r/Cybersecurity Goes Dark: A Unified Stand Against Reddit’s API Changes

In a bold move, the r/cybersecurity community has announced plans to temporarily shut down from June 12th to 14th in protest of Reddit’s recent API modifications, which they argue jeopardize the existence of third-party applications. This decision follows extensive feedback gathered from community members expressing overwhelming support for re-evaluating these changes.

The recent alterations to Reddit’s API have raised serious concerns within the community, as they threaten the functionality and availability of various third-party tools that many users rely on. If Reddit does not reconsider these modifications, r/cybersecurity is prepared to embrace a 48-hour blackout, completely restricting access to new members and unauthenticated visitors during this timeframe.

During this blackout, community engagement will take a different form. Users are encouraged to stay away from Reddit altogether and consider alternative platforms that promote a more inclusive and user-friendly environment. Suggestions for activities during this period are welcome, and the community is brainstorming ideas such as limiting new posts and comments or initiating discussions on alternative social media platforms like Mastodon, Lemmy, Bluesky, and others.

This moment of uncertainty could lead to various outcomes: Reddit may acknowledge the community’s concerns and retract its recent API changes, or the situation may escalate, resulting in further erosion of trust. Regardless of the outcome, the moderators emphasize their commitment to serving this community with integrity and respect.

For those curious about the context of this protest and the broader implications on moderation and community guidelines, here are some resources to explore further:

• Check out this informative infographic that succinctly outlines the situation.
• Read the compelling thread, Don’t Let Reddit Kill 3rd Party Apps, that sparked the conversation.
• Explore an open letter addressing the impact of API pricing changes.
• Discover a growing list of major Reddit communities participating in this blackout.

Together, as a community