i would not have found this federated alternative if not for the protest.
i, for one, am glad to not have to put up with the ever increasing ads, the constant "install reddit app" popup, the crappy "new" interface (vs the "old".. which i continued to use)...
Remains to be seen how the post June 30 impact to mobile apps and the mod community shapes up. But the drive to further monetize the platform for the IPO is the writing on the wall afaiac.
Yes, the federated user base is still in its infancy.. but quality over quantity :)