Reddit: Difference between revisions
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==Consumer Impact Summary== | ==Consumer Impact Summary== | ||
*'''User freedom:''' Went closed-source in 2017,<ref name=":0" /> limited free API use<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |last=Huffman |first=Steve |date=9 Jun 2023 |title=Addressing the community about changes to our API |url=https://old.reddit.com/r/reddit/comments/145bram/addressing_the_community_about_changes_to_our_api/ |website=Old Reddit}}</ref> and blocked anonymous users on VPNs in 2023,<ref name=":1" /> halted archiving posts via the Internet Archive due to "AI scraping concerns"<ref name=":2" /> | *'''User freedom:''' Went closed-source in 2017,<ref name=":0" /> limited free API use<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |last=Huffman |first=Steve |date=9 Jun 2023 |title=Addressing the community about changes to our API |url=https://old.reddit.com/r/reddit/comments/145bram/addressing_the_community_about_changes_to_our_api/ |website=Old Reddit |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250603012129/https://old.reddit.com/r/reddit/comments/145bram/addressing_the_community_about_changes_to_our_api/ |archive-date=3 Jun 2025}}</ref> and blocked anonymous users on VPNs in 2023,<ref name=":1" /> halted archiving posts via the Internet Archive due to "AI scraping concerns"<ref name=":2" /> | ||
*'''User Privacy:''' Had a data breach in 2018.<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":5">{{Cite web |date=1 Aug 2018 |title=We had a security incident. Here's what you need to know. |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/announcements/comments/93qnm5/we_had_a_security_incident_heres_what_you_need_to/ |website=Reddit}}</ref> | *'''User Privacy:''' Had a data breach in 2018.<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":5">{{Cite web |date=1 Aug 2018 |title=We had a security incident. Here's what you need to know. |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/announcements/comments/93qnm5/we_had_a_security_incident_heres_what_you_need_to/ |website=Reddit |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251119040917/https://old.reddit.com/r/announcements/comments/93qnm5/we_had_a_security_incident_heres_what_you_need_to/ |archive-date=19 Nov 2025}}</ref> | ||
*'''Business model:''' Primarily funded through advertisements, has a premium subscription,<!-- https://www.reddit.com/premium -->requires paying for elevated API usage since 2023.<ref name=":4" /> | *'''Business model:''' Primarily funded through advertisements, has a premium subscription,<!-- https://www.reddit.com/premium -->requires paying for elevated API usage since 2023.<ref name=":4" /> | ||
*'''Market competition:''' Plenty; [[Imgur]], [[Facebook]], [[X Corp|X]] (formerly [[Twitter]]), [[Instagram]] | *'''Market competition:''' Plenty; [[Imgur]], [[Facebook]], [[X Corp|X]] (formerly [[Twitter]]), [[Instagram]] | ||
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===Going closed source, September 2017=== | ===Going closed source, September 2017=== | ||
In September 2017, Reddit reverted on their open source policy and archived their public repositories, citing difficulty to stealth launch features and desire to move away from a monorepo architecture. Users responded by noting that neither of these reasons require being closed source, and that Reddit had been slowly becoming less transparent over time.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=An update on the state of the reddit/reddit and reddit/reddit-mobile repositories |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/changelog/comments/6xfyfg/an_update_on_the_state_of_the_redditreddit_and/ |url-status=live |access-date=21 Apr 2025 |website=[[Reddit]]}}</ref> | In September 2017, Reddit reverted on their open source policy and archived their public repositories, citing difficulty to stealth launch features and desire to move away from a monorepo architecture. Users responded by noting that neither of these reasons require being closed source, and that Reddit had been slowly becoming less transparent over time.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=An update on the state of the reddit/reddit and reddit/reddit-mobile repositories |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/changelog/comments/6xfyfg/an_update_on_the_state_of_the_redditreddit_and/ |url-status=live |access-date=21 Apr 2025 |website=[[Reddit]] |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251212072029/https://old.reddit.com/r/changelog/comments/6xfyfg/an_update_on_the_state_of_the_redditreddit_and/ |archive-date=12 Dec 2025}}</ref> | ||
