Hell, YouTube shares ad revenue with the content creators. Not a fan of Google in general, but even they have some common sense when it comes to sharing the revenues with the people who generate them.
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Reddit CEO: Apollo-Related Subreddit Blackouts 'Will Pass,' No Significant Revenue Impact So Far
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Hell, YouTube shares ad revenue with the content creators. Not a fan of Google in general, but even they have some common sense when it comes to sharing the revenues with the people who generate them.
Apollo is a niche app. I don’t care about a single persons profit for leeching off of another.
It's extremely satisfying to see that the true nature of the mods are now completely exposed as today many of my subs have reopened and users are revolting against the mods for going dark (or even consider going dark longer).
So folks what did we learn from this fiasco:
So folks what did we learn from this fiasco:
- Most users don't give a rats a$$ about third party apps and they have a strong desire to use the subs regardless of the medium (for example, reading the starwars sub they really wanted to be able to discuss SW outlaw and mods are being condemned)
- Turns out mods are just power hungry dictators. They didn't care about API charges, all they wanted is access to the 3rd party MOD tools. Which means now they will have to do MORE work while remaining in power. Tons of people are willing to step up as mods but they are refusing to relinquish power.
- Most users agree that it isn't ethical for a few individuals (mods) to decide on the fate of the community and access to an archive of 15+ years of content while refusing to let the community vote on the decision (to whether to go dark indef). Funny how quickly the ethical issue shifted from Reddit to mods when the real value is at stake (i.e. users losing access to their content)
Most of us do get it, basically Reddit weighed how many users Apollo was bringing in versus how much they cost them in missed advertising and upselling. I get it, some people really loved some of these 3rd party apps, but at the end of the day it was a business decision for Reddit. I don't disagree that they could have given Apollo more time, but even if they did would that change anything?
Apollo was a great asset for Reddit, providing better accessibility for users with disabilities and many unique features not found in the default app. There’s a reason so many people used it.
Let other developers put in their time to innovate and you just provide the API sounds like a win to me. Especially when it comes to accessibility tools which are effectively banned from Reddit along with third-party apps.
You mean Reddit allowed his app to access the APIs for free?
There‘s no “leeching” here, it’s not a torrent file leeching someone’s copyrighted material.
Reddit knew their app was ****, so allowed others to access their API, win win.
He never made millions. Gross revenue was/is around $500k/year (50k paying users * $10/year), net is less since he has an employee to pay and server costs.
I don't use Reddit, and by extension Apollo, so no dog in this fight, but the $millions people keep tossing around is a bit ridiculous.
LOL right? All of the people with faux outrage are the same ad-free people Reddit is trying to eliminate here in the first place.
Believe or not, time does not stand still. Reddit made the API free to get some traction. Now they realized they cannot continue to exist financially, especially not as a publicly traded company with stockholders scrutinizing every business move, by letting tons of users skirt around their only revenue system.
These rich people need to understand something, they are nothing without us but we are still us without them. lol
Hmm, sounds exactly like leeching to me, to the tune of $500k gross income. Sure the API's were released by Reddit to further their fledgling service, but now they decided they are big enough to live without them. I don't have anything in the least against the leeching, but at the same time the "poor developer working altruistically for the masses who was shafted" story gets a bit tiresome.
Comparing Reddit to Facebook would be a more apt comparison. People share content but it is mostly something they aren’t creating. But Reddit should definitely compensate the mods depending on the size of the subs.
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This is an interesting take, but I actually think it’s exactly wrong. With this they are angering users who have already displayed a willingness to pay for Reddit and a nice way to access it. True, they don’t want ads, but they are (or were) willing to pay actual money.
Turning away actual paying customers as a pre-money company looking to IPO might not be the best option. We’ll see, though.
It’s all 3rd party apps/devs that are subject to this flat, no negotiation, ridiculous pricing structure, with 30 days notice.
For context, when Apple bought Dark Sky weather app, they gave them 18 months to sort out API access etc.
Then, after the 18 months was up, they gave them another 12 months.
Reddit conversely, has given 3rd party devs such as Christian, 30 days, to find a solution.
See the difference?
If you want to have an effect, it'll take longer than two days to make a statement. Don't know what would get Reddit to change course on this policy, but I think a long game would be required before they felt any heat.
Uhh, that went right over my head...swooosh... Is that supposed to represent your doubt that Reddit's motivations were to increase their profitability?
While there's some validity to your point, you have to remember that Reddit the company is not the same as Reddit's communities.
Think of how you might join a local club with people who share the same interest or hobby—photography, cycling, etc. And if it grew to a certain size, some members might volunteer to help organize outings, for example. They'd do it for free because it benefits themselves as well as their fellow club members. There's no profit motive involved and there's certainly nothing wrong with that.
Reddit volunteers grew out of that same spirit. While it's valid to criticize Reddit for taking their users and moderators for granted and trying to exploit them, it's not ok to mock those users and moderators for "working for free".
Moving forward, given Reddit's current trajectory, it's fair to suggest that those users and moderators should no longer feel welcome and that they should no longer continue to support a platform that has decided to screw them over.
Funny you should mention server costs. You don’t think Reddit has server costs to bear?
As much as I disagree with a lot of sh*t Reddit does as a big corporation I don’t condone the way Apollo CEO marketed himself as the one standing for the masses. He got API for free for years and made money off of Reddit’s platform but suddenly the thought of losing his company cuz he has to pay for stuff and he crumpled like a piece of paper.
The only valid points Apollo CEO made in his rant that are fair are requiring more time to implement changes and better API pricing and countering the outright lies from Reddit. He’s no saint but the media ate it up cuz it makes your a good story.
Yes I'm aware that it's all 3rd party devs, I also use Reddplanet on Android (since Apollo didn't see fit to develop for Android booo!!). What Apple did has no bearing on this, there are no laws or regulations, Reddit was free to withdraw and/or charge for their API's. Plus Apple is a multi billion (trillion?) dollar business, Reddit is a business that is not making any profit. Again, do you really think 18 months would allow Apollo, with a supposed gross income of $500k/year, to figure out how to pay a $20 million/year bill? I don't know, but I don't think your outrage at only having 30 days is misplaced I do agree with you, I'm just not sure it would make a significant difference.