Reddit Is Undergoing a Blackout, with Thousands of Subreddits Going Private in Protest over API Changes

So, in some of my previous posts, I’ve talked about a bunch of stuff related to social media. I’ll drop the links to those at the end of this post, so you can check them out if you’re interested.

But for today, I wanna dive into APIs and spill the tea on what’s happening over at Reddit. Stay tuned!

What is an API?

An API, short for application programming interface, is a fancy way of saying it’s a set of rules and tools that let different software programs talk to each other.

So why should you care about APIs? Well, they make your life easier when it comes to building and connecting software.

Instead of worrying about the nitty-gritty details of how things work behind the scenes, you can just use an API to make things happen without all the hassle. This saves you time and money because you don’t have to reinvent the wheel every time you want to integrate something new.

Think of APIs as agreements between software parties. If one party sends a specific request, the other party knows exactly how to respond. It’s like a contract that keeps things running smoothly.

By using APIs, developers can easily add new features to existing software systems. This collaboration between business and IT teams is crucial in today’s fast-paced digital world. Markets change rapidly, and new apps can shake up entire industries overnight.

To stay ahead of the game, you need to be able to quickly develop and launch innovative services. That’s where cloud-native application development comes in. It’s all about creating software that’s interconnected through APIs, allowing for speedy development and deployment.

How does Reddit use APIs?

So, Reddit relies heavily on APIs to function smoothly. They have their API that allows developers to interact with their platform and build all sorts of awesome things.

These APIs provide access to Reddit’s vast collection of posts, comments, user information, and various other data. With the help of these APIs, developers can create applications, websites, or even bots that can perform actions on Reddit programmatically.

For example, let’s say you’re using a mobile app to browse Reddit. Behind the scenes, that app is using Reddit’s API to fetch the latest posts, display comments, and allow you to upvote or downvote content. The app makes requests to the Reddit API and receives the requested data, which it then presents to you in a user-friendly format.

The Reddit API also enables developers to create their bots. These bots can perform tasks like monitoring specific subreddits, posting new content, or even replying to comments automatically. You might have encountered some of these bots while browsing Reddit, like the ones that provide useful information or funny replies.

In addition to that, the Reddit API allows developers to authenticate users and perform actions on their behalf. This is how third-party apps can let you log in with your Reddit account and access your personalized content and preferences.

Reddit’s APIs play a crucial role in expanding the functionality of the platform beyond its official website and official mobile apps. They empower developers to build innovative applications, integrate Reddit into their projects, and enhance the Reddit experience for users like you and me.

What’s going on with Reddit right now?

A big revolt is happening on Reddit right now where thousands of subreddits are going dark to protest against the possibility of the site starting to charge for third-party apps. The community is calling it Reddark.

The protest kicked off because the folks behind apps like Sync for Reddit and Reddit is Fun, which makes browsing Reddit on mobile easier, are facing new pricing plans. These changes would make it hard for them to keep their apps running.

In a recent post on the site, Reddit admin FlyingLaserTurtle explained:

“We now have premium API access for third parties who require additional capabilities and have higher usage limits. Until this change, for-profit third-party apps used our API for free, at significant cost to us.

Of course, we have the option of blocking them entirely, but we know third-party apps are valuable for the Reddit ecosystem and ask that they cover their costs. Our simple math suggests they can do this for less than $1/user/month.”

Well, let’s just say people weren’t happy about that. Especially the volunteers running the big subreddits.

The number of subreddits going private is growing rapidly, and someone even created a special Reddark Twitch feed to keep track of it all. At the time of writing, there are over 8,400 private subreddits out of the 8,733 that have pledged to join the protest.

Out of the 2.8 million subreddits in total, eight thousand might not seem like a huge number. But when you consider that they have a combined subscriber count of over 2.5 billion, with some huge subreddits involved, it might just be enough to make Reddit change its mind about this policy.

Final Words

Thousands of subreddits have initiated the Reddark protest on Reddit, opposing the potential implementation of charges for third-party apps.

App developers, responsible for popular apps like Sync for Reddit and Reddit is Fun, are concerned about the new pricing plans, which could jeopardize the viability of their apps.

The protest has gained momentum, with over 8,400 private subreddits out of 8,733 pledged to join.

While the number of subreddits may appear small in the context of 2.8 million, their collective subscriber count exceeds 2.5 billion, potentially pressuring Reddit to reconsider its pricing policy.

If you enjoy my posts and would like to stay updated on the latest gaming-related news, technology advancements, design trends, and social media insights, I invite you to follow my profile.

I will continue to share my thoughts and insights on a wide range of topics in the world of entertainment and technology.

With that being said, thank you for reading my post, and have a good one.

Here are a few of my previous stories relating to social media I believe you will enjoy:

References

Reddark 24/7 counter stream.

API Update: Enterprise Level Tier for Large Scale Applications.

7,178 subreddits and counting have gone dark today in protest of a 3rd-party app pricing calamity.

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