What is the single worst thing about the API changes?
What is the single worst thing about the API changes?
First of all, I post this as someone who is only modestly informed about the whole situation. I’m a casual user who moved here from Reddit mostly because of the blackout and I don’t have a super strong opinion about any of it.
I’m curious to learn though! Part of my curiosity is in the title - what’s the single worst thing the API changes have done (or will do)? Is it that they priced out Apollo? Is there another big third party app that’s getting killed?
All 3rd party apps are getting priced out. Only one remains that got an exception, and one (that I know of) will try to go subscribers-only.
But the actual bad part, is how Reddit has shown its true colors and bad faith. Users create all the content on Reddit. Moderators keep the ships running. App developers make that stuff available to everybody.
Together, these parties create literally all the value on Reddit.
Reddit does nothing but own the infrastructure.
And yet, they behave like they own everything, can dictate all the rules, and all the profits should go only to them.
Imagine the owner of an office building hosting multiple companies suddenly starts busting onto individual offices and companies and making a mess while drunk to their eyeballs. That's Reddit.
So that's bad, but also it has a bright side. Now that we know, we could leave and make our own little world. A better one.
I mean, reddit's own app is crap for moderators. They used third party apps that were really good. When those apps go away, the mods can't work well.
Bad mod work = bad content = bad communities = death of reddit.
So the api problem is basically suicide by a thousand paper cuts. Not fast, not certain, but painful.
Reddit Is Fun is another app being killed off.
The worst thing about the API changes is the long string of broken promises that got us here.
Reddit said for years that they would provide the tools users needed to moderate their subs (which the mods do for free on their own time). Reddit has failed to do so. Third party devs using the API did that.
Reddit also had years to make their site actually work for people with disabilities. Reddit has failed to do do. Third party devs using the API did that too.
Reddit said that they would not touch the API. Then they changed their mind and announced they'd be charging for it, but they'd work with current devs. Then they announced a price that was totally out of line with what other businesses charge and what was realistic for many apps to pay. With only one month to make those changes before the new pricing went live, despite knowing that many third party apps use a yearly subscription model.
Reddit's CEO said he'd do an AMA to address concerns with the new policy. During that AMA he answered only 14 questions while ignoring the highest-voted questions. He was also caught astroturfing and lying during that AMA.
Reddit said they would not interfere with the ability of redditors to protest the change. Then they threatened to remove entire mod teams if they didn't get back to business as usual and replace them with mods who would run the subs the way Reddit wanted them to.
So, yeah. The API change by itself is doing a lot of devs dirty with an unrealistic price and unrealistic timeframe. But the worst part of it is the heap of broken trust that it sits on top of.
This sums up my feelings pretty well. It's not just that they're pricing out third party apps, it's the slow degradation from the ideal forum hosting website to a money-hungry data mine. I suppose this is something that's been coming for a decade now, ever since Aaron Swartz died.
I am a user and not a moderator. I was lucky enough when I joined Reddit to also discover Apollo and quickly thereafter got added to the TestFlight. For me Apollo was Reddit, and it was an excellent customizable experience. My feed could look how I wanted it to, I could block anyone and any keyword(s) and any subreddits I wanted. I was able to curate an actually positive feed in a world full of negativity and vitriol. No ads or suggestions or other nonsense I wasn’t interested in. The ability to change colors and app icons only made the experience better.
When the change rumblings started and Christian was very positive about it, I was willing to pay a subscription (and switch to public) to continue enjoying such an excellent app for Reddit. I had a mild worry that it was not going to end well, but I had no reason to really believe it.
When shit hit the fan a month ago I was happy to see protesting and hoped we’d see some kind of backpedaling or negotiating in the form of what they really wanted. As soon as the retaliation started I knew the end of what Reddit was had come. Enshittification at its finest. Especially regarding the accessibility issues.
And then in the middle, Spez lied his ass off and Christian provided receipts, and then Spez doubled down. And at that moment I knew I could not support Reddit after June 30. I started with Lemmy yesterday and I’m already happier. I sense a renewed ability to curate a positive feed with people who mostly agree on Reddit’s bullshit. I’m currently bouncing between wefwef and Memmy apps, both of which emulate the Apollo experience.
The thing, in the end, that made me saddest was seeing all the hate from users who don’t care about the API changes and were just angry about the blackouts, the John Oliver and Tim Cook posts, the “power hungry mods.” It invaded nearly every comments section I read over the past week. Of course the users are inconvenienced, that was the point. Reddit is nothing without its users and if such a small margin of people can make such a huge difference to the site, the writing should be on the wall for any average user. Alas, I had too much faith in the Reddit community. I hope they fail hard. I can’t wait to see what happens and be happy I’m no longer part of it.
Tl;dr: the worst thing that came from the API changed was Spez and the mob of average Reddit users showing their true colors.