Why are NFL communities joining Reddit blackout? Exploring issues around API changes

In response to Reddit's proposed changes to its API, several NFL community subreddits are organizing a series of blackouts as protest. The planned changes to the API would result in increased costs for many third-party applications, potentially leading to their demise.

As a result, numerous subreddit moderators have announced that starting from June 12, they will temporarily shut down their subreddits in protest.

Some moderators have even expressed that they may not restore their subreddits if Reddit proceeds with the proposed API changes.

In a show of support for those who rely on such accessibility, various NFL subreddits have stepped forward to join the protest.

Notable NFL subreddits like r/nfl with 4.2 million subscribers, r/fantasyfootball with 1.3 million subscribers, r/MiamiDolphins with 146k subscribers, and r/xfl with 59.9k subscribers will actively participate in the Reddit blackout.

A subreddit refers to a specific community within the Reddit platform. It serves as a gathering place for individuals who share a common interest or topic and come together to engage in discussions and share relevant content.

Users on Reddit, also known as Redditors, have the option of joining various subreddits based on their personal interests.

NFL communities on Reddit are protesting to save third party apps

Reddit made an important statement last week about its Application Programming Interface (API). Beginning July 1, the social media network will introduce significant fee increases for developers and applications wishing to utilise the API.

This API enables third-party developers to interact with Reddit's platform without using the site's front-end interface.

The API has been critical in allowing developers to construct a wide variety of tools and applications that improve the Reddit experience. Among these are automatic moderating tools, unapproved mobile apps, overlay extensions, and accessibility solutions.

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It has encouraged creativity and helped the Reddit community expand outside of the main website.

However, the proposed price adjustments by Reddit have drawn strong criticism from independent mobile app developers. According to them, it will be nearly impossible for them to maintain their applications under the new pricing structure.

As a result, various Reddit communities including the NFL ones will join the protest on June 12.

In response to the outage, Reddit CEO Steve Huffman stated that the company "needs to be a self-sustaining business."

"We respect when you and your communities take action to highlight the things you need, including, at times, going private. We are all responsible for ensuring Reddit provides an open accessible place for people to find community and belonging."

On June 5, Reddit affirmed that moderation tools will continue to have free access to the site's API. Furthermore, the vast majority of API users will not have to pay for access. This exemption, however, does not appear to apply to larger apps.