Reddit plans to become a primarily logged-in experience, according to CEO Steve Huffman. The change aims to improve personalization, ad targeting, and engagement while limiting unauthorized data scraping. Huffman said the vast majority of unauthorized access currently occurs through logged-out browsing. The front page and content reached via search or shared links may remain partially available. Testing will begin in select markets outside the United States in the coming months. The announcement coincided with Reddit’s third-quarter results, which showed search traffic down meaningfully, with referrals falling by more than one million per week in October. Logged-in and app users already account for more than 80 percent of monetization. Huffman acknowledged the shift is significant for a platform long associated with open access but argued it is necessary for both users and the business. An updated incognito mode for the app is also being re-released.
Reddit plans to become a primarily logged-in experience, according to CEO Steve Huffman. The change aims to improve personalization, ad targeting, and engagement while limiting unauthorized data scraping. Huffman said the vast majority of unauthorized access currently occurs through logged-out browsing. The front page and content reached via search or shared links may remain partially available. Testing will begin in select markets outside the United States in the coming months. The announcement coincided with Reddit’s third-quarter results, which showed search traffic down meaningfully, with referrals falling by more than one million per week in October. Logged-in and app users already account for more than 80 percent of monetization. Huffman acknowledged the shift is significant for a platform long associated with open access but argued it is necessary for both users and the business. An updated incognito mode for the app is also being re-released.