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Hackers Threaten to Release Reddit Data Unless API Changes Are Rolled Back
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I get that and they have many, and will continue to have many long past this has boiled over. Again, I'm still waiting for Twitter to fall down and have yet to find anyone who isn't a computer nerd who even knows what Mastodon is little lone how to use it.
Harsh is the New Cool, Man
The experience of one being fully-able to bare their heart, and the ability to do so fully un-ashamed, is as sublime as anything there ever was
Here, my incessant problems with the patellar gangleon cyst on my right pinky-toe are not particularly relevant to the problems to which I may have getting an early-model Gigabyte Radeon RX580 to play-well with OC on a legacy MP system.
It's not that they do not exceptionally or particularly eschew with such things, but Macshrauber, PeterHolbrook, cdf, or Dayo are truly not concerned (on the day-to-day) with such things
It's really not within their perview to spend their limited time with such things.
On Reddit, the umpires are off-the-clock
We're long past that point. Why would any sane developer build a product based on a platform with such untrustworthy leadership?
This has been explained a million and three times already, but:
- Not every app/tool using Reddit’s API is for profit. Some are moderation tools built to make moderators’ jobs easier because Reddit’s own tools suck. Others are apps focused on accessibility because, spoiler alert, Reddit’s own offerings suck. (Reddit has claimed that they are “working with” accessibility-focused third-party clients to give them free access to the API.)
- The apps and tools that are for profit would generally be willing to pay, just not the price Reddit is asking, which is exorbitant. At least some of these apps already do pay for API access to other platforms such as Imgur.
- APIs are generally not expensive to maintain, and if it is, it's likely a poorly designed API. Many services are built largely or even completely on top of their own public APIs.
- Reddit CEO and alleged former moderator of a now-banned subreddit dedicated to provocative photos of underage girls Steve Huffman claims that it costs Reddit about $10 million per year to support third-party apps over their API. Estimates suggest that Reddit made about $500 million in revenue last year. Apollo developer Christian Selig claims that Reddit’s announced API pricing would cost $20 million annually for just his one app.
- The purpose of this isn’t getting their money back out of it, it’s most likely just wanting to kill off third-party apps and tools without having the courage and honesty to say so. Even Elon’s Twitter eventually fessed up to that much.
- Even if the above point isn’t true, many of these third-party apps and tools could have successfully adjusted to the new API pricing model given clearer communication, fewer outright lies, and a longer timeline from Reddit.
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I agree, it's their *right* to price-out competition, but, from what I've heard, some of these 3rd party apps have better features than Reddit's own app (eg mod editing tools). So if Reddit gives a **** about making a quality product (and I admit, they don't have to), they should either allow 3rd party apps to continue, or implement these features themselves. If apps like Apollo make a profit using Reddit's API, then yeah, they should pay for that access. However, I feel Reddit should charge a reasonable rate so that people can have a better experience while also letting Reddit get some reimbursement. Win-win in my book
Thats yikes. I think all these moves could backfire… I could see a world where Apollo or its creators got sued as a result of this and could be on the hook for damages because theyve inspired the hackers or participated in some way.
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Good for you, I'm serious. What's the point if it's already one of the most toxic communities on the internet?
It's a collection of many, many communities — some were toxic, many were completely fine. If you chose to only visit the toxic ones, that's a reflection on your choices.
If you wanted to use it for educational purposes like building your first app etc..
Users granted reddit that access not some third partys ai training models etc…Pretty sure that wasnt in the legalese. Reddit should be concerned about how people are using their apis and how that might present legal challenges for them.
I'd argue that building your first app on a platform that doesn't want your app to exist and charges you exorbitant API fees isn't a thing sane people do.
But by that measure Apollo should not be charging users for user generated content. Reddit is the one with the direct relationship with the user not Apollo. To the extent the user trusts Apollo its only as a result of users trust of Reddit’s API.
Every business owes its paying customers. Apollo wasn't paying its fair share.
We're clearly not in that world, so imagining it is a fantasy exercise.
Imagine a world in which you get cheated by a shop, and I hear about it on the news, and I burn down the shop, and then the owner of the shop successfully sues you for "inspiring" me to commit arson. It would be ridiculous and the legal system would not be able to function.
They dont charge fees unless you go above a certain threshold. Many reddit clients wouldnt even qualify to pay anything. I would totally use the reddit app for educating myself about app or web app development or as a portfolio piece. Its not meant to generate an income.
By that measure, help me understand Reddit's position when the mods are volunteers and the content is user provided for free.
As I understand it, Apollo was willing to pay for api access, just not way overpriced access.
Cool. As a proportion, how many of those 900 million active users actually contribute to Reddit — by posting or moderating — and how many just mindlessly scroll? What about for Apollo?
The thing is, Reddit has pissed off its power users, and they’re the ones who can torch the site at any moment with a little coordination. Indeed, a few of the largest subreddits that took part in the “blackout” have reopened — since Reddit threatened these subreddits to reopen or have their volunteer moderation teams replaced — and to name a few...
- r/art, r/aww, r/gifs, and r/pics — some of the very largest subreddits — polled their users on the future of their subreddits, who voted overwhelmingly in favor of allowing only content related to John Oliver in all four votes
- r/iphone is only allowing “photos of Tim Cook looking dashing” with a new “f**k u/spez” flair for posts
- r/interestingasf**k’s moderators have ceased basically any subreddit-specific moderation, now only requiring that posts comply with Reddit’s overall content guidelines, and is now a de facto porn subreddit as a result
- r/wellthatsucks is only allowing vacuum-related content, and all comments must be "wellthatsucks"
Not showing ads via the API is Reddit’s own damn fault.
If mods don't want to do the job for free, someone else will rise to the occasion. I'd love to mod a subreddit about a topic I deeply care about for free.
That's not what the hackers are asking for.
man this is gettin spicy 🥵 doubt it’ll make Huffman do anything but he probably won’t be in the best of graces with his team after internal info leaks…
oh well, with how much he’s Musky-manning this whole thing, it’s a chance to fire everyone and start anew! 🤠😜
for how much I usually cannot stand Redditors (or, uhh, the loudest ones), this is some high-octane and well-deserved trolling. gotta love it.
and yeah…not including ads with the API seems like such an absurd oversight + seems like an easy way to solve this whole thing. Huffman’s still got his eyes on that IPO pipe dream though…
oh well, with how much he’s Musky-manning this whole thing, it’s a chance to fire everyone and start anew! 🤠😜
for how much I usually cannot stand Redditors (or, uhh, the loudest ones), this is some high-octane and well-deserved trolling. gotta love it.
and yeah…not including ads with the API seems like such an absurd oversight + seems like an easy way to solve this whole thing. Huffman’s still got his eyes on that IPO pipe dream though…
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Sure, I didn't say you can't do it, it just doesn't seem like a good use of time and energy. Why not learn with something that isn't so dev-hostile? That's what I'd do, anyway.
They could certainly be sued — you can sue someone for just about anything — but to suggest that they’d be found liable is laughable assuming there is no direct coordination.