https://www.reddit.com/r/ModSupport/comments/14jkqiy/this_is_the_current_experience_moderating_on/
created by InitiatePenguin on 26/06/2023 at 15:42 UTC*
89 upvotes, 7 top-level comments (showing 7)
I've been a moderator for years, I've do a lot of moderation on mobile and on the go. I am not in the camp that the native app is a pile of shit, and I believe it's possible to moderate on mobile these days exclusively using the native app, there's been a lot of improvements over the year.
It's important for Reddit to understand *why* I continue to use third party apps for moderation despite it, and it's for more than just reasons of personal customization, or even the few areas where even reddit lacks feature parity.
The reality is that the reddit app is a buggy mess, and it makes it unreliable, here are a list of issues I've experienced in the *last week alone* to make it clear to the admins the difficulty I will experience moving away from third party apps. I've also already lost moderators due to these changes who are unwilling to make the switch.
This is on android, with an up-to-date Pixel 7.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Di3Amc8vohijD7PaYxuwWm7XzbsORcRL/view?usp=sharing[1][2]
1: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Di3Amc8vohijD7PaYxuwWm7XzbsORcRL/view?usp=sharing
2: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Di3Amc8vohijD7PaYxuwWm7XzbsORcRL/view?usp=sharing
Sorry for the google drive link, Imgur has decided not to like some of my recordings.
This is by far the worse issue. Many of these issues I raised 8 months ago[3].
1. I can't reply to a comment in mod mode (this is better now that they mod the toggle sticks to the top edge of the screen instead of allowing it scroll up and off along with the submission.) My third party app doesn't have a user/mod mode toggle. It just gives you all the tools you need at all times. I understand you want your app to be context aware, but when it fails to anticipate my needs - which is frequently, it's neither helpful or more efficient. In any case, having to frequently toggle is just more clicks.
2. Comments which are removed, do not show as removed until toggling on and off mod mode.
3. Comments which are removed, do not stay 'removed' when toggling mod mode back to user mode, it's just a buggy mess.
​
https://imgur.com/a/EXGLGCh[4][5]
4: https://imgur.com/a/EXGLGCh
5: https://imgur.com/a/EXGLGCh
This was a very frustrating issue I had when I accidentally left a bit of filter code in automod. I was receiving push notifications that these articles went live (but filtered immediately), I didn't notice the red trashcan saying they were actually removed until I had a couple of users message me directly, except everything looks alright when I clicked on their links. Checked the queue and sure enough they are all there, and when clicking on it the red trash can is there for a split second and then vanishes.
https://imgur.com/a/gr2h7sH[6][7]
6: https://imgur.com/a/gr2h7sH
7: https://imgur.com/a/gr2h7sH
This is actually as bad as the first video. I actually have to leave the app, and open my third party app in order to figure out where this comment is and what it's referring to. It's also somewhat hilarious that native mod queue doesn't even support markdown but the indie app does....
This isn't every comment, but it is *a lot* of them in the queue.
https://imgur.com/a/CjkuSCd[8][9]
8: https://imgur.com/a/CjkuSCd
9: https://imgur.com/a/CjkuSCd
https://imgur.com/a/CjkuSCd[10][11]
10: https://imgur.com/a/CjkuSCd
11: https://imgur.com/a/CjkuSCd
I've actually just learned that the edit button un the top right is for *temporary* edits and not to permanently change your flairs, so while that is on me (and some unintuitive UX design) please looks at what happens in the second video where I try to edit it from the mobile website.
https://imgur.com/a/neqMA2Q[12][13]
12: https://imgur.com/a/neqMA2Q
13: https://imgur.com/a/neqMA2Q
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1CtgBcM9gUJwS3Mmj0DMM3ElUU0qj0vN5/view?usp=sharing[14][15]
14: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1CtgBcM9gUJwS3Mmj0DMM3ElUU0qj0vN5/view?usp=sharing
15: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1CtgBcM9gUJwS3Mmj0DMM3ElUU0qj0vN5/view?usp=sharing
The new larger flag, which I can appreciate being able to click on better, doesn't show me the reports, or have an option to show me the reports. Plus, this is confusing UX because the small report flag and the big report flag do different things. In fact, the large report flag does the same as the mod shield icon... So in User mod, the small shield (difficult to click) opens the approve remove dialogue, and in mod mode despite approve/remove/lock becoming contextual and there for easy clicking, it's duplicated under the larger report flag along with ignore reports and sticky instead of a normal overflow menu (three dots etc.)
I don't have a video for this but chat is a buggy mess. This is on mobile and desktop. Sometimes they don't even agree on which chats are active, one will be missing on desktop but present in the App.
