I find it curious that you automatically assume that Randall's post was the driving force. This is a piece of feedback that many users were submitting since the day G+ opened up. It's certainly possible that Randall was the influence that convinced Google, but I'd like to think that the feedback of the many would have weighed in more important than the post of a dude people have heard of.
I'm thinking much of the feedback came as a result of his post, not that Google saw he made a post and leapt to do his bidding. It was more a comment on the power of popularity, even online, than about his personal connections or ability to influence decisions.
I know, I know, anecdata yada yada, but I know a significant portion of my circles had submitted such feedback before Randall ever wrote that post. I'd be interested in knowing what the numbers were pre- and post-Randall.
I sure hope they did not do it because of the reasons Munroe outlined in his post, which were baseless and sexist (towards men).
If reddit is the voice of the internet, then he must be the megaphone.
I wonder what it feels like to be Randall Munroe and have sycophantic fanboys for a poorly drawn stick-figure webcomic that was briefly funny a couple of years ago.
Well gee, since you don't like it I guess the rest of us should stop enjoying it.
IMHO the more troubling trend is Randall's perpetuation of the "all men stupid and evil, all women good and pure" delusion that has infected everything from the classroom to the workplace to the media.