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In the next few months, Reddit will restrict access to the Old Reddit UI to logged-in users who have used Old Reddit in the last six months.
The move is part of Reddit’s plans to block AI companies from scraping its large trove of user data for free. To combat unauthenticated access, the company began requiring logins for Old Reddit users in July. That helped reduce scraping, but it still gave logged-in users with no prior Old Reddit full access to the platform, Reddit says.
The new six-month usage requirement is meant to address that gap. Reddit believes six months is a fair window since it "covers the vast majority of all Old Reddit users."
Moderators, however, are exempt from the new requirement. They can just log in and go about their business. “This helps keep Old Reddit available for the people who rely on it while reducing automated abuse,” Reddit says.
Why the warm feelings for the old layout? As one user noted earlier this year, "Old Reddit is the last major website that doesn't function like a slots machine. Every single other website or platform is built around a 'Feed' now. You just keep scrolling, and the Algorithm tube-feeds you more bite-sized Content, doing all the actual thinking for you."
Along with the Old Reddit limits, the platform will also block access to RSS feeds starting on Nov. 13. They are “a common surface for large-scale scraping and automated abuse,” Reddit says; it recommends alternatives like Discord Relay to receive command mod alerts.
As AI bots have surged in popularity in the past few years, Reddit has taken a hardline approach. It started charging for API access in 2023, prompting a subreddit blackout. Later, it blocked Microsoft and the Internet Archive. It has also reached content-licensing deals with Google and OpenAI, but it's currently suing Anthropic over bot scraping.
About Our Expert
Jibin is a tech news writer based out of Ahmedabad, India. Previously, he served as the editor of iGeeksBlog and is a self-proclaimed tech enthusiast who loves breaking down complex information for a broader audience.
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