Millions of Reddit enthusiasts will soon find themselves unable to access their beloved subreddits as moderators launch a widespread protest against the platform’s decision to charge third-party app developers for data access. This blackout is expected to endure for at least 48 hours, with some communities indicating their intent to extend the protest beyond that timeframe. Here is a comprehensive overview of the situation:
Why am I unable to access my favorite subreddit?
Over 3,000 subreddit groups, which are dedicated communities centered around specific topics on Reddit, are participating in a blackout that will last for at least two days, beginning on Monday. The protest is in response to Reddit Inc.’s plan to increase charges for third-party app developers seeking access to the platform’s data. Some prominent subreddits, including r/apple, r/videos, r/sports, and r/MildlyInteresting, have already blocked public access to their pages. The key issue revolves around the cost associated with accessing Reddit’s application programming interface (API).
Presently, attempting to access the r/apple subreddit results in a message stating: “R/apple is a private community. We stand in solidarity with numerous people who need access to the API, including bot developers, people with accessibility needs (r/blind), and 3rd party app users (Apollo, Sync, etc.).”
Will there be any means to access these subreddits during the blackout?
Reddit classifies its communities into four types: public, restricted, private, and premium-only. When a subreddit is designated as private, access is only granted to those who have been directly authorized by a moderator. According to the site’s FAQs, given the large user base of many of these communities, it is unlikely that moderators will grant access to a significant number of users during the blackout period.
What is Reddit aiming to charge for?
Reddit intends to impose charges on developers of third-party apps such as Apollo and Sync, which have been created to enhance user navigation on the platform, for accessing data like user posts and reader comments. The developers of these apps argue that the API charges are prohibitively expensive. For instance, Apollo claims it would be obligated to pay Reddit $20 million annually. A post on the r/ApolloApp subreddit announced that the app would have to shut down, and other developers have expressed similar concerns.
What is Reddit Inc.’s perspective on the matter?
A spokesperson for Reddit stated that the company spends millions on hosting content and “needs to be fairly paid to continue supporting high-usage third-party apps.” Over the weekend, Reddit CEO Steve Huffman broke his silence on the issue through an “ask me anything” session hosted on the site. He wrote, “Reddit needs to be a self-sustaining business, and to do that, we can no longer subsidize commercial entities that require large-scale data use.”
How are Reddit’s competitors responding?
In February, Elon Musk’s Twitter set a precedent by introducing charges for previously-free API access, asserting that compensation is necessary for providing the service. Meta Platforms Inc. has also joined Twitter in promoting a paid service tier for users, where verification and other essential features become premium components.
When will these changes be implemented?
Reddit plans to implement its new pricing structure on July 1. Consequently, several third-party apps, including Apollo and Sync, have announced their closure on June 30 as a result of these changes.
What other actions is Reddit taking?
In addition to charging third parties for data access, Reddit has revealed plans to eliminate approximately 90 full-time positions and reduce new hires to 100, down from the previous 300. The company currently employs around 2,000 full-time staff members. Although Reddit confidentially filed for an initial public offering in late 2021, the process has since stalled.