Reddit shuts down RSS feeds, ends public API access over AI bots
| Source: HN | Original article
Reddit will discontinue RSS feeds and close its public API as it battles the surge of AI bots scraping its content.
Reddit announced it will retire its unauthenticated RSS feeds on 13 November 2026 and phase out the remaining public API by March 2027. The company said the moves are aimed at curbing “large‑scale scraping and automated abuse, particularly by AI bots.”
The shutdown will roll out in stages beginning in mid‑October, forcing regular users, third‑party apps, moderators and researchers to switch to logged‑in, authenticated API endpoints. Open JSON feeds and RSS readers that have long provided free, programmatic access to the platform’s discussion threads will no longer work, and tools that rely on those streams – from moderation bots to social‑listening services and AI assistants – must adapt or lose functionality.
Reddit’s decision comes as the site’s “other revenue” – income beyond advertising – rose 24 % year‑over‑year to $43 million in the second quarter, driven largely by licensing deals that let AI firms train models on Reddit content. By tightening access, the company is protecting that emerging revenue stream while trying to limit unauthorized data harvesting. The change also highlights a broader industry tension: platforms are increasingly treating user‑generated content as a commercial asset, even as developers and AI researchers depend on open data to build and improve services.
What to watch next is how Reddit structures its authenticated API – whether it will introduce tiered pricing, rate limits or stricter usage policies – and how AI firms respond. Developers may migrate to alternative data sources or lobby for more transparent access terms. Regulators could also take note, as the move adds to the growing debate over data ownership, AI training practices and the balance between open internet tools and commercial interests.
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