Multiple subreddits have resorted to alternative methods of protesting in response to recent changes made by Reddit. These unique forms of protest include publishing only one kind of post, changing the topic in focus, and even temporarily turning private. The Reddit blackout from June 12-14, which aimed to rally against the platform’s API rule changes, served as a catalyst for these actions.

Although Reddit and its CEO Steve Huffman chose not to make any alterations in response to the blackout, subreddits began considering the possibility of remaining dark indefinitely. However, Reddit emphasized that moderators must keep their communities open and that decisions to go dark should be made through public voting. The company even warned moderators that they would be removed if they continued to participate in the blackout.

In an attempt to circumvent moderator removal, several communities have conducted polls to determine what type of posts are allowed. They have also relaxed certain rules due to the changes, as moderators face limitations in the tools available to them, making their tasks more challenging.

Some prominent communities such as r/pics, r/aww, and r/GIF have chosen to post pictures and GIFs of John Oliver as part of their protest. John Oliver himself acknowledged and supported this approach in a tweet. Additionally, r/aww has permitted posts featuring pictures of Chiijohn, while r/iPhone has opted to celebrate “dashing” Tim Cook through image posts.

In addition to these methods, some subreddits have adopted peculiar forms of protest. For instance, r/Shitposting has banned posts containing the letter “k,” while r/Wellthatsucks has transformed into a subreddit about vacuum cleaners. Similarly, r/Nofans has become a passive PC cooler subreddit, and r/Interestingasfuck has removed most rules except for adhering to site-wide regulations. r/Memes now allows only Medieval/Landed Gentry memes as a response to Huffman’s controversial “Landed Gentry” comment regarding protesting subreddits. The subreddit r/PokemonGo permits posts featuring John Oliver, Pikachu, or Spark, while r/Horny has humorously turned into a “Christian Minecraft server.” Moreover, members of r/Steam are discussing actual steam, and r/HarryPotter refers to Huffman as Voldemort.

While these protest methods are innovative and amusing, it remains to be seen whether Reddit management will show any willingness to reconsider its position. In recent interviews, Huffman staunchly defended the company’s API rule changes, emphasizing the need for profitability. He also dismissed the impact of these protests as being driven by a “small group that’s very upset” and claimed they had no effect on the company’s revenues. Through public votes and demonstrations, these communities aim to prove that a significant number of people are dissatisfied with Reddit’s recent changes.

Multiple subreddits have resorted to alternative methods of protesting in response to recent changes made by Reddit. These unique forms of protest include publishing only one kind of post, changing the topic in focus, and even temporarily turning private. The Reddit blackout from June 12-14, which aimed to rally against the platform’s API rule changes, served as a catalyst for these actions.

Although Reddit and its CEO Steve Huffman chose not to make any alterations in response to the blackout, subreddits began considering the possibility of remaining dark indefinitely. However, Reddit emphasized that moderators must keep their communities open and that decisions to go dark should be made through public voting. The company even warned moderators that they would be removed if they continued to participate in the blackout.

In an attempt to circumvent moderator removal, several communities have conducted polls to determine what type of posts are allowed. They have also relaxed certain rules due to the changes, as moderators face limitations in the tools available to them, making their tasks more challenging.

Some prominent communities such as r/pics, r/aww, and r/GIF have chosen to post pictures and GIFs of John Oliver as part of their protest. John Oliver himself acknowledged and supported this approach in a tweet. Additionally, r/aww has permitted posts featuring pictures of Chiijohn, while r/iPhone has opted to celebrate “dashing” Tim Cook through image posts.

In addition to these methods, some subreddits have adopted peculiar forms of protest. For instance, r/Shitposting has banned posts containing the letter “k,” while r/Wellthatsucks has transformed into a subreddit about vacuum cleaners. Similarly, r/Nofans has become a passive PC cooler subreddit, and r/Interestingasfuck has removed most rules except for adhering to site-wide regulations. r/Memes now allows only Medieval/Landed Gentry memes as a response to Huffman’s controversial “Landed Gentry” comment regarding protesting subreddits. The subreddit r/PokemonGo permits posts featuring John Oliver, Pikachu, or Spark, while r/Horny has humorously turned into a “Christian Minecraft server.” Moreover, members of r/Steam are discussing actual steam, and r/HarryPotter refers to Huffman as Voldemort.

While these protest methods are innovative and amusing, it remains to be seen whether Reddit management will show any willingness to reconsider its position. In recent interviews, Huffman staunchly defended the company’s API rule changes, emphasizing the need for profitability. He also dismissed the impact of these protests as being driven by a “small group that’s very upset” and claimed they had no effect on the company’s revenues. Through public votes and demonstrations, these communities aim to prove that a significant number of people are dissatisfied with Reddit’s recent changes.