It wouldn't surprise me if the popularity was artificially inflated. Social media has known for a while now that encouraging outrage drives views and clicks. Coupled with Reddit using bots when it was first up to artificially populate the site, there has probably always been some bullshittery going on, it's just become more obvious now. I unsubbed to subs like r/facepalm and all the other rage generating subs because they were having a detrimental effect on my mental health and because it was obvious they were encouraging and driving outrage for clicks.