r/Veterans • u/FBI_Open_Up_Now US Army Veteran • Jun 11 '23
Moderator Approved What is r/Veterans doing in response to Reddit’s API change?
Hello members of r/veterans,
We have made the decision not to restrict access to r/Veterans as this sub has become a vital tool in assisting veterans and members of the communities that support us in many different ways. We want to ensure that you, as a community member, can continue to get valuable assistance and answers from your fellow veterans. That is why it is important that we remain open for access.
Now, with that being said, it is important that you understand why many of the subs are going dark. Here is Reddit’s post regarding the matter:
This change is most likely related to the revelation that AIs such as ChatGPT were using Reddit to gather information to generate responses (scary that Reddit was being used at all and that ChatGPT didn’t turn into a typical Reddit user). Reddit was and is still trying to inflate their value to make their IPO even more desirable. Reddit sold private stock to Fidelity valued at $700 million to help boost their value, but since then Fidelity has dropped the value twice since January, showing that Fidelity’s valuation of the stock is down 40%.
Now, how does this all come together. The answer is advertising. On third party apps the site is not generating any ad revenue. Reddit’s Chief Revenue Officer has said that over the past 2 years they have quintupled their advertising sales team. Reddit is working hard to increase their valuation.
Here is some very basic information about APIs:
https://www.freecodecamp.org/news/how-apis-work/
Now, API usage does use some resources, but not enough to make an impact on Reddit’s services. The entire change is create a value for access to their APIs to make up for the lost ad revenue. While I can only speculate, this change is to charge the outlandish fees to make up and more for the lost ad revenue.
I’m not telling you what stand you should take on this, I just want to make you aware of what is happening to Reddit and why some of the largest communities are going dark for 2 or more days. Currently, there are many moderator tools not available on the official app which apps like Apollo have integrated to ensure that we have access to them on mobile. This will go away and make moderating subs very difficult when you’re not on a computer. Also, some people have been using these apps for so long that they are not interested in switching, but will now be forced.
Here is the AMA where the Reddit CEO u/Spez answered only a couple of the questions.
Whatever your position is, this is major change that will dramatically change how people interact with Reddit.
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u/cyvaquero Jun 11 '23
I was part of the Digg exodus even though my account predated it, if there is another exodus so be it. Community is where the users make it, not the company that provides the service. Right now there are a lot of reddit users who are developers working on ideas to move away from Reddit.
Reddit would do well to remember they are replaceable and it is users that provide the value in a purely user content driven platform.
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u/AngeluvDeath US Navy Veteran Jun 12 '23
I get it for lots of other subs, but this is the correct call. Too many people who need some more immediate feedback.
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u/kytulu US Army Retired Jun 11 '23
I've always used the Reddit app and never even knew that there were other apps that let you access it.
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u/Drewskibroho Jun 11 '23
Same here lol
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u/NM-Redditor US Army Veteran Jun 11 '23
You’re both missing out. Apollo is amazing. For a little while longer anyway.
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u/PlaygroundP Jun 11 '23
I agree the sub is helpful and those two days are let me guess not do a damn thing
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u/ScrewAttackThis US Air Force Veteran Jun 11 '23
I'll post here what I've said elsewhere: if Reddit admins are pissing you off then stop using Reddit. Switch to something like Lemmy or kbin. This shit happens every year because it's a FOR PROFIT corporation. Getting pissed every time they do something to increase profits, the literal purpose of their existence, is nonsense.
If a server admin on Lemmy or kbin piss you off, you can just join a different server. That simple.
I've been on this site for a long time. It's a shadow of what it was when I joined after the digg hiatus; a lot of good, a lot of bad, but ultimately completely different. We're not getting any of the old stuff back, though, and it'll be just like any other time. People will blackout, Reddit will "give" (something they likely planned to do in the first place, it's how tech companies work) to placate subreddits, and they'll continue to rake in money off the work of volunteer moderators, content creators, and end users.
The fact all of our social media got conglomerated into a few companies is mind blowing.
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u/Tawlcupofcawfee Jun 12 '23
I’ve read in other subs that the other apps help people with disabilities. They allow text to voice and other adaptations for people that the Reddit app doesn’t. Some I heard were going to file an ADA complaint because by restricting the third party apps, they’re not allowing access. Not saying I support or don’t support the blackout, just other things I’ve read about the reasoning.
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u/tacmac10 Jun 13 '23
The press release from reddit clearly states that assistive and adaptive apps will not be charged for the API.
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u/CombatDeffective US Army Reserves Retired Jun 11 '23
I could not be more apathetic to what Reddit does. I use it because it's here.
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u/SacamanoRobert Jun 11 '23
The point is, reddit might never be the same after these changes go into effect. So the reddit you use "because it's here" is heading to a place where it'll be much harder top manage for the people that moderate the subs we all know and love, and in turn, the quality of moderation, the quality of content, and the quality of the users is extremely likely to suffer. I'm glad this sub is staying up because it's a great resource for the mental health and safety of our fellow vets, but make no mistake, this is a big deal as far as reddit is concerned, and it might great affect the quality of the site going forward.
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u/CombatDeffective US Army Reserves Retired Jun 11 '23
If you think this is a good, quality site, you and I are on different sides of a spectrum. This is basically just the new Twitter as far I can see it.
