Over 300 subreddits, including popular ones such as r/aww, r/music, r/videos, and r/futurology, have announced plans to go dark indefinitely following a large protest against Reddit’s API changes, which concluded on June 14. This blackout means that users will be unable to access these communities during this period.
The decision to go dark was prompted by an internal memo from Reddit CEO Steve Huffman, in which he stated, “Like all blowups on Reddit, this one will pass as well.” Huffman downplayed the impact of the blackout, stating that it had not significantly affected the company’s revenue.
Between June 12 and 14, thousands of subreddits participated in the protest against API changes that could potentially result in the shutdown of many third-party apps. The blackout caused a temporary outage on June 12, impacting a significant portion of Reddit’s activity, as noted on Twitter. However, as Huffman indicated in the memo, most subreddits are expected to resume normal activity on Wednesday. A tracker site has been developed by developers to inform users about the status of subreddits, whether they are dark, restricted, or public.
Some subreddits have chosen to extend the blackout until June 20, with the possibility of an indefinite extension.
The API changes were first announced by Reddit in April, with the intention of introducing charges for API usage. Developer Christian Selig, known for the popular third-party client Apollo, revealed that he found the new API pricing unaffordable during a call with Reddit. As Reddit refused to reconsider its stance, Selig decided to shut down Apollo on June 30. Other prominent apps like Reddit Is Fun, Sync for Reddit, and ReddPlanet have also ceased operations.
During an Ask Me Anything (AMA) session with users, Huffman strongly defended the new API pricing and took a dig at Apollo and Selig. He emphasized that, unlike some third-party apps, Reddit is not currently profitable and will continue to prioritize profitability until it becomes financially viable.
Reddit’s pursuit of increased revenue is unsurprising, especially considering reports suggesting that the company is planning to go public later this year. To reduce costs, Reddit recently laid off 5% of its workforce and scaled back its hiring plans.
