Reddit Strike Over New API Changes Causes Site Outage

On June 12, 2023, thousands of Reddit communities went dark in protest of the company’s new application programming interface (API) pricing. The protest was primarily initiated by third-party app developers, who argued that the new pricing would make it financially unfeasible to continue their services.

The API is a set of tools that allow developers to access and interact with Reddit data. It is used by a wide variety of third-party apps, including Apollo for Reddit, Reddit Enhancement Suite, and Narwhal.

On May 31, 2023, Reddit announced that it would be changing the pricing for API access. The new pricing would charge developers a fee for each call they make to the API. The fees would vary depending on the number of calls made and the type of data being accessed.

Third-party app developers argued that the new pricing would be too expensive for them to bear. They estimated that the new fees would cost them millions of dollars per year.

In response to the developer backlash, Reddit announced that it would be delaying the implementation of the new pricing. However, the company has not yet said whether it will make any changes to the pricing.

The Reddit strike caused a major outage on the site. For several hours, users were unable to access Reddit on both mobile and desktop devices. The outage was eventually resolved, but it highlighted the importance of third-party apps for Reddit.

The strike also showed the power of the Reddit community. By banding together, users were able to send a powerful message to Reddit. It remains to be seen whether Reddit will make any changes to its API pricing, but the strike has certainly put the issue on the company’s radar.

The Reddit strike is a reminder that the power of the internet can be used to achieve positive change. When users band together, they can make their voices heard and hold powerful companies accountable.


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