#What’s happening?
Recently, Reddit announced changes to the way in which they provide API access to third parties which you can read about [here](https://old.reddit.com/r/modnews/comments/13wshdp/api\_update\_continued\_access\_to\_our\_api\_for/). For those of you who might not be technically inclined, this means that the way that applications like Apollo, RIF, Bacon Reader and so on get access to the Reddit data they need in order to provide their services is changing.
————————————————————————————–
#So what?
In a nutshell, it means the death of these applications. As an example, the Apollo app would need to pay Reddit in the region of $20m dollars per year to operate as it currently does, explained by the Apollo dev [here](https://old.reddit.com/r/apolloapp/comments/13ws4w3/had_a_call_with_reddit_to_discuss_pricing_bad/).
In addition to this, API calls are used extensively by moderator tools such as our very own Nicola Botgeon which we use to provide moderator tooling that Reddit will not provide natively. As a consequence, the changes will adversely impact how we perform our roles here and how other moderators perform their’s on their respective subs. Moderators also rely heavily on the additional moderator functions available in the 3rd party apps, something which isn’t provided for sufficiently in the official app. More information about this can be found [here](https://old.reddit.com/r/ModCoord/comments/13xh1e7/an\_open\_letter\_on\_the\_state\_of\_affairs\_regarding/).
————————————————————————————–
#What can we do about it?
Honestly? Not as much as we’d like. The owners of the 3rd party apps cannot generate the funds to continue at those prices and a sub the size of r/UK would need an insane amount of moderators to replicate the workload of Nicola.
But this is not to say we can’t *try*…
There is a planned site-wide protest taking place on the 12th June where a significant amount of subs are planning to close down, or ‘go dark’ for 48 hours in order to get Reddit to the discussion table and attempt to get the API issues resolved. This means we would turn the sub to private mode, no new submissions and no ability to view anything.
A live list of subs taking part so far can be found [here](https://old.reddit.com/r/ModCoord/comments/1401qw5/incomplete\_and\_growing\_list\_of\_participating/).
Media coverage has begun, with a sample of some articles giving more detail at the links below.
[Vice](https://www.vice.com/en/article/5d99pn/reddit-api-apollo-app-controversy-explained)
[The Verge](https://www.theverge.com/2023/6/5/23749188/reddit-subreddit-private-protest-api-changes-apollo-charges)
[9to5mac](https://9to5mac.com/2023/06/05/reddit-going-dark/)
[CNN](https://edition.cnn.com/2023/06/01/tech/reddit-outrage-data-access-charge/index.html)
[Snazzy Labs](https://youtu.be/Ypwgu1BpaO0)
————————————————————————————–
#So, are you closing the sub for 48 hours?
Not unless you want us to, no. The majority of mods **are** in favour of joining the protest but we’ve always been very clear that we do not view r/UK as the mod’s sub, but rather as everybody’s sub that we look after. It is this view that means we will not participate in this protest unless you, the r/UK users, want us to – Hence this poll.
It is not anticipated that Reddit will take retaliation action against subreddits for taking part, however there is a possibility of action being taken against moderators.
————————————————————————————–
The comments section is open for for your thoughts or concerns.
[View Poll](https://www.reddit.com/poll/141mc4k)