Question:

How will Reddit’s new API pricing policy affect third-party apps and communities?

Reddit recently announced a drastic increase in the cost of accessing its API, which is the interface that allows third-party apps and tools to interact with the site. This policy change, effective from May 31, 2023, will make many popular and useful features unavailable to users who rely on these apps and tools, such as Apollo, Reddit is Fun, Narwhal, BaconReader, Reddit Enhancement Suite, and the old.reddit.com desktop interface. These features include custom themes, advanced search, media previews, comment navigation, mod tools, and more.

Many subreddit moderators also depend on these apps and tools to manage their communities effectively and keep them free of spam and off-topic content. Without them, they will have to use the official app, which has limited functionality and a poor user interface.

To protest this policy change, many subreddits plan to go dark on June 12th, meaning they will be temporarily or permanently inaccessible to users. This is a way of showing their dissatisfaction with Reddit’s decision and raising awareness among the user base. Some subreddits may also take further action if Reddit does not address their concerns by June 14th.

Users who want to support this protest can do the following:

– Complain to Reddit’s admins and support team through various channels, such as modmail, direct messages, support requests, comments, and app reviews. They can also sign their username in support to this post.

– Spread the word on related subreddits and other platforms, using memes, jokes, or serious discussions. They can also encourage subreddit moderators they know to join the protest at r/ModCoord.

– Boycott Reddit on June 12th and 13th, and instead use alternative platforms to voice their support for the protest.

– Don’t be a jerk. Avoid threats, profanity, vandalism, and harassment of anyone who disagrees with the protest or chooses not to participate. Be respectful, reasonable, and law-abiding.

Answer:

Reddit, the popular online platform that hosts millions of communities and discussions, is facing a backlash from its users and moderators over a new policy that will make it harder for third-party apps and tools to access its data.

The policy, which was announced on May 31, 2023, will raise the price of using Reddit’s API, which is the interface that allows external applications and services to interact with the site. The new price will be $0.01 per API call, which means that every time an app or tool requests data from Reddit, it will have to pay a fee. This fee will be charged to the developers of the apps and tools, who will have to either pass it on to the users or stop providing their services.

According to Reddit, the reason for this policy change is to “ensure the sustainability and scalability of our platform, as well as to support the development of new features and improvements for our users”. However, many users and moderators see it as a way of forcing them to use the official Reddit app, which has been criticized for its lack of functionality and user-friendliness.

Many users prefer to use third-party apps and tools to browse and interact with Reddit, as they offer features and options that are not available in the official app. Some of these features include custom themes, advanced search, media previews, comment navigation, mod tools, and more. Some of the most popular third-party apps and tools are Apollo, Reddit is Fun, Narwhal, BaconReader, Reddit Enhancement Suite, and the old.reddit.com desktop interface.

Many subreddit moderators also depend on these apps and tools to manage their communities effectively and keep them free of spam and off-topic content. Without them, they will have to use the official app, which has limited functionality and a poor user interface.

To protest this policy change, many subreddits plan to go dark on June 12th, meaning they will be temporarily or permanently inaccessible to users. This is a way of showing their dissatisfaction with Reddit’s decision and raising awareness among the user base. Some subreddits may also take further action if Reddit does not address their concerns by June 14th.

Users who want to support this protest can do the following:

• Complain to Reddit’s admins and support team through various channels, such as modmail, direct messages, support requests, comments, and app reviews. They can also sign their username in support to this post.
• Spread the word on related subreddits and other platforms, using memes, jokes, or serious discussions. They can also encourage subreddit moderators they know to join the protest at r/ModCoord.
• Boycott Reddit on June 12th and 13th, and instead use alternative platforms to voice their support for the protest.
• Don’t be a jerk. Avoid threats, profanity, vandalism, and harassment of anyone who disagrees with the protest or chooses not to participate. Be respectful, reasonable, and law-abiding.

The

protest is expected to have a significant impact on Reddit’s traffic and revenue, as well as on its reputation and user loyalty. It is unclear whether Reddit will reconsider its policy or offer any concessions to the developers and users of third-party apps and tools. However, one thing is certain: Reddit’s new API pricing policy threatens to kill many beloved third-party apps and communities, and the users and moderators are not going to take it lying down.