GameDeals has a tradition of maintaining a neutral position in larger site matters. We act as a resource for gamers, and our concerns do not typically intersect with larger site issues. However, we need to recognize that we are still a part of the reddit platform, and the issues being raised do affect us.
With that in mind, we have decided to blackout for two days in solidarity with other subreddits starting on June 12th.
We believe that the API policy changes will significantly impact users and moderators alike
The primary concern currently raised is that of third-party apps. These apps are essential tools for moderating on mobile, which is how many mods - including some of our own - interact with the site. They also offer improved support for accessibility services, a reduction in user tracking, and a more pleasant interface for regular browsing.
Reddit is not threatening to eliminate these apps completely, but they have proposed a prohibitory pricing scheme that achieves the same result. The new API fees for popular apps like Apollo are in excess of $20 million per year. This is effectively a death knell.
Therefore, we strongly disagree with this change. Third-party apps are often used by those most dedicated to the site, and contribute in the way of posting new comments, sharing links, and moderating content. By eliminating third-party apps, reddit is cutting off a percentage of its own value creators.
What does /r/GameDeals want to see changed?
We want Reddit to work with third-party apps to compromise on a solution
We acknowledge that maintaining an API does have associated costs. They are certainly not on the order of what is being proposed, but until now the API has been free to use. With that in mind, we urge reddit to open a dialogue with app creators to find a compromise that benefits all parties involved. We ask the following:
Should users who already pay for Reddit Platinum not be exempt from additional monetization? It seems only fair that third-party app users receive the same benefit as official platforms.
How can apps be better optimized to reduce API requests? This is in reddit's interest as much as app authors'.
Can reddit's own ads be made available via API? Nobody likes ads, but given the choice, many choose to pay with attention over dollars.
These new API limits costs may be designed to target other abusers, such as recent machine learning efforts. Can special pricing be created for third-party app authors that are more realistic to their costs?
We feel that between these considerations, there is enough room for a solution that satisfies all parties.
To be clear, reddit's initial proposal is completely out of proportion to what is considered reasonable. This may be so they can come back to the table with a reasonable-sounding offer later. We're recognizing their concerns, but not asking to simply meet in the middle.
For many users, a monthly subscription will be enough to end viability of third-party apps regardless of its price. That's why we suggest supporting alternative mechanisms like reddit-provided ads (within reason), exclusions for reddit platinum, and a genuine effort by developers to improve the efficiency of their apps.
Regarding mod bots, and reddit's overall direction
We rely on many bots and tools behind the scenes to make GameDeals moderation smoother. However, it is our opinion at this time that mod bots are not at risk from these API changes. Reddit's messaging has been very direct that they do not wish to disrupt API use for mod bots. While it is tempting to be skeptical of these claims, the diminutive cost of supporting these bots is outweighed by the value they provide. We're concerned that by focusing too much on this issue, it gives reddit an "out" by satisfying an easy demand, without focusing on the larger issue which is the threat to third-party apps.
We still hold concern for the general direction of the site. Reddit was once open-source and accepting of community contributions. Today it's closed off, the API is receiving few of the new features being introduced, and many of them are proprietary to the official app. There's been a constant shift away from open development and towards the closed silos favoured by other social media. This in itself provides a concern for moderators, as expressed by the creators of ModToolbox and Reddit Enhancement Suite.
Final thoughts
Sometimes in GameDeals, we like to believe we live on an island. Our reader base is disproportionally made up of desktop users, and of those roughly half still use old reddit. As a result it may seem like these issues do not affect us, but they do. Every change that leaves something broken in old reddit, or excludes a new feature from the API, has a small but permanent effect on us. This current attack on third-party apps is just one more step towards closing up the ecosystem, and it's one that affects both our readers and moderators.
So that is why we are participating in the blackout. We feel it is an important issue that affects all of us.
The next question is, "for how long?". We were admittedly very conflicted on this topic. We wished to maintain our historical neutrality, but also recognized the importance of this issue. We felt two days was not impactful enough, but wanted to minimize harm to our readers who use our subreddit as a resource. As is often the case there is no perfect solution, but we agreed that the suggested two days still allowed for our voices to be heard, and for the point to be made effectively.
We know that everybody has been overwhelmed with these blackout notices over the last few days, but we hope to have offered a unique perspective with some meaningful suggestions. It's our sincere hope that reddit's administrators will consider these ideas, and make a good-faith effort to dialogue with developers so reddit can continue to be a sustainable platform for users, devs, and mods alike.
Thank you.
June 14th Edit
The subreddit is once again open after the initial blackout period. Thanks to everybody for their patience. Unfortunately, we do not feel that the admins have yet made any positive steps towards remediating our concerns discussed in this post. While the subreddit remains open for now, we are still considering participating in future blackouts and other actions in conjunction with other subreddits. We will share more information as it becomes available. Thank you.
