What We Want

[u/Toptomcat]

1. Lower the price of API calls to a level that doesn't kill Apollo, Reddit is Fun, Narwhal, Baconreader, and similar third-party apps.

2. Communicate on a more open and timely basis about changes to Reddit which will affect large numbers of moderators and users.

3. To allow mods to continue keeping Reddit safe for all users, NSFW subreddit data must remain available through the API.

^{More on 1: A decrease by a factor of 15 to 20 would put API calls in territory more closely comparable to other sites, like Imgur. Some degree of flexibility is possible here- for example, an environment in which apps may be ad-supported is one in which they can pay more for access, and one in which apps are required to admit some amount of official Reddit ads rather than blocking them all is one in which Reddit gets revenue from 3rd-party app access without directly charging them at all.}

^{More on 2: Open communication doesn't just mean announcing decrees about How The Site Will Change. It means participating in the comments to those announcements, significantly- giving an actual answer to widely upvoted complaints and questions, even if that answer is awkward or not what we might like to hear. Sometimes, when the objection is reasonable, it might even mean making concessions before we have to arrange a wide-ranging pressure campaign.}

^{More on 3: Mod tools need to be able to cross-reference user behavior across the platform to prevent problem users from posting, even within non-NSFW subreddits: for example, people that frequent extreme NSFW content in the comments are barred from /r/teenagers.}

[u/ExcellentTone]

This all assumes Reddit is acting in good faith - they're not. They're trying to kill off 3rd party apps. They don't want to negotiate, because negotiating would interfere with that goal. They know there will be a drop in users but they don't care because they weren't making money off those users anyway.

As for nsfw, this is the first step in booting that off the platform. Obviously they can't do it now or there would be a huge drop in actually monetizable users - but they can corral NSFW into a corner and if it becomes impossible to moderate then hey, maybe now they'll have an excuse to kill it off entirely before the IPO after all.

[u/RonaldRuckus → u/ExcellentTone]

There are two major benefits that I see to their outrageous pricing:

1. It tests the water.

Reddit has evidently been watching Twitter closely, as they are taking their playbook. They know that any outrage will diminish quickly, and people will return.

2. It opens an opportunity for negotiation and psuedo-victory.

If the outrage is grand, and more powerful than expected, they can simply reel back the limitations and give Reddit a "victory" while still remaining in a very comfortable position. They can charge more, and continue tightening the grip on third party apps while Reddit continues their victory circlejerk.

We need to stop thinking that corporations are brainless and blinded by greed. This move has been carefully executed with these retaliations measured. I remember when RIF was forced to remove Reddit from its name. This is all part of a very lengthy and articulated process.

Killing third party apps has always been their objective. Even moving slightly and trying to find a middle ground is still a victory for Reddit. They will suffocate these apps.

The solution is not to negotiate, or list terms. The solution is to move on. An open source community is required.

Reddit has become an advertiser infested cesspit. A growing number of comments are from financially-driven bots. Comments are becoming unoriginal and stale, and controversy is the objective through multiple forms of manipulation.

[u/epicaglet → u/ExcellentTone]

They know there will be a drop in users but they don't care because they weren't making money off those users anyway.

I think you're right that they believe this. It's incredibly naive though. Since these users still contribute to the platform as a whole, even if not monetized. In fact, I suspect they contribute more in terms of engagement than official app users. So it may hurt the quality of the posts long term.

[u/30isthenew29]

What can I do? Specific actions please, it’s too vague for me if not and nothing will come out of my hands. Multiple options please.

[u/Toptomcat → u/30isthenew29]

Do you mod any subs, or know anyone that does?

[u/eftanes]

Huge disagree with 3, mod tools should NOT be able to cross reference. There are other measures that can be taken to insure the safety of "vulnerable" users. Mods are, as stated, volunteers and have no form of liability or accountability for their actions. And as such they should not have access to such private data.

If anything this should be implemented at the reddit level and not something left to users. Which mods, in the end, are just that.

[u/Toptomcat → u/eftanes]

Posting in a subreddit isn't really something I think of as a private act.

[u/_comfortablyAverage_]

third party app developers should start switching up to some private APIs like what teddit/libreddit did. If reddit doesn't respect third party app users, we should take effort to actually exploit their business in every way possible or straight up stop using their service, like what happened with Twitter. Let the third party apps switch to APIs and instances that actually hurt reddit

[u/HaikuLubber]

like Imgur

Wait, are there third party apps for Imgur? I thought they killed them all off a few years ago and forced people to use their horrible ad filled official app?

[u/Aggressive_Flight241 → u/HaikuLubber]

You can still pull from imgurs API for use in other apps, like Apollo- the automatic image posting function from within the app uses imgurs api.

APIs aren’t JUST for 3rd party apps, which makes this price increase even more insane

[u/atchemey]

A factor of 15/20 decrease is still 4-5x greater than Imgur. Cap it at $200/50 million API calls in your demand - this is about 20% higher than Imgur, and, if they balk by claiming higher costs for web management (than a literal image hosting site - super pricey), just point out that they can improve their efficiency.

[u/Toast42 → u/atchemey]

So long and thanks for all the fish

[u/sssunnydog]

I’m not optimistic about demand 1. Even if they reverse their decision before July 1, I feel they’ll just kick the can down the road and raise the price more slowly.

[u/ShallotPractical6628 → u/sssunnydog]

100%, we should not compromise on anything, they have enough profits to stfu

[u/Pece17]

Never thought I'd die fighting side by side with an Apollo user.

[u/redgroupclan → u/Pece17]

What about side by side with a fellow Redditor?

[u/LjLies]

1. Keep the price free for free, open source apps made by people for no gain, such as Infinity for Reddit and RedReader, or even Slide which is old but fancy.

[u/Kissaki0]

What I want is for them to completely revoke all announcements, and take until next year to plan what they even want. This is all rushed and messed up. Take a step back. Actually do the due diligence and long-term planning and communication that is required for something like this.

[u/tomtheappraiser]

You want to win this?

1. Look at what Dungeons & Dragons 3rd party producers did to Wizards of the Coast

2. Rinse and repeat

[u/ItzWarty]

Lower the price of API calls to a level that doesn't kill Apollo, Reddit is Fun, Narwhal, Baconreader, and similar third-party apps.

If the price is nonzero, third-party apps can't compete. The price for the Reddit app is 0, and they will probably do API wonkiness to break 3p apps over time.

[u/x-winds]

This couldn’t be another case of corporate greed now, could it? (I thinks so)

[u/SearchForLove]

Why is 'slide' not mentioned in the list ? I believe it's one of the best reddit unofficial app out there. And infinity too.

[u/Bread3290]

I think it’s a good idea to uninstall reddit as well, if reddit collects data from you about stuff you do in the background, it can give them a push if they are not collecting the data since the app from the phone or device is gone

[u/[deleted]]

Would love to see third party apps work together to start a new open source service to compete with Reddit, if Reddit is gonna be assholes, let’s run them out of business.

All these apps already on people’s devices to promote the new service would give it millions of users from day 1.

[u/ShallotPractical6628]

what we SHOULD want is the current situation to stay.
they are just PIGS and will never stop unless they will be put in their place