===Data breach, August 2018=== | ===Data breach, August 2018=== | ||
In August 2018, Reddit suffered a data breach due to employees using SMS two-factor authentication (2FA). Leaked data included an old database containing usernames, emails, encrypted passwords, public posts and private messages from Reddit's launch date in 2005, through to May 2007. Additionally usernames and email addresses from users that received daily digests (emails containing post suggestions) sent between June 3 and June 17 2018 were also leaked.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |date=1 Aug 2018 |title=Reddit Breach Highlights Limits of SMS-Based Authentication |url=https://krebsonsecurity.com/2018/08/reddit-breach-highlights-limits-of-sms-based-authentication/ |url-status=live |access-date=21 Apr 2025 |website=krebsonsecurity.com}}</ref><ref name=":5" /> | In August 2018, Reddit suffered a data breach due to employees using SMS two-factor authentication (2FA). Leaked data included an old database containing usernames, emails, encrypted passwords, public posts and private messages from Reddit's launch date in 2005, through to May 2007. Additionally usernames and email addresses from users that received daily digests (emails containing post suggestions) sent between June 3 and June 17 2018 were also leaked.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |date=1 Aug 2018 |title=Reddit Breach Highlights Limits of SMS-Based Authentication |url=https://krebsonsecurity.com/2018/08/reddit-breach-highlights-limits-of-sms-based-authentication/ |url-status=live |access-date=21 Apr 2025 |website=krebsonsecurity.com |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251205181109/https://krebsonsecurity.com/2018/08/reddit-breach-highlights-limits-of-sms-based-authentication/ |archive-date=5 Dec 2025}}</ref><ref name=":5" /> | ||
===Blocking expansions, January 2022=== | ===Blocking expansions, January 2022=== | ||
Since January 2022, users can block each other from commenting on their posts or comments. Before, blocking would only hide a blocked user's content from oneself and prevent a blocked user from appearing in ones notifications. Since this change, users can prevent others from commenting valid criticism and refutative arguments that would have added value to a discussion.<ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/blog/comments/s71g03/announcing_blocking_updates/ht701m9/ Announcing Blocking Updates] (reddit.com/r/blog)</ref> | Since January 2022, users can block each other from commenting on their posts or comments. Before, blocking would only hide a blocked user's content from oneself and prevent a blocked user from appearing in ones notifications. Since this change, users can prevent others from commenting valid criticism and refutative arguments that would have added value to a discussion.<ref>[https://www.reddit.com/r/blog/comments/s71g03/announcing_blocking_updates/ht701m9/ Announcing Blocking Updates] (reddit.com/r/blog) ([http://web.archive.org/web/20220216023601/https://old.reddit.com/r/blog/comments/s71g03/announcing_blocking_updates/ht701m9/ Archived])</ref> | ||
Shortly after this change, reports piled up of the new blocking feature being used to prevent others from counter-arguing in discussions. It was also noted that preventing unwanted participants is already the purpose of communities' moderation teams, not individual users, meaning the new blocking feature gives normal users almost moderator-like powers within their own submissions. To these concerns, a Reddit administrator (employee) responded with "we're working to make sure people feel safe using our site without unduly preventing others from participating".<ref>[https://archive.today/2022.01.29-193057/https://www.reddit.com/r/ModSupport/comments/sd7zsa/we_need_to_talk_about_people_weaponizing_the/ We need to talk about people weaponizing the block feature. : ModSupport] - Reddit</ref> | Shortly after this change, reports piled up of the new blocking feature being used to prevent others from counter-arguing in discussions. It was also noted that preventing unwanted participants is already the purpose of communities' moderation teams, not individual users, meaning the new blocking feature gives normal users almost moderator-like powers within their own submissions. To these concerns, a Reddit administrator (employee) responded with "we're working to make sure people feel safe using our site without unduly preventing others from participating".<ref>[https://archive.today/2022.01.29-193057/https://www.reddit.com/r/ModSupport/comments/sd7zsa/we_need_to_talk_about_people_weaponizing_the/ We need to talk about people weaponizing the block feature. : ModSupport] - Reddit</ref> | ||
