Reddit is launching the “Mod Helper Program” as a way to reward moderators who provide valuable advice to their peers. This announcement comes amidst growing discontent among moderators who relied on now-defunct third-party apps that were shut down due to Reddit’s API pricing. Many moderators have called for improvements to the official app’s moderation tools, which are lacking compared to those provided by the third-party apps. Tensions have risen between Reddit and its moderators, with entire mod teams being removed for making their subreddits private in protest of the API pricing. The Mod Helper Program aims to acknowledge and celebrate helpful moderators with trophies and flairs.
In addition to the Mod Helper Program, Reddit has also launched the Modmail Answer Bot, which automatically responds to moderator requests with relevant links from the Help Center. If the articles don’t address the specific request, a human admin will handle the ticket. This bot is designed to streamline moderation requests and allow the admin team to focus on more complex issues. Furthermore, Reddit is merging the moderator-specific Help Center with the site’s general one to ensure that support resources are easily accessible in one location.
The relationship between Reddit and its moderators has become strained recently, with thousands of subreddits shutting down to protest the new API pricing. Reddit CEO Steve Huffman’s comment referring to protesting moderators as “landed gentry” further fueled the outrage. Moderators, who dedicate numerous hours to running the platform’s communities without pay, feel unappreciated and are discontent with the lack of improved moderation tools. While some moderators in r/ModSupport are unsure if the automated support request system will be helpful, others appreciate the trophy and flair rewards. Reddit has assured the community that their product teams are working on addressing the issues raised by the moderators and will be launching improvements to mobile features.