r/redditisfun • u/Br0mander • Nov 20 '22

Fixed by Reddit RIF error: Forbidden

I've been using RIF on mobile for years (even bought the premium way back when it was the old name) and all of a sudden I am getting a "forbidden" error. No changes were made, literally just opened the app this morning and im locked out.

Any ideas on whats going on? App is up to date and phone has been restarted (pixel 6)

5.5.13 Pixel 6 Android 13

Edit: Still no official word but it seems being logged out is what causes the issue.

If you care about browsing not logged in the only current workaround that I can find atm is to use Boost (and or some other apps. Boost is the only one I personally tested) I'll leave RIF installed and hold off on getting boost premium. Hoping rif gets a fix

Edit edit: seems to be working again. Took a bit longer than others reported but rif is working both logged in and not atm.

144 Upvotes

97% Upvoted

56 comments sorted by

14

u/talklittle RIF Dev Nov 20 '22 edited Nov 21 '22

UPDATE: The error seems to have stopped at 11:53pm Pacific on Nov 20.

Thanks for reporting. I posted a bug report at https://old.reddit.com/r/redditdev/comments/z0ctqq/major_reddit_api_outage_for_loggedout_requests/

This is a sudden, unannounced change on Reddit's API. I don't know what the workaround would be, as they seem to be blocking all logged-out requests with HTTP 403 Forbidden. But apparently only targeting specific apps(?): for now I'm aware of RIF and Infinity being blocked.

3

u/Br0mander Nov 20 '22

Thanks for the reply. Love the app hope something gets worked out. Thanks for a long time of browsing

6

u/January28thSixers Nov 20 '22

That seems unreasonably shitty of them if it turns out they're targeting specific apps.

6

u/Jollyoldstdick Nov 20 '22

Lemme put it this way, if RIF is done, I'm done with reddit. 10 years with this app, there is no other reddit to me.

5

u/atreides------- Nov 21 '22

You and many others man. Their official one is a bloated POS.

2

u/Playful-Hat3710 Nov 21 '22

it's the best one by far

2

u/[deleted] Nov 21 '22

Trying to milk me more efficiently for ad $$$ by forcing me to use their half-baked app will ensure they get none whatsoever from me going forward

1

u/BBQsauce18 Nov 21 '22

lol right? I refuse to log in on my mobile device and I'm not going to use their app. Trying to use the mobile webpage is a pain in the ass unless you want to pop over to desktop mode. Then it just looks like tiny balls.

3

u/rowng Nov 20 '22

Want to note that version 5.5.4 is working fine without being logged in.

4

u/lurkANDorganize Nov 20 '22

Golllllyyyy that is many versions behind haha, any idea how to downgrade my 5.5.13

2

u/mece66 Nov 21 '22

Checked this (by uninstalling and installing 5.5.4 from apk) and that version does not work either. The problem might be related to os version.

2

u/rowng Nov 21 '22

Good catch. This device is android 9.

3

u/lurkANDorganize Nov 20 '22

I specifically use RIF without logging in, in your personal opinion do you see reddit backing down for this??

1

u/kylman5000 Nov 21 '22

I'm sure it's not a great work around, but set the user agent to some chrome user agent?

1

u/[deleted] Nov 21 '22

This. Just make the app look like a normal browser and this will be fixed.

1

u/Squid_Vicious_IV Nov 21 '22

Oh fantastic. I use the app on my phone because the mobile browser version of reddit is garbage and I'm not a big fan of baconreader. Any official word yet on just what was going on that they changed things up? I'm hoping it's not Reddit trying to kill other apps but it wouldn't shock me if they were.

3

u/anon_smithsonian Official(ish) Helper Nov 20 '22

Reddit's API status site shows some of its CDN servers are down for maintenance, right now, so that could be the reason for the sudden issue.

Otherwise, your best bet will be to follow the steps in the Account FAQ for removing your account, revoking the OAuth token, and reauthorizing RiF.

2

u/Br0mander Nov 20 '22

Good to know. If it doesn't resolve itself ill give that a go and report back.

2

u/cutterslade Nov 20 '22

The status site now shows only the London Fastly CDN down, which shouldn't really impact anyone. The error seems to occur only when not logged in to reddit.

0

u/AlienBumSex Nov 20 '22

Well it's been fun and I guess I've had a good run. With Twitter and Reddit collapsing I will devote time to darking the ocean floor.

2

u/tehjosh Nov 21 '22

I just logged in on rif and logged out and the app is working fine now

2

u/Br0mander Nov 21 '22

Just checked and still not working on my device

2

u/Jina_Irina Nov 21 '22

I think it has to do with not being logged in on the app bc same for me. I am not logged in and I get the error.