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===VPN blockage, December 2023=== | ===VPN blockage, December 2023=== | ||
In December 2023, Reddit began blocking VPN access to users not logged in to the site.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=16 Dec 2023 |title=Tell HN: Just noticed Reddit blocking VPN traffic. Old subdomain still works |url=https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=38666028 |url-status=live |access-date=21 Apr 2025 |website=news.ycombinator.com}}</ref> | In December 2023, Reddit began blocking VPN access to users not logged in to the site.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=16 Dec 2023 |title=Tell HN: Just noticed Reddit blocking VPN traffic. Old subdomain still works |url=https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=38666028 |url-status=live |access-date=21 Apr 2025 |website=news.ycombinator.com |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250708165248/https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=38666028 |archive-date=8 Jul 2025}}</ref> | ||
===Advertisement deception, March 2024=== | ===Advertisement deception, March 2024=== | ||
In March 2024, Reddit rolled out a feature that made ads look like they came from real users (and by extent, were "upvoted" by real users). Reddit boasted that these ads had a 28% higher click-through rate than regular ads.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Malik |first=Aisha |date=4 Mar 2024 |title=Reddit introduces a new ad format that looks similar to posts made by users |url=https://techcrunch.com/2024/03/14/reddit-introduces-a-new-ad-format-that-looks-similar-to-posts-made-by-users/ |url-status=live |access-date=21 Apr 2025 |website=TechCrunch}}</ref> | In March 2024, Reddit rolled out a feature that made ads look like they came from real users (and by extent, were "upvoted" by real users). Reddit boasted that these ads had a 28% higher click-through rate than regular ads.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Malik |first=Aisha |date=4 Mar 2024 |title=Reddit introduces a new ad format that looks similar to posts made by users |url=https://techcrunch.com/2024/03/14/reddit-introduces-a-new-ad-format-that-looks-similar-to-posts-made-by-users/ |url-status=live |access-date=21 Apr 2025 |website=TechCrunch |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260129142204/https://techcrunch.com/2024/03/14/reddit-introduces-a-new-ad-format-that-looks-similar-to-posts-made-by-users/ |archive-date=29 Jan 2026}}</ref> | ||
===Users can hide their contribution history, June 2025=== | ===Users can hide their contribution history, June 2025=== | ||
Since June 2025, Reddit has given its users the ability to hide their posting and commenting history from public view. If this setting is enabled, the posts and comments only remain visible through subreddit pages, not profile pages. Only the account owner themselves and moderators of subreddits they have interacted with during the last 28 days can view the posting and commenting history.<ref>[https://www.neowin.net/news/you-can-now-hide-your-reddit-posts-and-comments-from-your-profile/ You can now hide your Reddit posts and comments from your profile - Neowin]</ref> | Since June 2025, Reddit has given its users the ability to hide their posting and commenting history from public view. If this setting is enabled, the posts and comments only remain visible through subreddit pages, not profile pages. Only the account owner themselves and moderators of subreddits they have interacted with during the last 28 days can view the posting and commenting history.<ref>[https://www.neowin.net/news/you-can-now-hide-your-reddit-posts-and-comments-from-your-profile/ You can now hide your Reddit posts and comments from your profile - Neowin] ([http://web.archive.org/web/20251122031310/https://www.neowin.net/news/you-can-now-hide-your-reddit-posts-and-comments-from-your-profile/ Archived])</ref> | ||
