After more than two decades, Reddit will undergo a major change in the coming months.
On Oct. 29, Reddit CEO Steve Huffman (known on the platform as spez) announced
that Reddit will soon require users to log in to access the platform's content. Huffman wrote in a Reddit post that the change will improve the user experience, support ad revenue, align more with safety regulations and better protect user data."This is a big change for Reddit, where we've allowed logged-out access to basically all of Reddit for the last two decades. And I don’t know about you, but as someone whose life has been defined by the open internet, it’s a big change for me," Huffman wrote in his post. "But I've come to the conclusion that this is the right decision for our
platform and the right decision for our business."
Reddit did not provide additional information when USA TODAY asked on Oct. 30.
The announcement comes days after Reddit said it will also roll out For You and Following feeds. Similar to other social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram, the For You feed on Reddit will provide users with posts from subreddits they have joined and other relevant communities they may be interested in. The Following feed will only show content from subreddits a user is a member of, according to a news release. The two feeds are already available on the platform.
When will Reddit require all users to sign in?
As of Oct. 30, Reddit did not specify when the update would roll out. Huffman wrote in his Oct. 29 Reddit post that the update will be tested in select U.S. markets in "the coming months."
Why is Reddit making the change?
Huffman outlined a few reasons for the update in his Oct. 29 post.
First, Huffman said, required sign-in will help create a more personalized experience for users. Ultimately, the platform wants users who interact with it to create an account, join subreddits, vote, comment and participate in the fundamental Reddit experience.
Second, Reddit has seen an uptick in scraping and stealing user data, mostly through a logged-out experience, Huffman wrote. While Reddit will continue to license its data, the platform will have more say over how data is used. Additionally, more signed-in users means Reddit can deliver more relevant ads to those on the platform, Huffman said.
Will Reddit users be required to share their names with the platform?
Huffman said that under the new update, users will not be required to share their full first and last names. The steps to create an account will remain the same.
What is happening to Reddit's incognito mode?
Reddit's Incognito mode, which allows users to search and access content without being logged into an account, will remain. However, Incognito mode will let users view content, not interact with it, Huffman wrote.
What are Reddit users saying?
As expected, the announcement has sparked controversy among Reddit users.
In the comments on Huffman's post, several users said the update may be meant to fend off AI scrapers, but users who don't want to create an account may start relying on AI search results, like those populated by Google's AI Overview.
"AI can create an account and scrape," one user commented on Huffman's post. "This has more to do with recommendation and tracking users for ads revenue."
Others feel the update strays too far from what Reddit is loved for.
"Don't you realize you have a responsibility to keep knowledge as accessible as possible like Wikipedia? You’re not Facebook, you're an encyclopedia of human experience. You're an information forum," one user commented on Huffman's post. "It would be irresponsible if Wikipedia forced you to make an account in order to access its information. You need to take more pride and accountability in the fact that you are not twitter, you’re not Instagram, You're not just social media."
Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Story idea? Email her at gcross@usatoday.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Reddit announces huge shift: Users will soon be forced to log in
