Recently I've seen takes that #reddit protest failed because people are too addicted to the platform. These takes are especially frustrating, because they are so very close to the answer yet fall flat due to some unspoken assumptions.
The unspoken assumption here is that people actively choose to be on the platform, therefore platform lives. It might seem obvious for anyone who knows politics as a mud pit, but if you take a more nuanced look, you'll see some cracks.
This is a very individualistic approach that ignores life cycle of the platform. In a brief, platforms start offering a value for users even at the loss, then exploit them in favor of business clients, then exploit the business client. For more detailed look please check #enshittification:
Think how many people are trapped in Google, Microsoft, Apple or other similar ecosystem. People does not use Google because they are google addicts. They use it because it offered a value and even shittiffied is bearable.
They are not the addicts, they are exploited by the platform that trapped them in due to both centralization and lack of proper regulation ensuring that the platforms are for the people, not profit.
PiTau