Reddit reported that the majority of its online communities are functioning normally following a significant protest that temporarily disabled thousands of its forums. In a blog update on Thursday, the platform indicated that 80 percent of its leading subreddits, which act as digital message boards, are currently accessible. This announcement marks Reddit’s first communication since June 9.
Data from Reddark, a site monitoring the blackout event, showed that over 5,000 subreddits were still restricting access to their content by Thursday evening. This is a decline from nearly 9,000 forums that had committed to going dark in protest, which began on June 12 and was initially expected to last for at least two days.
The protest was ignited by Reddit’s announcement to impose fees for access to its application programming interface (API), a tool that enables developers to integrate Reddit’s features into their applications. The creator of a popular app named Apollo advised that the new pricing could require him to pay Reddit up to $20 million annually to maintain operations. Apollo is set to cease operations on June 30, the day before the price increase comes into effect.
In response to backlash, Reddit has defended its move to begin charging its largest users, who depend on its technology for app development, post management, and data organization. The company also addressed concerns regarding the future of accessibility-oriented applications, such as those designed for visually impaired users, stating certain apps would be exempt from the upcoming fees.
According to Reddit’s Thursday post, 98 percent of third-party applications would incur no charges under the new fee framework, and the costs imposed on developers will align with Reddit’s operational expenses.
“Mods and users want communities to be open and accessible,” Reddit stated, adding that after articulating their opinions, “many communities have decided to reopen.”
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