Yeah I am okay leaving it to mods. But I think in this particular case if the mods themselves are posting affiliate links with no indication they are getting money for each use, that seems like misaligned incentives.
There were some subreddits that would have stickied posts or something that allowed affiliate links, but that aggregates it all into one place and also lays it out clearly for whoever visits.
My main concern is not that someone is making money, we all gotta eat, its just when people aren't aware they are potentially being manipulated for someones benefit.
Yeah I am not against people making money. In this case if just felt distasteful and not properly disclosed.
Most people will probably know that that affiliate link benefits the mod of that community, but many won't. People might just think "Oh wow that's cool, thanks for sending me in the right direction you charitable mod".
The problem is the lack of disclosure and the overall disingenuous feeling, not that someone is making cash.