For the longest time if you click a link where the URL directs straight to comment on the native app (desktop works as expected), *it takes you to the thread and not the comment.* This seems to be fixed in the latest implantation of "new chat"
I'm looking forward to the new chat channels and the mod channel so I don't have to keep adding my moderators into new chats after they disappear https://imgur.com/a/OPM4icQ[16][17] , only to have them reappear at a later date and confuse people into talking in multiple chats. https://imgur.com/a/dMgMjP7[18][19] I've had to start putting the month into the title, and see on the left, the previous one that has reappered.
16: https://imgur.com/a/OPM4icQ
17: https://imgur.com/a/OPM4icQ
18: https://imgur.com/a/dMgMjP7
19: https://imgur.com/a/dMgMjP7
____
​
This lack of reliability is ***constant.*** The only feature the native app has that my third party doesn't, or doesn't do as well, or better, is removal macros and their integration, and user notes, which is native and toolbox doesn't work on mobile. My third party app doesn't support modmail, but neither does the native app besides opening a webpage in the app frame, but other clients do support it natively.
​
The issue it not whether you technically can moderate exclusively on reddit's native app, or the exact feature parity. It's that reddit is blown out of the water by indie app develops, some of which are a single person when it comes to the consistency, reliability and non-frustrating UX design. If I receive three push notifications in a row, I have to manually back through all three in order to get to the main page of the app, why is "back" my *only* navigational option in a thread? Using the native app is asking for less efficient moderation, and more frustration.
Comment by TwistedWitch at 26/06/2023 at 21:35 UTC
12 upvotes, 2 direct replies
I'm still using old reddit on my phone in desktop mode like it was 2015, cause it just works unlike all the new shiny failures that is new reddit. I can change stickies and flairs, there's always a mod action button, it doesn't become invisible depending on the image that is the wallpaper of the thread. I will miss rif immensely. I don't even have the official app installed any more as I can't get logged in with 2fa and haven't for about a month.
Comment by Silly_Wizzy at 26/06/2023 at 15:51 UTC
6 upvotes, 1 direct replies
You are getting the official IOS app to work? Mine is the Reddit icon with XX for the last few hours. I pay for premium and I can force desktop - so it isn’t a Reddit shadowban or anything.
Comment by AnarcrotheAlchemist at 26/06/2023 at 23:49 UTC
4 upvotes, 1 direct replies
I've started trying to mod and browse using the official app and new reddit because according to the traffic stats the majority of the sub is using those methods to access the sub now (or will be once the 3rd party apps shut down). I will admit I don't understand why anyone uses new reddit when old reddit is a much nicer cleaner more user friendly lay out but they do so making sure what they are seeing with the lay out is what is intended does need to be checked.
Clicking an item in Mod Queue Doesn't Show the Comment or Context
This is the most annoying thing when trying to mod using the official app, trying to follow the conversation thread of a report, and also checking the profile of the user to see whether their post history is full of good/bad faith participation on not only our sub but their participation on the rest of reddit. This whole system does not work very well on the app even as a user because half the time when you get a notification of a comment you click that notification and it takes you to that comment but does not include the thread before that reply or any other comments so trying to remember the context of what the person is replying to from a week old comment is painful there needs to be a "parent" button or something so you can walk back up the comment chain.
The Report Flag is still Notoriously Difficult to Click on
...I didn't even know this could be clicked on.
Comment by fighterace00 at 27/06/2023 at 05:13 UTC
4 upvotes, 0 direct replies
I also mod almost exclusively from the official app.
The biggest issue I've had lately isn't a mod feature but trying to access the 3 dots in the top right corner to say, share a post with my mod team, the dots are invisible because the image preview is white.
Comment by Rivsmama at 26/06/2023 at 22:36 UTC
5 upvotes, 2 direct replies
I also mod almost exclusively on reddit app and use desktop for things like editing the sidebar, creating user flairs, and a couple of other things that are just easier on desktop. I bitch and complain about the app all the time but I honestly believe the way some people are talking about it as if it's completely useless and trying to mod using it is impossible is not helpful at all. Those things are just not true.
Combined with desktop you can do anything you need to do to mod. Yes reddit should improve the app and address major problems (like you said, comments not showing as removed is a big problem and has caused me so many headaches and issues) but the app isn't useless.
I appreciate posts like this where you list explicitly what your issues are and what you want fixed. I think that is much more helpful in the long run
Comment by french_violist at 26/06/2023 at 20:59 UTC
5 upvotes, 1 direct replies
The mobile app is just a companion to the desktop experience. There is a ton of things you cannot do.
Comment by Why_So_Sagittarius at 27/06/2023 at 18:38 UTC
1 upvotes, 1 direct replies
Thank you for all this! This has been flagged to the appropriate team.