Especially for gamers, Reddit is the main hub when it comes to games, new releases, speculation, and memes. Now, Reddit wants to make changes, and numerous moderators are shutting down their subreddits in protest.
What changes does Reddit want to make? To enjoy Reddit on mobile without annoying ads, many users rely on third-party apps, such as Infinity for Android or Apollo for iOS. These exist only because Reddit grants them access.
But that might be coming to an end, as a fee will be charged for access to the data. And it’s so high that it will drive out third-party apps (via Kotaku).
This will force mobile app users to read directly on Reddit, without switching to other apps. This annoys not only the users but especially the moderators of the subreddits.
What is the community upset about? Users are disturbed by numerous ads while reading, which could be avoided using apps like Apollo. But that’s not all; these apps also offer practical moderation tools (via Kotaku).
After the initial announcement, Reddit moderators joined forces and planned a protest.
What is happening on Reddit? On June 12, numerous subreddits will be set to private mode. This means that people who do not follow the subreddits will not have access to them. So far, more than 4,800 subreddits have joined.
Which subreddits are affected? Many used by gamers. Here’s a small list of subreddits that many of you surely use:
- r/Diablo4
- r/gaming
- r/Marvel
- r/minecraft
- r/nvidia
- r/LivestreamFail
- r/StarWars
- r/Steam
- r/VALORANT
- r/wow
- r/XboxOne
But other subreddits like r/art, r/Cooking, r/DIY, and r/sports are also affected. You can find a list of the subreddits on r/ModCoord.
In the comments, many other moderators join in. One writes: “We will join in solidarity and go offline temporarily.”
Reddit is a place for all kinds of people – who do not have only good intentions. Especially women in public often become the target of strange subreddits:
Moderators demand support
When will the subreddits work again? The subreddit for Steam speaks of a two-day protest, from June 12 to June 14. Others only specify June 12 as the timeframe. Whether the protest will last longer on most subreddits remains to be seen.
A moderator from the Steam subreddit writes as an explanation:
Some will return after 48 hours, while others will disappear permanently unless the issue is adequately resolved. Many moderators can no longer perform their duties due to the poor tools in the official app. We do not make this decision lightly. We do what we do because we love Reddit and firmly believe that this change will make it impossible to do what we love.
The two-day shutdown is not the goal and not the end. If by the 14th there are no signs that Reddit intends to fix what they have broken, we will use the community and the attention we’ve built up by then as a tool for further action.
u/Creekie_ on the Steam subreddit
She also addresses Reddit users with suggestions for action and encourages them to complain to Reddit or leave negative reviews for the Reddit app. “Spread the word. Cause a stir in related subreddits. Turn it into a meme, make it “spicy”, she writes.
She also recommends staying away from Reddit on the affected days. She urges users not to act like an “ass” and to refrain from threats and insults, as these do not help anyone.
YouTube has also tightened its rules on adblockers and the community reacted quite shocked.