This is different from "private profiles" on some other social media services like Twitter, where setting ones' profile to private would hide both ones profile and posts in discussion threads, limiting interaction to ones' followers. | This is different from "private profiles" on some other social media services like Twitter, where setting ones' profile to private would hide both ones profile and posts in discussion threads, limiting interaction to ones' followers. | ||
An argument cited for private profiles is discussing sensitive topics.<ref>[https://old.reddit.com/r/privacy/comments/1mioibb/you_can_now_hide_your_post_history_on_reddit/ You can now hide your post history on Reddit : privacy] - Reddit</ref> It should however be noted that Reddit already allowed people to participate on separate accounts for discussing sensitive topics that they did not wish to associate with their existing account.<ref>[https://support.reddithelp.com/hc/en-us/articles/204535759-Is-it-ok-to-create-multiple-accounts Is it ok to create multiple accounts? – Reddit Help]</ref> | An argument cited for private profiles is discussing sensitive topics.<ref>[https://old.reddit.com/r/privacy/comments/1mioibb/you_can_now_hide_your_post_history_on_reddit/ You can now hide your post history on Reddit : privacy] - Reddit ([http://web.archive.org/web/20251115042723/https://old.reddit.com/r/privacy/comments/1mioibb/you_can_now_hide_your_post_history_on_reddit/ Archived])</ref> It should however be noted that Reddit already allowed people to participate on separate accounts for discussing sensitive topics that they did not wish to associate with their existing account.<ref>[https://support.reddithelp.com/hc/en-us/articles/204535759-Is-it-ok-to-create-multiple-accounts Is it ok to create multiple accounts? – Reddit Help] ([http://web.archive.org/web/20251210081414/https://support.reddithelp.com/hc/en-us/articles/204535759-Is-it-ok-to-create-multiple-accounts Archived])</ref> | ||
According to TechCrunch, a possible reason for this change to have user data like engagement and interests associated with a single user account, making it easier for Reddit to target advertisements.<ref>[https://techcrunch.com/2025/06/03/reddit-now-lets-you-hide-content-like-posts-and-comments-from-your-user-profile/ Reddit now lets you hide content, like posts and comments, from your user profile] - TechCrunch</ref> | According to TechCrunch, a possible reason for this change to have user data like engagement and interests associated with a single user account, making it easier for Reddit to target advertisements.<ref>[https://techcrunch.com/2025/06/03/reddit-now-lets-you-hide-content-like-posts-and-comments-from-your-user-profile/ Reddit now lets you hide content, like posts and comments, from your user profile] - TechCrunch ([http://web.archive.org/web/20260128183754/https://techcrunch.com/2025/06/03/reddit-now-lets-you-hide-content-like-posts-and-comments-from-your-user-profile/ Archived])</ref> | ||
===Blocking the Internet Archive, August 2025=== | ===Blocking the Internet Archive, August 2025=== | ||
In 2025, Reddit announced it would block the indexing of its pages by the [https://archive.org Internet Archive]. This means users will no longer be able to access deleted Reddit threads.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |date=2025-08-14 |title=“New age of internet censorship”: Reddit to block the Internet Archive from indexing its site. Here’s why it matters |url=https://www.dailydot.com/news/reddit-to-block-the-internet-archive-from-indexing-the-site/ |website=Daily Dot}}</ref> | In 2025, Reddit announced it would block the indexing of its pages by the [https://archive.org Internet Archive]. This means users will no longer be able to access deleted Reddit threads.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |date=2025-08-14 |title=“New age of internet censorship”: Reddit to block the Internet Archive from indexing its site. Here’s why it matters |url=https://www.dailydot.com/news/reddit-to-block-the-internet-archive-from-indexing-the-site/ |website=Daily Dot |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251119081125/https://www.dailydot.com/news/reddit-to-block-the-internet-archive-from-indexing-the-site/ |archive-date=19 Nov 2025}}</ref> | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||