‘Going dark’: Reddit's largest subreddits to stage 48-hour protest against new API pricing

In a major move to voice their concerns and demand change, some of Reddit's most popular communities, including r/videos, r/reactiongifs, r/earthporn, and r/lifeprotips, have announced their plans to set themselves to private on June 12. This act, commonly referred to as 'going dark,' involves making the participating subreddits inaccessible to the general public for a planned 48-hour protest. The primary issue driving this protest is the new pricing imposed by Reddit on third-party app developers seeking access to the site's APIs.

A widely circulated Reddit post detailing the protest, which has been cross-posted to multiple participating subreddits, explains the motivation behind the action. The post reveals that many subreddits will go dark on June 12 to protest the new API pricing policy. While some subreddits plan to return after the 48-hour period, others intend to remain private indefinitely unless their concerns are adequately addressed. Many moderators have expressed frustration due to the limitations of the official app's tools, making it difficult for them to perform their duties effectively. The decision to participate in this protest has not been taken lightly, as the moderators involved have a genuine love for Reddit and fear that the new changes will hinder their ability to contribute meaningfully to the platform.

This protest is set to involve hundreds of communities, referred to as subreddits, with many boasting over a million subscribers each. The extensive list of participating communities highlights the magnitude and significance of the protest.

The controversy stems from the adverse impact the new pricing structure has on the future of third-party Reddit app developers. Several developers have expressed concerns about the viability of their services under the new pricing policy. Christian Selig, the developer behind Apollo, revealed that, based on their current rate of 7 billion monthly requests, they would be required to pay $1.7 million for access to Reddit's API annually, which amounts to $20 million per year. Selig criticised the exorbitant pricing, stating that it is far removed from reality and beyond their financial means. This sentiment was echoed by other third-party app developers who feel that the pricing is unreasonable.

A Reddit employee countered the developers' claims, arguing that the new API charges should be affordable if third-party apps optimise their API calls efficiently. They clarified that the pricing is set at $0.24 per 1000 API calls, equating to less than $1.00 per user on a monthly basis for a reasonably operated app. The employee highlighted that Apollo, in particular, has been less efficient compared to its peers, possibly due to its previous availability as a free app.

However, developers of other third-party Reddit apps have voiced similar concerns. Reddit is Fun disclosed that they would be required to pay an amount in the same range as Apollo, which is far beyond their revenue. The developer behind Narwhal went even further, stating that their app would cease to exist within 30 days if subjected to the new charges.

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The potential disruption of third-party apps is particularly troubling for subreddit moderators, as these tools play a crucial role in managing their communities. Moderators rely on these apps to access superior mod tools, enjoy customisation options, benefit from streamlined interfaces, and avail other quality-of-life improvements that the official app does not offer. BuckRowdy, a moderator, expressed these concerns in an open letter, which was subsequently endorsed by moderators from numerous other subreddits. They emphasised that the pricing change could significantly impede their ability to moderate efficiently.

Apart from the API pricing issue, the open letter also raises concerns regarding third-party apps' ability to display ads, which serve as a key source of revenue. Additionally, new restrictions have been introduced that prevent NSFW (not safe for work) content from being accessed via the API.

It is worth noting that Reddit has encountered similar protests in the past. In 2021, hundreds of communities staged a lockdown to protest the platform's handling of a controversy involving a former UK politician it had hired. The previous year, moderators collectively took action to protest Reddit's policies on hate speech.

These changes to Reddit's API pricing come several months after Twitter implemented a ban on third-party clients and introduced a more restrictive pricing structure for API access. It is speculated that Reddit's plans to go public later this year may have influenced the decision to restructure the fees associated with API access.

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