Reddit Blackout protest explained: Why are subreddits going private?
Here’s why your favorite subreddits are going dark.
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What you need to know
Whether you’ve looked up answers to questions online, searched for communities and discussions to join, or simply like to keep up with the latest news stories, we’re willing to bet good money that you’ve visited Reddit. Since it was founded in 2005, the forum site has become an invaluable resource for many, with over 50 million users using it actively on a daily basis. Right now, though, the vast majority of its subreddit communities have “gone dark” by entering private mode, a setting that stops people from being able to see the posts within.
You’re probably wondering why this is happening, so let us explain: the Reddit Blackout is a protest against the site’s plan to raise its API (Application Programming Interface) pricing that was announced on May 31. The new costs are so high that they’ll force popular third-party Reddit apps like Apollo, BaconReader, Narwhal, Sync, and others to shut down at the end of June, withdevelopers sayingthey’d have to pay well over $1 million per month just to keep the lights on — a price they simply can’t afford.
These apps are widely considered to be must-haves if you browse Reddit often, as they’re designed to be clean, fast, and snappy, and often offer lots of nifty customization options. The official Reddit mobile app, by contrast, has long been criticized for its large size, slow speed, and the high number of ads it presents to users.
Just got off a call with Reddit about the API and new pricing. Bad news unless I come up with 20 million dollars (not joking). Appreciate boosts.https://t.co/FliuNCinpZMay 31, 2023
-Reddit Blackout darkens popular Windows and Microsoft subreddits-Top Reddit communities going dark to protest third-party API charges
Notably, these costs will apply to many automated bots as well. These bots are used by subreddit moderators to detect and remove spam and NSFW (Not Safe-For-Work) content, as well as the accounts posting it. Therefore, many users are concerned that if bots become unaffordable, it will become significantly harder to keep inappropriate posts in check.
The communitywrote an open letterto the site’s administration in an effort to call attention to the issues that the new policy will bring, but so far,dialogue with Reddit’s staff hasn’t gone well. This is ultimately what prompted the Reddit Blackout protest, which is expected to last from now until June 14 for most subreddits. Some, though, have indicated they’ll stay private indefinitely until Reddit makes concessions. You can learn more about the protest by heading tothis post on the r/Save3rdPartyApps subreddit, which is ironically one of the few subsnotin private mode right now.
Thelist of subreddits participating in the protestis incomplete and continues to grow, but among them are some of Reddit’s largest communities. These include r/funny (40+ million subscribers), r/gaming (30+ million), r/memes (20+ million), and countless others across a wide range of themes and topics.
Reddit goes down during Reddit Blackout
While much of Reddit is blacked out due to the protests, the site itself is supposed to work normally. That, however, wasn’t the case recently, as Reddit went down for roughly an hour and a half. Now, though, the site seems to be back online and can be used as you usually would.
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It’s unclear what the cause of the outage was. Perhaps the issue was caused by the blackout protest somehow. In any event, we’ll keep this section updated with the latest information if the site goes down again.
Brendan Lowry is a Windows Central writer and Oakland University graduate with a burning passion for video games, of which he’s been an avid fan since childhood. He’s been writing for Team WC since the summer of 2017, and you’ll find him doing news, editorials, reviews, and general coverage on everything gaming, Xbox, and Windows PC. His favorite game of all time is probably NieR: Automata, though Elden Ring, Fallout: New Vegas, and Team Fortress 2 are in the running, too. When he’s not writing or gaming, there’s a good chance he’s either watching an interesting new movie or TV show or actually going outside for once.Follow him on X(Twitter).
