No the real reason for the API changes was to shut down apps; and the reason for that is because the apps gave users too much freedom to not be a perfectly packaged product for the real customer: advertisers, and others payed promotion.
How do we know this? Simple. a) Shutting down APIs does nothing to prevent dedicated content scrappers, b) it would have been totaly possible to lock down APIs and negotiate fair deals with app developers, to continue third party apps while having the same rate limiting on scrappers as what we have now, and c) this all coincided with some bigger picture business model changes at Reddit, including Reddit For Business, Reddit’s IPO, and the reduced VC funding in the tech industry at large.
To blame that saga on AI scrappers really obfuscates the fact that Redditors are just cattle who’s eyeballs are to be packaged and shipped to the real paying customer.
No the real reason for the API changes was to shut down apps; and the reason for that is because the apps gave users too much freedom to not be a perfectly packaged product for the real customer: advertisers, and others payed promotion.
How do we know this? Simple. a) Shutting down APIs does nothing to prevent dedicated content scrappers, b) it would have been totaly possible to lock down APIs and negotiate fair deals with app developers, to continue third party apps while having the same rate limiting on scrappers as what we have now, and c) this all coincided with some bigger picture business model changes at Reddit, including Reddit For Business, Reddit’s IPO, and the reduced VC funding in the tech industry at large.
To blame that saga on AI scrappers really obfuscates the fact that Redditors are just cattle who’s eyeballs are to be packaged and shipped to the real paying customer.
In light of your statement / argument, I’ll reframe similar responses in the future. What you say makes sense. Thanks.