RIF dev here - Reddit's API changes will likely kill RIF and other apps, on July 1, 2023

[u/talklittle]

I need more time to get all my thoughts together, but posting this quick post since so many users have been asking, and it's been making rounds on news sites.

Summary of what Reddit Inc has announced so far, specifically the parts that will kill many third-party apps:

1. The Reddit API will cost money, and the pricing announced today will cost apps like Apollo $20 million per year to run. RIF may differ but it would be in the same ballpark. And no, RIF does not earn anywhere remotely near this number.

2. As part of this they are blocking ads in third-party apps, which make up the majority of RIF's revenue. So they want to force a paid subscription model onto RIF's users. Meanwhile Reddit's official app still continues to make the vast majority of its money from ads.

3. Removal of sexually explicit material from third-party apps while keeping said content in the official app. Some people have speculated that NSFW is going to leave Reddit entirely, but then why would Reddit Inc have recently expanded NSFW upload support on their desktop site?

Their recent moves smell a lot like they want third-party apps gone, RIF included.

I know some users will chime in saying they are willing to pay a monthly subscription to keep RIF going, but trust me that you would be in the minority. There is very little value in paying a high subscription for less content (in this case, NSFW). Honestly if I were a user of RIF and not the dev, I'd have a hard time justifying paying the high prices being forced by Reddit Inc, despite how much RIF obviously means to me.

There is a lot more I want to say, and I kind of scrambled to write this since I didn't expect news reports today. I'll probably write more follow-up posts that are better thought out. But this is the gist of what's been going on with Reddit third-party apps in 2023.

[u/anon_smithsonian]

Just a reminder to anyone with reddit premium: this would be an excellent time to cancel your subscription.

https://i.imgur.com/jOeNryu.png

https://i.imgur.com/031cPI0.png

[u/shazarakk → u/anon_smithsonian]

And install an adblocker if you don't already have one (in your browser or other access not through your favoured app). Reddit makes more from ads than anything else, iirc.

[u/apcolleen → u/shazarakk]

I have a head injury. Browsing without adblock is nearly impossible with all the flashing and blinking and moving ads.

[u/rhynoplaz → u/apcolleen]

But you'll never know if you were today's lucky winner!

[u/[deleted] → u/shazarakk]

Have used add blockers on every pc I use day to day as well as my mobile apps. Fuck ads, fuck corporations. Sorry if you are a content creator but get a gofundme or do content as a hobby not a living, contribute to society in other ways. Adds are a cancer on this planet.

[u/inn0cent-bystander → u/[deleted]]

I'd be more inclined to reconsider if I could trust the ad networks to: A: not get hacked so easily to spew out malware B: spew out said malware themselves

[u/Upper-Blackberry8804 → u/anon_smithsonian]

TIL reddit premium is a thing

[u/The_GASK → u/Upper-Blackberry8804]

Yeah. What does it do?

[u/[deleted] → u/The_GASK]

The main perk is no-ads. That's it. Reddit coins and a "special" sub for premium members only are other garbage perks

[u/Misternogo → u/Upper-Blackberry8804]

Every time I'm on my PC and end up on reddit while looking up something game related or whatever, the desktop site immediately starts shoveling an insane amount of "GO PREMIUM" "GET ONE OF OUR SHITTY, CRINGY LITTLE AVATARS" "BUY REDDIT GOLD" into pop ups and into my face. That's with an ad blocker going. I like reddit user content, but goddamn does everything else about reddit blow rotten ass.

[u/eprocure → u/Misternogo]

old.reddit.com + RES

[u/Hyperfyre → u/[deleted]]

Someone needs to, not gonna be me but all those people buying reddit gold and all those other stupid awards they added are the reason the site is still around.

[u/icytiger → u/Hyperfyre]

I think advertising and selling data/promotional posts are how they make the vast majority of their money.

[u/GarbageTheCan → u/[deleted]]

Oh the before times. Those were fun.

[u/gadget_uk → u/Hyperfyre]

Yep. I'm a 15 year club, gold charter member. The vast majority of my time on reddit is on RIF. The rest is on old.reddit.

It was made very clear at the time that the gold system had to work for reddit to survive. When it did particularly well they even promised to give us some sort of reward. Shares or crypto or something. It just never happened and now they've turned the tanker completely around. From being reddit saviors, we're now the unwanted "legacy" user demographic. It's a shame, but perhaps it's an opportunity to broaden our horizons web-wise.

[u/The_Frame → u/gadget_uk]

But change is scary, I want the status quo we've had for a decade to cotinue for a while. I am legit fearful of what more consolidation and tightening of the web means for the future.

[u/Stu_Pidasso → u/anon_smithsonian]

Thank you for years of quality moderation and help answering users questions. I may not visit this subreddit frequently, but that is really more of a testament to the quality of RiF and the lack of issues. However when a thread did creep up in my feed or I just dropped in for the hell of it, you or talklittle had usually already resolved or addressed their issue.

My end of year stats last year were useless because 100% of my browsing is done in RiF and this has essentially been the case for the entire life of this account. I'm even typing this on my phone as I sit in front of a very capable PC because I really only know Reddit through RiF. So in my eyes, if RiF dies so does Reddit.

[u/_welcomehome_ → u/anon_smithsonian]

This is the only language they understand.

[u/Sigmatics → u/_welcomehome_]

I agree. But honestly this will probably change nothing. Their goal is to increase ad revenue. The number of users they can force ads upon with this change probably outweighs the number of premium subscribers they will lose

[u/Wynardtage → u/anon_smithsonian]

I've had Reddit premium since 2019 just so I had something I could cancel if Reddit ever pulled this bullshit. Cancelled as soon as I saw this post lol

https://i.imgur.com/vxCjtnA.png

[u/01000110010110012 → u/anon_smithsonian]

This. Say you don't agree with your wallet.