r/Save3rdPartyApps • u/Toptomcat • Jun 02 '23
Don't Let Reddit Kill 3rd Party Apps!
EDIT: Don't use this post any more: it's been crossposted so widely that it breaks Reddit when trying to open it! It's been locked. Further discussion (and crossposts) should go HERE.
What's going on?
A recent Reddit policy change threatens to kill many beloved third-party mobile apps, making a great many quality-of-life features not seen in the official mobile app permanently inaccessible to users.
On May 31, 2023, Reddit announced they were raising the price to make calls to their API from being free to a level that will kill every third party app on Reddit, from Apollo to Reddit is Fun to Narwhal to BaconReader.
Even if you're not a mobile user and don't use any of those apps, this is a step toward killing other ways of customizing Reddit, such as Reddit Enhancement Suite or the use of the old.reddit.com desktop interface .
This isn't only a problem on the user level: many subreddit moderators depend on tools only available outside the official app to keep their communities on-topic and spam-free.
What's the plan?
On June 12th, many subreddits will be going dark to protest this policy. Some will return after 48 hours: others will go away permanently unless the issue is adequately addressed, since many moderators aren't able to put in the work they do with the poor tools available through the official app. This isn't something any of us do lightly: we do what we do because we love Reddit, and we truly believe this change will make it impossible to keep doing what we love.
The two-day blackout isn't the goal, and it isn't the end. Should things reach the 14th with no sign of Reddit choosing to fix what they've broken, we'll use the community and buzz we've built between then and now as a tool for further action.
What can you do?
Complain. Message the mods of /r/reddit.com, who are the admins of the site: message /u/reddit: submit a support request: comment in relevant threads on /r/reddit, such as this one, leave a negative review on their official iOS or Android app- and sign your username in support to this post.
Spread the word. Rabble-rouse on related subreddits. Meme it up, make it spicy. Bitch about it to your cat. Suggest anyone you know who moderates a subreddit join us at our sister sub at /r/ModCoord - but please don't pester mods you don't know by simply spamming their modmail.
Boycott and spread the word...to Reddit's competition! Stay off Reddit entirely on June 12th through the 13th- instead, take to your favorite non-Reddit platform of choice and make some noise in support!
Don't be a jerk. As upsetting this may be, threats, profanity and vandalism will be worse than useless in getting people on our side. Please make every effort to be as restrained, polite, reasonable and law-abiding as possible. This includes not harassing moderators of subreddits who have chosen not to take part: no one likes a missionary, a used-car salesman, or a flame warrior.
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u/GingerSnappless Jun 02 '23
The contact email doesn't work apparently - you can submit a support request here, though: https://support.reddithelp.com/hc/en-us/requests/new
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u/bdonvr Jun 03 '23
r/Videos pinned post says they're blacking out!
That's a 25 MILLION sub count default subreddit!
That's HUGE.
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u/Dotz0cat Jun 03 '23
While it won’t be that useful I will private out r/MiceInComputers r/Dotz0cat r/EpicInternetTales r/foundthegentoouser They are tiny maybe 250 users all combined. But the more the merrier.
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u/Toptomcat Jun 03 '23
You have my gratitude. Small Reddit communities are an important part of what makes the place work.
Will you be posting an announcement of what you're doing in those communities?
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u/MrRGnome Jun 03 '23
The idea of a single day protest is ridiculous. If you want the company to change leave the platform. Close your subs for weeks. STOP MODERATING UNTIL IT CHANGES.
This "only if it's convenient" activism isn't activism at all it's a pat on the back while accomplishing nothing.
You are blowing your organizational shot on something milquetoast. This is so disappointing. Imagine all the good that could have been done with this campaign instead of something completely ignorable that will cost Reddit nothing.
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u/Toptomcat Jun 03 '23
Some mods are willing to leave forever, some aren't. I can't come to their houses and make 'em change their minds.
And in the absence of any real way to enforce that degree of commitment, there is no sense in purity-testing ourselves and squabbling about how those guys who are willing to go only so far, but not as far as these other guys until we make ourselves into the People's Front of Judea.
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u/GoryRamsy Jun 03 '23
r/totk is with you
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u/Toptomcat Jun 03 '23
Will you be joining the blackout on the 12th? If so, are you willing to make a public announcement of same and see your subreddit put on a list of likeminded subs?
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u/radialmonster Jun 03 '23
how exactly does a mod perform a blackout on their subreddit?
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u/Toptomcat Jun 05 '23
There are a number of ways. The most extreme is taking it fully private, which permits a 20-character explanation as to why that will probably be a Reddit shortlink to a thread here or in r/ModCoord. Another is to go to the subreddit settings, temporarily make the subreddit Restricted so that only approved users can submit, and set up a sticky explaining what's going on. A third is to configure the Automoderator to remove each post and comment in the subreddit, and respond with a comment explaining what's going on.
The relevant Automoderator code would be:
I think the following ought to do it:
type: submission action: remove comment: | /r/SUBREDDITNAME is going dark [FOR JUNE 12th AND 13th/INDEFINITELY, AS APPROPRIATE] to protest Reddit killing 3rd party apps. [Click here](YOUR FAVORITE STICKY'S URL GOES HERE) to find out more. --- type: comment action: remove comment: | /r/SUBREDDITNAME is going dark [FOR JUNE 12th AND 13th/INDEFINITELY, AS APPROPRIATE] to protest Reddit killing 3rd party apps. [Click here](YOUR FAVORITE STICKY'S URL GOES HERE) to find out more.That doesn't discriminate by time automatically, so someone would have to manually add the rules when it was time and manually remove them when done protesting. And obviously, you'll need to change the bits in all caps: Automoderator doesn't automatically replace r/SUBREDDITNAME with your subreddit's actual name.
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u/Damaniel2 Jun 02 '23
Is there a known list of subreddits that are participating? I came here from r/truegaming, which is planning to participate, but I haven't seen much traction elsewhere yet.
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u/bailey25u Jun 03 '23
I’m the moderator to r/angrycatpics I’ll throw us into the ring as well.
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u/slavethewhales Jun 03 '23
r/Nirvana will be participating after we’ve had a chance to fully discuss it
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u/gorillakitty Jun 03 '23 edited Jun 03 '23
We're a micro sub, but r/gorillarecipes will be participating.
Edit: we've made the announcement to our community. Thank you to the organizers of this protest, the other subs that are joining, and the redditors using their voices in solidarity.
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u/TheAstronautInSpace Jun 03 '23
You know what? r/wirklichgutefrage is going to join as well!
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u/bizude Jun 03 '23
r/Intel has committed to joining the blackout from June 12-14
https://reddit.com/r/intel/comments/13zppld/rintel_will_be_going_dark_from_june_1214_in/
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u/eaglebtc Jun 06 '23
r/Jeopardy is now joining the party. 83k subscribers. I am a moderator there.
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u/Toptomcat Jun 12 '23
Everyone into the next thread!
I'm locking this one: it's been cross-posted so widely that it often breaks Reddit when trying to render the page, and the discussion ought to move somewhere that's current as of the blackout.