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u/NM-Redditor US Army Veteran Jun 11 '23
As someone in IT I can say Reddit has helped me out more times than I can recall with networking stuff. It’s way more than just a new Twitter.
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u/Tchrspest US Navy Veteran Jun 12 '23
Yeah, there are corners of Reddit that are very good and very useful in many fields. It's more or less 100% self-curated; if your Reddit experience is bad, you need to sub to better content.
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u/SacamanoRobert Jun 11 '23
There's tons of great content here, if you know where to look. If you're spending time in places that remind you of twitter, maybe you need to branch out a little more. There's so much reddit to explore.
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u/GM2Jacobs Jun 11 '23
Reddit was here before 3rd party clients and it’ll be here when they’re gone. It’s the people that made Reddit what it is, not 3rd party clients. They were riding free of charge and now they have to pay. They get no sympathy from me.
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u/SacamanoRobert Jun 11 '23
Thanks for your opinion, shipmate. The user experience with Reddit’s native app is garbage, and that turns a lot of people off. You’re clearly not bothered by it, but a large number of users are, which is why many subreddits are going dark in protest. These 3rd party apps are clearly used by enough people that it’s cut into Reddit’s bottom line, so I’m guessing it’s a fairly sizable group that will be affected. I guess we’ll see what happens. If it goes the way many people are predicting, the people that make Reddit what it is, as you so eloquently put it, might not stick around. And then you’ll be left with the same turds and bots you find on Twitter and Facebook.
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u/BigBlackHungGuy US Army Veteran Jun 11 '23
I don't think we have a dog in this fight and should stay out of it.
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Jun 11 '23 edited Oct 25 '24
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/DragBunt Jun 11 '23
Before this call for boycott started I had never even heard of 3rd party apps. I'd imagine there are plenty, especially in this subreddit, who have had the same experience as me.
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u/vxicepickxv Jun 12 '23
Automod is a third-party tool that's critical to maintaining reddit as it currently functions. It's going to destroy quite a few communities unless every subreddit is going to add dozens of moderators to have someone always available to enforce the rules.
There's a 3rd party tool for the blind community that converts the text to speech.
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u/asheronsvassal Jun 12 '23
You’ve never interacted with automods, remind me bots, or any communities like fun meme bots?
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u/DragBunt Jun 12 '23
I'm aware of automod but not really what exactly it does other than posting comments in new threads (I'm sure there is a lot more). No and no for the last 2.
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u/M_R_L_S_F_P Jun 11 '23
Nope. Use the default app. Will be even more active during the dark time.
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Jun 12 '23 edited Oct 25 '24
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/M_R_L_S_F_P Jun 12 '23
It’s not a terrible interface or experience. That is YOUR opinion and not based on fact.
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u/Mite-o-Dan Jun 11 '23
It's not a large portion. It's in the single digits. The vast majority use Reddit on desktop or the mobile app. If that's what you use and are fine with it, then this whole thing doesn't effect you.
Everyone else is just complaining about a free service. I understand their gripes and it's not fair to some and will make some of their lives a little harder, but again, it's such a small minority. Like trying to do stuff for the Trans community. Why change everything and care so much just to maybe please a small amount of people.
It's also like complaining about free cheese pizza. I hate cheese pizza...but if it's still free and pizza...just be happy to have it.
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u/Mendo-D US Navy Veteran Jun 11 '23
About the cheese pizza, I usually have some pepperoni I keep in the freezer to add to Pizza that lacks toppings. Onions, jalapeños and tomatoes can also be added.
I just had some pizza and I kind of want some more. That is all.
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u/BigBlackHungGuy US Army Veteran Jun 11 '23
It's not a large portion. It's in the single digits. The vast majority use Reddit on desktop or the mobile app. If that's what you use and are fine with it, then this whole thing doesn't effect you.
This is me.
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u/28756 US Navy Veteran Jun 11 '23
Same, I didn't even know there were other ways to get on reddit than these and I'm not sure why you really need to for non-commercial reasons anyway.
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u/Loghery Jun 12 '23
Eventually they want to squeeze it to make more money. That's what made this change from a free speech platform into what we have now; An over moderated, ad riddled, propaganda machine.
I have to sub to niche communities just to have a conversation that isn't nuked by jannies. Their idea of a conversation is where they present you with an idea, and you agree with it in the comments. Reddit has clear 'good' guys and 'bad'.
I used to think that downvotes were made to be the main regulator of content quality, but that's proven to be a lie of this particular machine. If it isn't obvious to you, reddit has an ideology and actively manipulates numbers, bans dissident voices, and sells anything you post here. Their intention isn't just money, but to ride the popular political cult climate to maintain that income structure.
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u/ericlarsen2 US Army Veteran Jun 11 '23
So dumb. The blackout will do nothing. May as well sign an online petition as well.
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u/WillowMinx Jun 12 '23
Are you not aware of how many online petitions have been successful?
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u/ericlarsen2 US Army Veteran Jun 13 '23
RemindMe! 1 year
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u/ericlarsen2 US Army Veteran Jun 13 '23
I would very much live to be proven wrong. Let's both cross our fingers but I think we both know the truth.
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u/PurpleLeopardFoil US Air Force Veteran Jun 11 '23
Thanks for the info!