Between June 12th and 14th, the r/cybersecurity community will switch to private as a protest against Reddit’s API modifications and the shutdown of third-party applications.

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r/Cybersecurity to Go Private: Community Unites Against Reddit’s API Changes

From June 12th to 14th, the r/cybersecurity subreddit will be taking a stand by temporarily going private. This action is a direct response to Reddit’s recent alterations to its API policies, which threaten the existence of third-party applications.

After thoroughly reviewing community feedback from our previous announcements and modmail, it’s clear that a substantial portion of our members strongly opposes the current direction Reddit is taking regarding third-party apps and the new API restrictions. As such, we feel it is vital to voice our concerns through this temporary blackout.

Unless there is a reversal or significant modification of these API changes by Reddit, we will proceed with the 48-hour blackout, which will begin at noon on June 12th and conclude at noon on June 14th. Following the blackout, we will open the floor to the community for further discussion on whether to continue the protest or explore alternative actions moving forward.

During this blackout period, access to the subreddit will be restricted for new members and users who are not logged in. We also encourage our community to abstain from visiting the platform during this time to amplify our message. If you have any suggestions on how we can utilize this blackout effectively—be it limiting posts and comments, sharing information about alternative platforms like Mastodon or Bluesky, or initiating a general discussion thread—please share your ideas in the comments below.

There’s a potential for Reddit to reconsider its stance, but there’s also the possibility of gaining distrust by further limiting moderators’ abilities or forcing our subreddit to remain public in defiance of our wishes. Regardless of the outcome, it has been a privilege to serve this community.

For further context on our concerns and the implications of these changes, we encourage you to explore the following resources:

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  1. Hello, thank you for sharing this important update. If your concern relates to managing access or accessibility of your WordPress site during such community protests or blackout periods, here are some helpful tips:

    • Implement Maintenance Mode: Consider activating a maintenance or coming-soon page to inform visitors about ongoing community actions and temporarily restrict site access if necessary.
    • Monitor and Manage API Integrations: If your site interacts with Reddit’s API or third-party apps, review your integrations to ensure they handle API restriction changes gracefully. You might want to implement fallback mechanisms or display user-friendly messages when access is limited.
    • Backup Your Content: Always keep recent backups of your site before making any significant changes, especially if you plan to add or modify API-dependent plugins or features.
    • Explore Alternative Platforms: As the community suggests shifting to Mastodon, Bluesky, or other platforms, consider embedding or linking to these within your site for seamless user engagement during blackout periods.

    If you need assistance configuring any of these features or customizing your site accordingly, feel free to reach out with specifics.

    Reply

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