https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/3c0hcz/welcome_back/
created by IAmAMods on 03/07/2015 at 17:25 UTC*
16698 upvotes, 60 top-level comments (showing 25)
You may have noticed that /r/IAmA was recently set to "private" for a short period of time. A full explanation can be found here[1], but the gist of it is that Victoria was unexpectedly let go from Reddit and the admins did not have a good alternative to help conduct AMAs. As a result, our current system will no longer be feasible.
1: https://www.reddit.com/r/OutOfTheLoop/comments/3bw39q/why_has_riama_been_set_to_private/
Chooter (Victoria) was let go as an admin by /u/kn0thing. She was a pillar of the AMA community and responsible for nearly all of reddit's positive press. She helped not only IAMA grow, but reddit as a whole. reddit's culture would not be what it is today without Victoria's efforts over the last several years.
We have taken the day to try to understand how Reddit will seek to replace Victoria, and have unfortunately come to the conclusion that they do not have a plan that we can put our trust in. The admins have refused to provide essential information about arranging and scheduling AMAs with their new 'team.' This does not bode well for future communication between us, and we cannot be sure that everything is being arranged honestly and in accordance with our rules. The information we have requested is essential to ensure that money is not changing hands at any point in the procedure which is necessary for /r/IAmA to remain equal and egalitarian. As a result, we will no longer be working with the admins to put together AMAs. Anyone seeking to schedule an AMA can simply message the moderators or email us at AMAVerify@gmail.com, and we'd be happy to assist and help prepare them for the AMA in any way. We will also be making some future changes to our requirements to cope with Victoria's absence. Most of these will be behind-the-scenes tweaks to how we help arrange AMAs beforehand, but if there are any rule changes we will let you all know in a sticky post.
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We'd like to take this moment to thank Victoria for all of her work on thousands of AMAs. Her cheerfulness, attitude, work ethic, and so many other attributes made her the perfect person for this job. We mods truly feel that she is irreplaceable. Thanks for everything, /u/Chooter, and we wish you the best of luck going forward.
Thank you all for your patience during this debacle (and for the hundreds of messages of support!), and we hope to have many interesting AMAs for you all in the future. Please let us know if you have any questions in the comments below! Additionally, a former admin has asked to do an AMA about his experiences with Reddit, and you can ask him questions about the inner workings of the site as soon as his AMA goes live here[2].
2: https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/3c0idl/i_am_dacvak_former_reddit_employee_and_leukemia/
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Edit July 5, 2015 - Alexis Ohanian (/u/kn0thing) has been working with us over the weekend to institute new protocols for how reddit, inc. will work with the mods of communities looking to hosts AMAs (including, but limited to r/IAmA). The goal is to create a much more 'hands off' system regarding the scheduling and facilitation of AMAs. He has described the team of existing admins in charge of funneling AMAs to the right mods for scheduling in the interim. This team will be replaced by a full time employee in the future.
He has also described the new team in charge facilitating AMAs and some of their broader objectives concerning integrating talent as consistent posters rather than one off occurrences. This more relates to the site as a whole rather than how /r/IamA functions day to day. While we're still unhappy with how this transition occurred, it would be unfair for us not to publicly recognize the recent efforts on the part of the site administration to 'make it right'.
Comment by Batatata at 03/07/2015 at 17:33 UTC
1878 upvotes, 4 direct replies
This really is strange.
This subreddit is probably Reddit's most valuable subreddit in terms of positive press and who it attracts.
Crazy to see this much disconnect between admins and the mods of a sub this size.
Comment by AmesCG at 03/07/2015 at 17:37 UTC
6113 upvotes, 8 direct replies
As a result, we will no longer be working with the admins to put together AMAs. Anyone seeking to schedule an AMA can simply message the moderators or email us
Correct me if I'm wrong, but did the IAMA mods just... *declare their independence* from the Reddit administration?
Comment by GhostofPacman at 03/07/2015 at 17:36 UTC
1607 upvotes, 3 direct replies
This does not bode well for Reddit. Now the subs don't trust the admins and the admins REALLY don't trust the subs.
Comment by that_guy_next_to_you at 03/07/2015 at 17:30 UTC
1509 upvotes, 4 direct replies
I'm a little surprised you came back this quickly
Comment by yodawg32 at 03/07/2015 at 17:32 UTC
6782 upvotes, 5 direct replies
Now do an AMA with Victoria
Comment by SUSAN_IS_A_BITCH at 03/07/2015 at 17:31 UTC
3071 upvotes, 10 direct replies
As a result, we will no longer be working with the admins to put together AMAs. Anyone seeking to schedule an AMA can simply message the moderators or email us at AMAVerify@gmail.com, and we'd be happy to assist and help prepare them for the AMA in any way.
