On June 12, several Reddit communities, including those dedicated to Apple, will be participating in a blackout lasting between 24 to 48 hours.
This blackout serves as a form of protest against Reddit’s recent decision to charge developers for accessing its API. In April, Reddit introduced an update to its Data API, which included a new premium tier of access for developers with higher usage limits and broader usage rights. However, these changes were met with discontent by many Reddit communities.
The increased cost of API calls will create significant challenges for third-party Reddit apps, potentially leading to higher expenses for developers and the risk of losing access to beloved apps. Going dark on Reddit involves making subreddits private and inaccessible to the public for a certain period of time, demonstrating unity and solidarity on a particular issue. Numerous posts across various subreddits explain that the API fee will hinder the functionality of third-party Reddit apps. Developers have voiced their concerns about the increased expenses, and the developer of the popular app Apollo has announced its closure on June 30 as a result of these charges. With an access fee of $0.02 per user, Apollo would face an annual cost of approximately $20 million.
The post further emphasizes that subreddit moderators heavily rely on tools developed by third-party developers to effectively manage their communities, as the official Reddit app may not be suitable for these tasks. Reddit is expected to implement the API fee on June 19, and it remains uncertain whether the blackout will change the management’s stance. Nonetheless, it serves as a powerful message that the community is dissatisfied with the decision. A compilation of popular subreddits participating in the blackout, known as Reddark, reveals the involvement of Apple-related communities such as r/apple, r/iPhone, and r/mac.
