Reddit’s proposed pricing structure for API access has prompted backlash on the platform, with moderators planning to shut down dozens of sections for at least 48 hours on June 12. The move comes after Reddit announced that API access will come at a cost, beginning in the future, with prices published last week. Alternative applications such as Apollo, Reddit is Fun and Narwhal offer moderators more functions for keeping their areas spam-free, and can help prepare areas for the possibility of other features being switched off in the future, according to a post on Reddit.
However, the price structure could mean the end of third-party applications, with Selig, developer of Apollo, announcing that each user would accumulate API costs of $2.50 per month. Selig argued that Reddit charges 20 times what the site claims to earn per user and said he was considering Apollo’s future. Moderators argue that the prices can only be afforded by large corporations or analysis companies, signalling the end of a complete developer scene.
The drastic move has been prompted by the view that moderators can’t function without third-party applications such as Apollo. If Reddit does not approach the community, there is expected to be further discussion on the issue. The prices are relatively high compared to Twitter’s pricing structure, where API access is more expensive. Critics argue that the proposed pricing structure is neither realistic nor reasonable.
The protest is expected to involve a steadily growing list of subreddits and could prompt Reddit to reconsider its decision to charge for API access. If the move to charge access goes ahead, moderators will be forced to shut down their sections for at least 48 hours, with some closed entirely pending a satisfactory settlement. It is feared that the move will prepare the way for other features to be switched off, including the still very popular “old” view.