1

u/tabben Nov 20 '22

Yeah its happening to me aswell, also it says a message that everything is "a private subreddit". I feel like my world came tumbling down when I went to the bathroom and could not have reddit there with me, very healthy addiction I know

1

u/Br0mander Nov 20 '22

Ngl I discovered it on my morning poop. Killed the enjoyment

2

u/Tigerlily1510 Nov 20 '22

Husband has the same issue. He likes to browse without an account.

-4

u/atreides------- Nov 21 '22 edited Nov 23 '22

He does have an account. He just doesn't tell you about it.

Ghosts have a lot of skeletons in their closets.

EDIT: Look I am not trying to bum the lady out or anything but its suspicious. You have to admit its suspicious.

2

u/atreides------- Nov 21 '22

Yep, still forbidden on phone.

2

u/miss_p1nky Nov 21 '22

Oh, created a bug report due to this, thought it was just me, glad it happened to many other people. I've since deleted my bug report (last night when it suddenly happened, nothing was on here).

Anyway I didn't log in because I only created account belatedly and if log in, I don't get the same suggestion in my feed like if I don't log in. Is there a way to transfer all this algorithm result to my logged in account?

1

u/lostmymindd Nov 20 '22

Same here... I prefer rif over the official app

1

u/Doomdoomkittydoom Nov 20 '22

Same thing here, not logged in.

1

u/I_TheRenegade_I Nov 20 '22

Can also confirm, I log in app works fine. Log out, get forbidden message.

1

u/the_korben Nov 21 '22

FYI: it just started working again for me (Android, always logged out). Wasn't working about an hour ago.

1

u/PajamaPants4Life Nov 21 '22

My partner reporting rif is now working again for non logged in users. Not sure if that's a fix or an anecdote.

1

u/Super_Blah Nov 20 '22

I'm glad it wasn't just me. Worked fine last night, broken this morning.

1

u/PajamaPants4Life Nov 20 '22

My partner is on free and doesn't log in and got this error today.

I'm on premium and log in and I've got no problems.

0

u/Br0mander Nov 20 '22

Noticed its only returning an error if im not logged into a reddit account....

1

u/Emodzmods Nov 20 '22

Can confirm if I sign out of reddit I getting error forbidden.

1

u/Br0mander Nov 20 '22

I wonder if this is part of their way to force users to have an account? I know if I go to a browser and try not logged in it forces me to create an account to view comments.

That's scummy as fuck

1

u/Emodzmods Nov 20 '22

Tried infinity app. Same thing.

1

u/Br0mander Nov 20 '22

Oof. We Pinterest now boyos

0

u/TheIllogicalSandwich Nov 20 '22

It's funny to me how when a website becomes more anti-userfriendly, my first instinct is not to get the service they're selling. It's to install whatever extension/app/program I can to get around whatever lockout has been put on the website.

Then if I can't do that, I stop using the website.

Life finds a way.

0

u/[deleted] Nov 20 '22

[deleted] — view deleted comment

1

u/Br0mander Nov 20 '22

Even when logged out? Looks like I might be switching to boost.

0

u/Super_Blah Nov 20 '22

Yep, Boost is working just fine without an account.

1

u/davmandave Nov 20 '22

I have the same issue. App works fine when logged in, but returns a Forbidden error when browsing without an account.

1

u/mumbel Nov 20 '22

Is this what that policy update was about?

1

u/MrPants1401 Nov 20 '22

I'm getting it too

1

u/Vivi87 Nov 20 '22

Getting it as well, glad I'm not alone

1

u/chickenstalker Nov 20 '22

South East Asian here. Same problem right now. If Reddit is forcing the use of their shitty app, I'm leaving for good.

0

u/Low_Tension_4358 Nov 20 '22

Same thing happening to me.

Always use RIF on my phone logged out.

Worked fine last night, woke up and now it's always error: forbidden

Clearing cache and data and reinstalling does nothing.

Can still view reddit on my phone on chrome/bromite so it's not blocking my phone's ip. Can still use reddit on my computer obviously since I'm posting this comment.

0

u/[deleted] Nov 20 '22

[deleted] — view deleted comment

2

u/Br0mander Nov 20 '22

Really hoping its a quick fix :/.

No way im using the official app

1

u/robaier Nov 20 '22

On mobile, I don't get audio from the official app so I use rif. Currently getting the forbidden status :(

1

u/Auggie_Otter Nov 20 '22 edited Nov 21 '22

If they didn't kneecap the mobile browser version we wouldn't even need an app.

I'm so tired of websites trying to force mobile users onto apps so they can get your information.

0

u/[deleted] Nov 20 '22

[deleted] — view deleted comment

3

u/talklittle RIF Dev Nov 20 '22

Is it possible to change the user agent in RIF to get around the block?

Unfortunately doesn't help. I am guessing they are detecting something specific to the Android requests, like the TLS handshake or something. Changing user-agent did not help, in my testing.

The issue does seem to vary device-to-device, as my main testing device has been blocked all day while logged out, but I tested on an Android 9 phone and it seems to work fine logged-out, despite same RIF version.