In a move that has sparked outrage among millions of users, Reddit announced a policy change on May 31, 2023, effectively rendering almost every third-party Reddit app obsolete. Popular apps like Apollo, Reddit is Fun, Narwhal, and BaconReader will no longer be viable options, leaving Reddit’s official mobile app as the sole choice. However, this move by Reddit has been widely criticized for its poor lack of foresight, leading to reduced accessibility for disabled users, and difficulties in moderation.
The 48-hour long shutdowns are being extended to maintain a state of protest
As a response to this policy change, nearly nine thousand subreddits, with a combined reach of hundreds of millions of users, joined forces to express their discontent. These subreddits staged a massive blackout, resulting in extensive media coverage and drawing attention to their concerns, much like an actual protest.
Although Reddit made a small concession by reinstating moderator access to the ‘Pushshift’ data-archiving tool, the core concerns of the protesting subreddits remain unaddressed. Despite the blackout and subsequent media attention, Reddit has remained silent since the protest began. Reddit CEO Steve Huffman hosted an AMA on Reddit to address the concerns of users, however, after a few dissatisfactory replies from the team, users gave up, and the AMA was considered a failed opportunity. He downplayed the impact of the blackout, stating that it had not significantly affected revenue and that many subreddits would likely come back online by Wednesday. However, the protesting subreddits maintain that more substantial action is required to resolve their concerns.
Over 300 subreddits have pledged to remain private or inaccessible indefinitely until Reddit provides a satisfactory solution. Notable subreddits such as r/aww, r/music, r/videos, and r/futurology, with millions of subscribers each, are among those leading this effort. Their dedication and support have become the backbone of the movement, and their collective stand is definitely commendable.
While some subreddits initially planned a 48-hour shutdown, it has become evident that a more extended demonstration is required. Various methods of participation have been suggested, including weekly one-day blackouts, sticky announcements by Automod, or altered subreddit rules to encourage protest-themed participation. Each subreddit has the autonomy to choose the approach that best aligns with its community’s preferences.
The standoff between Reddit and its discontented user base will continue, with the protesting subreddits determined to persist until a satisfactory compromise is reached. It will be interesting to see how this turns out, and if the Reddit team decides to come to a reasonable agreement.
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(Via)
