Thousands of communities on the site are going dark in protest at changes to Reddit’s API, which will charge third-party developers for access to the site. This could mean popular third-party apps like Apollo, which let users customize their Reddit experience, will no longer work. Communities Go Dark in Protest at Changes to Reddit’s API.
The sites going dark include some of the site’s largest communities, including r/funny and r/music, with millions of subscribers. Many say they will stay private indefinitely until Reddit backs down.
Subreddits
Reddit is an online forum with thousands of communities dedicated to a variety of topics. Each community is managed by a group of users called moderators. These moderators can remove other users and set their own rules for the forums. They can also ban or edit posts. Some of these subreddits are private, making them inaccessible to users.
Some of the most popular communities, or subreddits, are protesting Reddit’s controversial API changes. These changes will charge third-party apps for access to data. This is a significant change that will affect millions of Reddit users.
The majority of these communities plan to stay private for 48 hours. However, some are planning to remain dark indefinitely until Reddit backs off its plans. While many people may think this protest has little to do with them, it is more important than they realize. These communities are a part of the free internet, and their closure could have an impact on everyone who uses it.
Reddit’s business model
Tech companies have been increasingly turning to these types of fees to monetize their products as the advertising market continues to sag.
Changes to the site’s API
Reddit’s latest changes to its API program will impose new charges for third-party apps that access the site’s data. This could shut down popular Reddit apps like Apollo and Reddit is Fun, which allow users to browse the site with a customisable interface.
Redditors who use these apps say they will stop using the service if the fees go through.
Some of the largest subreddits have decided to go private for 48 hours, preventing outsiders from reading their posts. The moderators of some communities have even written open letters to the company.
Protests
A number of Reddit communities are taking part in a digital protest over the site’s planned changes to its API.
The change will allow Reddit to charge third-party app developers for their services. This is a huge blow to many of them, including popular third-party apps Apollo and Sync. These apps are vital to the community, as they provide features like moderator tools and more.
Thousands of subreddits have gone dark in protest over the changes. Some have even pledged to stay private indefinitely.
Organizers of the blackout say the new fees threaten key ways that Reddit has historically customized its platform. They add that the official app doesn’t provide the moderation tools needed to keep the site free of spam and hateful content, and improve accessibility needs read more hear.