The important part. Well, it's all important, so read all of it.
Comment by Incredible_edible at 03/07/2015 at 17:31 UTC
880 upvotes, 2 direct replies
Nice, lot's of talk of IAmA switching to pre-screened questions because of admin pressure. I hope that never happens and that the lines of communications stay two-way and direct.
Comment by [deleted] at 03/07/2015 at 17:54 UTC
187 upvotes, 1 direct replies
[deleted]
Comment by [deleted] at 03/07/2015 at 17:36 UTC*
384 upvotes, 3 direct replies
[deleted]
Comment by [deleted] at 03/07/2015 at 17:33 UTC*
2362 upvotes, 4 direct replies
[deleted]
Comment by WHMX at 03/07/2015 at 17:39 UTC
199 upvotes, 5 direct replies
Are they really going to let you do this? AMAs are probably the largest draw for this website. You exclude admins from the process and they're gonna take this sub over.
Comment by [deleted] at 03/07/2015 at 17:31 UTC*
1408 upvotes, 3 direct replies
[deleted]
Comment by [deleted] at 03/07/2015 at 17:34 UTC
50 upvotes, 1 direct replies
What will become of the AMAs that were scheduled to occur during the downtime? Will they be rescheduled?
Comment by [deleted] at 03/07/2015 at 17:32 UTC
522 upvotes, 2 direct replies
I quite enjoyed it while subreddits were offline and admins crying for reopening them again.
Comment by SubAgent at 03/07/2015 at 17:34 UTC
523 upvotes, 2 direct replies
I nominate Victoria to do the first new AMA
Comment by reservoirdog90 at 03/07/2015 at 17:35 UTC
77 upvotes, 2 direct replies
So are AMA's going to be less personable now? I really enjoyed reading several AMA's where you could tell Victoria and the guest were cracking jokes together with the way she answered.
Comment by Wombatmanchevre at 03/07/2015 at 19:38 UTC
38 upvotes, 2 direct replies
WHAT HAPPENED TO THE DACVAK AMA?
Comment by jhonkas at 03/07/2015 at 17:32 UTC
163 upvotes, 2 direct replies
Why can't I see the Jesse Jackson IAma?
Comment by tppatterson223 at 03/07/2015 at 19:28 UTC
91 upvotes, 4 direct replies
Well /u/Dacvak's AMA is getting nuked. No longer shows up on the /r/IAmA page and his responses are getting deleted. Somebody's not happy about it.
Comment by solidwhetstone at 03/07/2015 at 17:26 UTC*
3864 upvotes, 8 direct replies
I have to say you guys are a class act. You outclassed /u/kn0thing, Ellen Pao, and whoever is putting the financial pressure to monetize AMAs. Good job and fuck the man. *drops mic*
EDIT: Obligatory thanks for the gold- but I'd rather you put your money towards something more worthy. My favorite is the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation[1] considering I have a son with CF. :]
1: https://www.cff.org/GetInvolved/ManyWaysToGive/Donate/
EDIT 2: I've decided to quit moderating on reddit. It was fun while it lasted.
Comment by Mattbelfast at 03/07/2015 at 17:38 UTC
762 upvotes, 3 direct replies
Bitch about not enough women being employed within IT related jobs, then sack Victoria. Good job Pao you fucking moron.
I just hope that everyone remembers this and it doesn't get swept under the rug as these things usual do.
I wonder if Victoria will try and sue Pao for "gender discrimination".
Comment by [deleted] at 03/07/2015 at 17:32 UTC
22 upvotes, 0 direct replies
it's good to have some information out, I wish you guys (mod team) the best of luck in getting everything back in track. And I hope to see /u/chooter on here some more, if just as a user
Comment by fastgr at 03/07/2015 at 17:42 UTC
20 upvotes, 2 direct replies
Why don't you make /u/Chooter a mod here?
Comment by eschlon at 03/07/2015 at 18:02 UTC
44 upvotes, 0 direct replies
This is the classiest thing to come out of this whole debacle.
Affected mods handling the situation with professionalism, rational decisions and well written announcements. Reddit admins... let's say less professionalism.
Comment by [deleted] at 03/07/2015 at 18:41 UTC
84 upvotes, 3 direct replies
This[1] is how little a shit /u/kn0thing gives about the community.