Alexis Ohanian

I knew we're bad for business, we're bad for society, we're just not things that we should be fighting for. When I did part ways, I was so pleased to see the response finally was, okay, we're going to ban these things because it shined a light, right? And what it also taught me was, this was four years ago, was that I had... I didn't have enough agency, and that was my own creation.

I knew we're bad for business, we're bad for society, we're just not things that we should be fighting for. When I did part ways, I was so pleased to see the response finally was, okay, we're going to ban these things because it shined a light, right? And what it also taught me was, this was four years ago, was that I had... I didn't have enough agency, and that was my own creation.

That was my own doing. But I was never going to put myself in a situation again where I couldn't be doing not just the best work of my career, but also in a way that aligned with my values. And what's been a phenomenal result is for the last four years, I've had so much wind at my back. from making that decision, from aligning those values.

That was my own doing. But I was never going to put myself in a situation again where I couldn't be doing not just the best work of my career, but also in a way that aligned with my values. And what's been a phenomenal result is for the last four years, I've had so much wind at my back. from making that decision, from aligning those values.

And I still think the internet can bring out the best in us. I do really believe that. And I can also accept the conflicting view that it enables the worst of us. And I obviously want to be on the side of the former. And so I try to use my platform as best I can for those things and to curb the worst. I think I have to remain an optimist because... I'm still optimistic about humanity.

And I still think the internet can bring out the best in us. I do really believe that. And I can also accept the conflicting view that it enables the worst of us. And I obviously want to be on the side of the former. And so I try to use my platform as best I can for those things and to curb the worst. I think I have to remain an optimist because... I'm still optimistic about humanity.

And to the extent, these tools are just a reflection of society, of our world. And I need to believe that, you know, there is hope for us to figure this out, to get a line that at the end of the day, nearly all of us still want the same things. We want to live decent lives. We want our kids to live hopefully better lives than we did.

And to the extent, these tools are just a reflection of society, of our world. And I need to believe that, you know, there is hope for us to figure this out, to get a line that at the end of the day, nearly all of us still want the same things. We want to live decent lives. We want our kids to live hopefully better lives than we did.

Like there are some practical needs that we still have from hundreds of thousands of years ago that I think we need to meet. Like I said, I want to spend my years supporting all this stuff that I know my girls will be proud of.

Like there are some practical needs that we still have from hundreds of thousands of years ago that I think we need to meet. Like I said, I want to spend my years supporting all this stuff that I know my girls will be proud of.

Yeah. Well, look, early on, these really radical communities almost never exist. Certainly back then, because there were just fewer people online, you know, 2005 starting Reddit, I was just hoping it would work. There were so few people online actively creating content that, you know, for early years, it wasn't even a thing. It never even came up.

Yeah. Well, look, early on, these really radical communities almost never exist. Certainly back then, because there were just fewer people online, you know, 2005 starting Reddit, I was just hoping it would work. There were so few people online actively creating content that, you know, for early years, it wasn't even a thing. It never even came up.

And when it did, it was just an easy ban because it was a one-off post. I left, so sold the company in 2006 to Condé Nast, stuck around until 2010. Then I left, became a partner at Y Combinator, started a venture fund, and I came back in 2014 as executive chairman. That was in the wake of a previous CEO infamously defending revenge porn. This was definitely Reddit's nadir.

And when it did, it was just an easy ban because it was a one-off post. I left, so sold the company in 2006 to Condé Nast, stuck around until 2010. Then I left, became a partner at Y Combinator, started a venture fund, and I came back in 2014 as executive chairman. That was in the wake of a previous CEO infamously defending revenge porn. This was definitely Reddit's nadir.

He'd written this infamous blog post defending keeping these horrible photos up. And that was, not surprisingly, one of his last acts as CEO. And I was asked by the board to come back. I said, great. First thing we did, shocker, ban revenge porn. Pretty easy, very obvious thing to do.

He'd written this infamous blog post defending keeping these horrible photos up. And that was, not surprisingly, one of his last acts as CEO. And I was asked by the board to come back. I said, great. First thing we did, shocker, ban revenge porn. Pretty easy, very obvious thing to do.

And then it was a task of, one, rebuilding the business, rebuilding the faith with users, with brands, with everyone, and then starting to just modernize all the things. And then as this stuff started coming up and once it got to the board levels, you know, I'll give you the steel man version of the argument that I heard was these are communities that are important because of free speech and.

And then it was a task of, one, rebuilding the business, rebuilding the faith with users, with brands, with everyone, and then starting to just modernize all the things. And then as this stuff started coming up and once it got to the board levels, you know, I'll give you the steel man version of the argument that I heard was these are communities that are important because of free speech and.

The one argument that I really didn't necessarily believe, I didn't believe, was around the therapeutic value of having communities like this for people who have PTSD, like soldiers or medical folks. And I pushed back pretty hard on that one because I just still didn't believe that it was real. Probably the most elucidating takeaway for me was once a spotlight was shown on it,

The one argument that I really didn't necessarily believe, I didn't believe, was around the therapeutic value of having communities like this for people who have PTSD, like soldiers or medical folks. And I pushed back pretty hard on that one because I just still didn't believe that it was real. Probably the most elucidating takeaway for me was once a spotlight was shown on it,