Reddit, the popular online forum and community platform, is discontinuing its blockchain-based Community Points program. Introduced in 2020, Community Points aimed to reward Redditors for positive engagement and incentivize high-quality content and conversation. However, scaling the program proved to be a significant challenge.
Key Takeaway
Reddit is phasing out its blockchain-based Community Points program due to difficulties in scaling and a focus on programs that can benefit a larger user base. The program faced challenges with Ethereum’s transaction fees and limited bandwidth. Reddit plans to prioritize initiatives like subreddit karma and gifs that are easier to adopt and understand, while achieving similar goals as Community Points.
Challenges in Scaling
The initial version of Community Points was built on Ethereum, but the high transaction fees and limited bandwidth posed obstacles to its scalability. As a result, Reddit migrated Community Points to Arbitrum Nova in 2022, a solution built on top of Ethereum that offered lower transaction costs, increased energy efficiency, and enhanced security measures.
Despite the migration, Reddit encountered further difficulties in making Community Points viable for its large user base. The platform had already introduced other community incentive programs, such as the moderator rewards program and the Contributor Program that allows users to convert Reddit gold and karma into real money. These programs were easier to understand and adopt, while achieving similar goals as Community Points.
Phase-Out Plan
By early November, Community Points will be completely phased out. Participants in the beta program will no longer see their points in their Vaults, and earning points within their communities will no longer be possible. Although the exact count of affected subreddits was not disclosed, Reddit acknowledged that the impact would be limited.
Prioritizing Scalability
According to Tim Rathschmidt, Reddit’s director of consumer and product communications, the decision to discontinue Community Points was driven by the need to focus on programs that can scale and benefit a larger number of users. The aim is to empower communities and contributors through simpler and more widely accessible initiatives, such as subreddit karma and gifs.
Conclusion
While the discontinuation of Community Points may disappoint some Redditors who enjoyed owning a piece of their community and showcasing their reputation, Reddit is actively investing in other programs that serve similar purposes in a more user-friendly manner. As the platform evolves, it continues to strive for better community governance and enhanced user empowerment.
