>I suspect that's the real purpose of the redesign

I mean at this point I don't think there's any doubt whatsoever. Is there even a plausible other explanation?

I only lurk on reddit but it's rather comical how bad it's become. And not just the interface, the content too, /r/all is basically Facebook with a slightly younger audience and you have to get deeper and deeper into niche subreddits to find worthwhile discussions.

Reddit has just gotten too big. So much of the bigger subs are fluffed with surreptitious sponsored content, reputation management, etc. I would have thought that that was where Reddit made the real money, by providing a back-end to make ads look like organic content, by helping moneyed backers influence discussion toward their monetised and brand-building ends.

If Reddit isn't charging and managing those using their platform for that purpose -- not an insignificant number, surely -- they are fools.

> you have to get deeper and deeper into niche subreddits to find worthwhile discussions.

Which raises the question wouldn't that be better served with a forum...

I think the issue with many disparate forums is discoverability.

This seems to be the key/blocker for a decentralized internet, well social apps at least. If someone can solve discoverability, it'll make a lot of things possible.

How does it punish you for blocking ads? Honest question.

It punishes you by not working until you give it an exception.