Reddit’s ongoing blackout has exceeded its original 48-hour timeframe, causing significant trouble, according to Reddit CEO Steve Huffman. Despite the challenges, Huffman has no intentions of reversing the controversial pricing changes implemented on the platform. The blackout involved major subreddits like r/PS5, r/Terraria, r/EscapeFromTarkov, and r/Gaming, which switched to private mode, rendering them inaccessible. This organized blackout was in response to a proposed price hike for Reddit’s Application Programming Interface (API), which is crucial for third-party mobile apps, custom extensions, and moderation and accessibility tools.
Despite the price hikes not taking effect until July 1, they have already prompted the closure announcements of Reddit’s top third-party apps, Reddit Is Fun and Apollo. Reddit CEO Steve Huffman, in a recent NPR interview, downplayed the protests that ensued, referring to them as the concerns of a small, disgruntled group. He also acknowledged that redirecting third-party users to Reddit’s official app would yield substantial financial advantages for the company.
Despite the CEO’s claim that everyday users are more affected by the blackouts than the company itself, a significant number of Reddit’s major subreddits, approximately 20%, continue the ongoing blackout beyond the initial 48-hour protest deadline. Advertisers have paused Reddit-based ad campaigns during the protest, leading to slightly lower impression delivery and slightly higher engagement costs. The CEO, speaking to NBC, criticized the protests as going against the will of Reddit’s users and compared volunteer moderators to the “landed gentry,” urging them to be more accountable to their constituents.
Reddit moderators who are taking part in the blackout have expressed their dissatisfaction with Reddit CEO Steve Huffman’s media interviews, specifically citing the company’s inadequate communication as a major concern.
Also Read: Gaming Subreddits To Join Reddit Blackout
