The Washington Post suggests that blocking search crawlers is not just about protecting Reddit's data, but also about gaining an advantage in negotiations. However, this could be a bluff, as nearly half of Reddit's traffic reportedly comes from search engines. Reddit has been making significant changes recently, including forcing personalized ads and starting a user payment program, as it seeks to become profitable and diversify its revenue streams.
Key takeaways:
- Reddit is considering blocking search crawlers from Google and Bing if it can't reach a deal with top generative AI companies for payment for its data.
- Reddit's decision to change its API access pricing led to a loss of trust within its community and the closure of apps used by long-time users.
- Google users have reportedly noticed and been unhappy with the absence of Reddit results in their searches.
- Reddit is reportedly considering an IPO and has been making moves to become profitable and diversify its revenue streams, including implementing personalized ads and a user payment program.