It’s not about the needle, it’s about how Reddit acts during its death throes.
Reddit can’t make money unless they monetize every user in every way possible, including selling their personal data if they have it. The API garbage was an attempt to monetize users in ways even their own app doesn’t, and also an admission that advertising isn’t paying the bills, or they would have just started advertising through the API.
So now we’re seeing how Reddit behaves once they realize that charging for API access doesn’t work. They will sell everyone and everything until they shut down.
I’m not sure I want this to happen. I’ll read the bill, but I’m not convinced they’ll do it right. For example, UBI is supposed to replace other need-based social programs such as disability, welfare programs, government housing, etc. The entire point is that the money from those programs, which collectively have quite a lot of waste, goes into UBI so everyone can participate in society on a more fair level.
For example, I have a neighbour who is on some kind of government assistance. He gets very little money, and his rent for an entire house is $105/mo. With UBI, he’d get a full basic income, but his housing would no longer be subsidized, removing the need for a public housing corporation known for being awful and wasting money.