What Happened to Reddit? Why are Reddit Communities Going Private?
by Sona
Updated Jun 13, 2023
Reddit is a popular American social news aggregation and discussion website. Users, known as "Redditors," contribute various types of content such as links, text posts, images, and videos. These contributions are voted on by other members, determining their position on the site's front page and within specific communities called "subreddits."
While Reddit administrators oversee the site, individual subreddits are moderated by community-specific moderators. As of February 2023, Reddit ranks as the 10th most-visited website globally and the 6th most-visited in the United States. The majority of its user base comes from the United States, followed by the United Kingdom and Canada.
Founded in 2005 by Steve Huffman, Alexis Ohanian, and Aaron Swartz, Reddit was later acquired by Condé Nast Publications before becoming an independent subsidiary of Advance Publications. Over the years, Reddit has secured significant funding and experienced substantial valuation growth.
It is recognized for its ability to cater to diverse interests through the creation of numerous subreddits and has gained popularity as a platform for raising awareness for various causes. However, Reddit has also faced criticism for its potential to facilitate the spread of misinformation.
What Happened to Reddit?
Reddit experienced a significant event recently, with numerous popular communities going offline for a minimum of two days. This collective action from users was in response to proposed pricing changes that could potentially lead to the closure of some of the platform's most prominent third-party applications.
Several major subreddits, including music, gaming, and r/todayilearned, as well as specific fan pages like Taylor Swift and Harry Potter, participated in this blackout. During the blackout, these communities made their pages inaccessible to users, effectively rendering them "dark" and unavailable for browsing or participation.
The event highlighted the power of the Reddit user base and sparked discussions about transparency and communication between administrators and users. During the blackout, popular Reddit communities went dark for two days in protest against pricing changes that could force the shutdown of third-party apps.
The action aimed to draw attention to the potential consequences and demonstrate the collective power of Reddit users. The event raised questions about the relationship between administrators and users and their ability to influence decisions impacting the platform.
Why are Reddit Communities Going Private?
Thousands of subreddits recently went private from June 12 to 14 in protest against upcoming changes to Reddit's API. This action, affecting millions of users, is a response to the platform's plan to charge fees to third-party apps relying on its API. Popular gaming communities and other subreddits have joined the demonstration, blocking new posts and limiting access.
The protest reflects users' dissatisfaction and raises concerns about content moderation tools and the impact on third-party app developers. It emphasizes the value of passionate users and questions the future of third-party apps and the overall user experience on Reddit. The protest signifies a pivotal moment for Reddit, a company aiming to increase revenue and reduce costs.
Despite its influential position on the internet, Reddit has struggled to generate consistent profits. The demonstration sheds light on the discontent among users who rely on third-party apps and the perceived disregard for their contributions by Reddit's management. As the blackout continues, the future of these apps and the overall user experience remains uncertain.
Is Reddit Down Right Now?
It seems like Reddit is back online. Some users have experienced difficulties accessing the platform, with pages failing to load and error messages appearing. This has led to speculation about whether Reddit is experiencing a temporary outage or if individual users have been affected in some way.
During the initial phase of the protest, not only did participating subreddits go private, but certain parts of Reddit experienced outages, causing tens of thousands of users in the United States to report issues via DownDetector. This led to confusion among users who were unsure whether Reddit was down or if they had been banned from their favorite communities, as these communities suddenly became unavailable.
After approximately 30 minutes of disruptions, Reddit appears to be back online and fully operational. However, users attempting to access Reddit via desktop, mobile, or the app have encountered problems, such as pages failing to load and displaying error messages like "sorry, we couldn't load posts for this page" or "something went wrong."
Reddit Blackout Protest
Today, a Reddit blackout protest is taking place, with thousands of Reddit communities becoming inaccessible as a form of protest against recent decisions made by the platform. The protest stems from Reddit's introduction of controversial charges for developers of third-party apps, which are commonly used to browse the site. As a result, moderators of major subreddits have chosen to make their communities private for approximately 48 hours in solidarity.
The protest has resulted in the inaccessibility of nearly 3,500 subreddits. Subreddits function as forums or communities within the larger Reddit platform, where individuals come together to discuss specific interests. Unlike other social media platforms, Reddit heavily relies on community moderation, with thousands of unpaid moderators working to keep the site functional.
They ensure that subreddits remain free from off-topic comments, banned content, and spam. Steve Huffman, Reddit's chief executive, acknowledged the protest, stating that the platform respects the actions taken by users and communities to highlight their needs, including the decision to go private.
He highlighted the shared responsibility of ensuring that Reddit stays an open and accessible space for individuals to find community and a sense of belonging. The Reddit blackout protest underscores the importance of community engagement and user feedback in shaping the direction and policies of online platforms.
What Happened to Reddit - FAQs
Reddit is a popular American social news aggregation and discussion website. Users, known as "Redditors," contribute various types of content such as links, text posts, images, and videos.
Reddit is currently experiencing a blackout protest where thousands of communities have become inaccessible. This protest is in response to recent decisions made by the platform that have sparked controversy and dissatisfaction among users.
Reddit communities are going private as a form of protest against the introduction of controversial charges for developers of third-party apps. This decision by Reddit has not been well-received by users and moderators, leading to the temporary closure of many subreddits.
The controversial changes on Reddit involve the implementation of charges for third-party app developers. These charges have sparked outrage as they affect the browsing experience and accessibility of the platform through these apps.
The purpose of the blackout protest is to draw attention to the dissatisfaction and concerns of Reddit users and moderators regarding the recent decisions made by the platform.