I always find it useful to compare reddit to imgur. IMO the future of reddit is the present of imgur. The value proposition of imgur in large parts is the same as reddit IF we ignore the part where imgur was hit with a deadly blow when reddit launched in-platform media hosting.
Imgur's push for mobile app and the desparate attempt (I will say plea) to form a loyal community around the product really shows how internet platforms fails to innovate and think community is the only to tool growth and survival.
On the other hand we see another example of Tumblr where communities get in the way of operating a business.
After everything I say I find Facebook and YouTube is successful because community driven platforms work in niches but to scale up you must establish yourself as a monopoly and focus on running a business while juggling all the negativity.