Title: Reddit Shuts Down Third-Party Apps Amid Outrage and Protests
Subtitle: Apollo, BaconReader, Sync, and Others Affected
Date: [Current Date]
In response to widespread outrage and protests from the Reddit community, the popular social media platform has made the decision to shut down several third-party apps. This move comes after a month of unrest surrounding Reddit’s imminent API pricing changes.
One of the most prominent apps affected is Apollo, an iOS app that became a rallying point for the recent protests against Reddit’s new API pricing structure. Users of the app now encounter a spinning wheel and are unable to load any content from the platform. Developer Christian Selig confirmed that Reddit is responsible for the shutdown, stating in an email to The Verge, “would have been nice to have been given a time.”
BaconReader, another popular app, is also experiencing issues, displaying an error message that reads, “Request failed: client error (429).” Despite attempts to refresh the content, users are unable to access the platform. Similarly, Sync, an Android app, has stopped working completely, showing an error message that states, “Error loading page: 401.”
Reports have also surfaced about functionality problems in a fourth app, known as reddit is fun (RIF). A tweet by user ‘darasRantings’ and Lemmy comments highlight the lack of functionality in this particular app. However, at the time of writing this article, one Verge staff member was still able to view content on the app without logging in, although logging into their account was not possible.
The frustration among users was directed at the treatment of Selig and other third-party app developers, leading to organized protests urging Reddit to reconsider their stance. Despite the blackout of more than 8,000 communities in protest, Reddit remained steadfast, resulting in the official shutdown of some apps. It should be noted that not all third-party apps will be affected, as Narwhal, Relay, and Now will still be available, though they will eventually require a subscription.
When questioned about the situation, Reddit spokesperson Tim Rathschmidt referred to the company’s fact sheet on API changes, which was updated recently. Rathschmidt also mentioned a Friday evening post from a Reddit admin that confirmed the enforcement of the new API rate limits “shortly.” Although the rate limits were initially set to take effect on July 1st, it appears Reddit decided to enforce them ahead of schedule, causing confusion among users about the exact timing.
In light of these developments, Christian Selig, the developer of Apollo, expressed uncertainty about his future use of Reddit. He stated, “Honestly, not sure. I’m certainly using it a lot less.”
As the dust settles on this chapter of the Reddit community’s strife, it remains to be seen how the platform and its users will adapt to the changes. The decision to shut down third-party apps has sparked debates on the future of independent developers and the balance between platform control and user experience.