate from the API issue. This will actually BLOCK you from even viewing reddit on your phone without using the official app.

Archive.org link in case the post is removed.

https://web.archive.org/save/https%3A%2F%2Fold.reddit.com%2Fr%2Fhelp%2Fcomments%2F135tly1%2Fhelpdid_reddit_just_destroy_mobile_browser_access%2Fjim40zg%2F

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[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Absolutely and frankly I'd be perfectly fine with A/B testing if it was opt-in. Pop up a little window or notification that says "Hey, this is a new feature, you want it?"

people don't opt-in
they opt-in and don't like it
they opt-in and then quickly opt-out

You know the feature isn't good and to move on. A lot of people would call that data inconclusive because they want to believe the feature is good but not being able to convince people to opt-in is feedback.

Experimenting on users should be illegal.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

Most A/B tests are experiments on features, not on their users.

There's a difference in finding out what features users likes and let's see if we can manipulate their feelings or get them depressed.

The one Facebook did is not really A/B feature testing.

Those who opt-in to tests can have biased results, it's like asking those running Windows 11 if they like Windows 11 more than Windows 10.