Reddit’s CEO Allegedly Assures Staff that Uproar over API Policy Changes Will Subside

Presently, you may find that your go-to subreddit on Reddit is unavailable. Over 8,000 communities on the platform have turned private in opposition to changes made to Reddit’s API policy. While some subreddit moderators plan to reopen access to their communities by Wednesday, others are ready to extend their protest indefinitely. Despite the ongoing uproar, Reddit’s co-founder and CEO, Steve Huffman, appears unphased.

As reported by The Verge, Huffman has urged staff to disregard the collective uproar, stating in a memo that there hasn’t been a “significant revenue impact” so far and assuring that Reddit will overcome the current situation.

Following the protest’s onset, Reddit experienced downtime for many users on Monday. The company revealed to BuyTechBlog that this was due to “a significant number of subreddits shifting to private,” which predictably led to some stability issues.

In his memo, Huffman acknowledged the challenges presented by the protest, admitting that it requires considerable effort to manage. He recognized that numerous Reddit employees have been working non-stop to cope with the infrastructure strains, engage with communities, and address various issues emerging from this blackout. Huffman expressed gratitude for their hard work and emphasized the need to remain steadfast.

Huffman reportedly wrote, “There’s a great deal of commotion with this protest, arguably one of the loudest we’ve encountered. Rest assured, our teams are handling it and like all previous Reddit uproars, this too shall pass.” He stressed the importance of delivering what was promised, stating that the ultimate resolution lies in enhancing their product. He also noted some crucial mod tool launches lined up in the near term that need to be executed successfully.

In April, Reddit announced plans to start charging for API access, a move that sparked concerns among users. Developers have been utilizing the API to develop thousands of apps that integrate with Reddit, including moderation tools. There are worries that these changes might adversely affect the community, and early signs of this are already evident.

Apollo and RIF, two widely used third-party apps by Reddit users, have announced their shutdown by June 30th, just ahead of the implementation of API pricing changes. Apollo’s creator estimates that maintaining the app would cost about $20 million annually. Huffman addressed these concerns in his memo, stating that while some apps have planned shutdowns, discussions with others are ongoing.

Additionally, Huffman advised employees to avoid wearing Reddit-branded attire in public for the time being, owing to the intensity of users’ frustration. “Some individuals are genuinely upset, and we don’t want you to bear the brunt of their anger,” he wrote.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Reddit API policy protest

More about Reddit API policy protest

• Reddit
• API Policy Changes on Reddit
• Steve Huffman on Wikipedia
• The Verge’s report on Reddit’s API policy protest
• BuyTechBlog’s report on Reddit’s outage
• Information on Reddit’s third-party apps, Apollo and RIF