Reddit signals ominous upcoming "changes” for old.reddit.com
Summary
Reddit announced it will make changes to Old Reddit, the classic website version users prefer, to stop abuse like scraping and spam. The company is also limiting access to its API (a way for apps to get Reddit data) and pushing developers to use its official platform to control automation better.Key Facts
- Reddit plans changes to Old Reddit, its old-style website built 21 years ago, to reduce abuse and spam.
- Since late July, users must log in to use Old Reddit to stop unauthorized scraping and automated traffic.
- Reddit hasn’t specified the exact changes or a timeline but will consult moderators and developers before acting.
- Old Reddit’s logged-out access was a major source of scraping, where data is collected without permission.
- Reddit has previously tried to stop scraping by suing companies, blocking archives, and restricting search engine crawlers.
- In 2023, Reddit started charging for API access to limit generative AI companies from freely using Reddit content.
- Reddit now requires new API users to move to its Developer Platform for better control and support of automated tools.
- Some third-party Reddit apps shut down after API changes, and new apps will need permission to access the API.
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