Millions of followers on Reddit are currently unable to access their favorite pages, as moderators oppose the platform’s proposal to charge external app developers for data access.

The blackout is anticipated to continue for 48 hours, even though certain moderators have indicated their intention to prolong the shutdown.

More than 6,000 subreddit groups, which refer to communities on the platform dedicated to particular interests, plan on going dark for at least two days starting today in protest against Reddit’s decision to increase the charges for third-party app developers.

Already some of the popular subreddits such as r/apple, r/videos, r/sports, and r/M have prevented public access to their pages.

Reason for the Reddit Blackout

The core issue revolves around the fee change for accessing Reddit’s application programming interface (API).

Starting June 19th, Reddit will begin charging developers for access to its API, which is necessary for third parties to access information on the platform. Previously, accessing the API was free of charge. The API allows developers to create alternate smartphone apps for users who do not want to use Reddit’s official app.

Developers like Apollo and Sync use the API to access user posts and reader comments. The charges associated with the API policy change are claimed to be unaffordable by the app developers. Apollo has mentioned that it will be required to pay Reddit around $20 million annually due to this move.

Effect of Reddit Blackout on Adult Content Creators

The Reddit blackout could have a significant impact on adult content creators. Many of these creators rely on Reddit to promote and sell their content, and the sudden shutdown of the site will leave them scrambling to find alternative platforms.