Cleveland subreddit goes dark amid Reddit protest
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Thousands of Reddit communities went dark Monday to protest corporate changes made by the site.
Why it matters: Among those participating in the 48-hour blackout is the large Cleveland subreddit community.
- r/Cleveland has more than 130,000 members, with discussions focused on everything from downtown parking issues and potholes to local government initiatives.
Catch up fast: The protest focuses on Reddit's new pricing structure for third-party app developers to access its back-end technology (API), Axios New Orleans' Carlie Kollath Wells reports.
- Developers say the new structure will put most of them out of business.
The other side: "We spend multi-millions of dollars on hosting fees, and Reddit needs to be fairly paid to continue supporting high-usage third-party apps," Reddit spokesperson Tim Rathschmidt tells Axios.
- "The vast majority of API users will not have to pay for access; not all third-party apps usage requires paid access."
The intrigue: Reddit is owned by Advance Publications, parent of Cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer, as well as several other local media organizations around the country.
- Reddit has been working toward monetizing its platform for an initial public offering that could come this year, according to Reuters.
What's next: The blackout will remain in effect through today.
- Rathschmidt says Reddit is "in contact with a number of communities to clarify any confusion" around the company's API policies.