Comment by Musichord on 06/06/2023 at 17:23 UTC*

2968 upvotes, 17 direct replies (showing 17)

One thing I don't see mentioned enough is that there are apps designed to help people with accessibility needs (~~short sighted~~ visually impaired / blind people, for example), and these will be blocked too, making reddit inaccessible to many.

EDIT: Thank you so much for my first award, and I'm happy that my first comment with this many likes-2.3k already???!!!- is on such an important matter. I hope we all together manage to turn this around!

EDIT 2: As I'm not a native speaker, I've just learned short-sighted does not mean what I thought. I think the reddit users are not the ones who are short-sighted.

Replies

Comment by OldManOnFire at 06/06/2023 at 20:07 UTC

1373 upvotes, 6 direct replies

I'm a moderator at r/Blind. Almost all of the team uses screen reading software apps with APIs because official Reddit's mod interface simply doesn't work with our screen readers.

This move by Reddit will make moderating r/Blind impossible.

Comment by RyanfaeScotland at 06/06/2023 at 19:17 UTC

428 upvotes, 2 direct replies

short sighted people

Oh, the reddit CEOs use them?? AHHHYOOOOOOO!!

Comment by Lubagomes at 06/06/2023 at 19:25 UTC

142 upvotes, 2 direct replies

My reddit app doesn't load comments and takes a huge time to load any videos. I don't even like using 3rd party apps but without them I couldn't use reddit. (And with them I don't need to see a new UI change every other month)

Comment by TrumpGrabbedMyCat at 06/06/2023 at 19:31 UTC

59 upvotes, 2 direct replies

Don’t worry, this was always the plan.

They’re going to announce the API prices are drastically reduced in the next couple of weeks but still enough so most will switch rather than pay for a third party app. They’ll also then get the goal of blocking NSFW content because who in their right mind would “go dark” for porn.

Comment by Packie1990 at 07/06/2023 at 05:56 UTC

7 upvotes, 0 direct replies

This is the only reason I personally care. I use the regular interface and don't care about other people's filters for content or whatever. I do care about making reddit inaccessible to those with disabilities. Reddit is the social media I use, and I would like everyone to have that ability. This is a matter of accessibility to all.

Comment by hurtsdonut_ at 07/06/2023 at 05:07 UTC

4 upvotes, 1 direct replies

They also help moderators. Who get paid nothing. They also have video players that work. How the fuck is it that a multi billion dollar company can't get a video player to work?

Jesus Christ. It's not that hard. It's been what? Three years now? Why do I scroll down and then hear a video that i clicked on five links ago start playing? Why do I click on a video and then hear that video from five clicks ago start playing?

You're a company valuated at $10 billion, you have people running your subs for free and you can't figure out a video player? How about you stop trying to use Fiverr to solve your problems?

Also who are you hiring?

Jesus this is pathetic. You could easily make a deal with the 3rd party apps but instead it they're trying to tank it. Never seen such self destruction.

Comment by 0ussel at 06/06/2023 at 19:57 UTC

5 upvotes, 0 direct replies

Yeah, while the lack of 3rd party app support is justified in the reactions. This and mod/bot related support going seems like a much larger affect on things.

Comment by TheMarsian at 07/06/2023 at 02:02 UTC

5 upvotes, 1 direct replies

These all seems simple to me. If reddit wants more people on their app instead of the 3rd party why they're doing this then it's their call. Now whether these people hop in or not, it's on them. If they're not making designs for accessibility, then they must not want them on reddit.

If reddit starts making this official app so ad intrusive and no longer usable at least for me, then that's the end of my reddit days. I've been to many forums, some died some still alive, reddit not gonna be any different for me. My life goes on.

Comment by BaconReceptacle at 06/06/2023 at 21:54 UTC

5 upvotes, 0 direct replies

I'm a person with a special need. Despite having a college degree, I am simply unable to understand why the latest Reddit app is so shitty.

Comment by Important_Sound at 06/06/2023 at 18:00 UTC*

2 upvotes, 6 direct replies

Sounds like it could be a lawsuit?

Edit: It looks like there have been lawsuits over similar things in the past: https://www.boia.org/blog/does-the-ada-require-mobile-websites-and-apps-to-be-accessible

Comment by Sariton at 06/06/2023 at 18:41 UTC

-19 upvotes, 2 direct replies

This is the only actual thing anyone should care about. Not being able to use third party apps is not a good reason for this. Blind people not having access to the site is a good reason to have a boycott.

Comment by NeedsMoreBunGuns at 07/06/2023 at 04:15 UTC

0 upvotes, 1 direct replies

Don't most phones come with options for those now? This is a website not a restaurant. Yeah those people either adapt or be missed. You don't see many websites doing what people expect of reddit.