107 upvotes, 5 direct replies (showing 5)
View submission: An Update Regarding Reddit’s API
So let’s get to the ultimate cause - it’s a slow march to make sure that there won’t be 3rd party clients that skip out on serving ads, or if they do then Reddit is paid via API fees, along with making sure everyone uses the official app via feature disparity. **See: the chat feature that we still don’t have an API for**
As a dev who’s written plenty of Reddit tools as well I get it, everyone’s gotta have cash flow.
However can I propose a simpler solution now before someone decides to just yank the API all together 3yrs from now? Why not just return the ads that you want to show as a “post” along with the actual posts in the query response. Then just add an ad=yes flag to that responses attributes so the client can mark it as an ad, along with making it against the API TOS to circumvent the ads or something similar. If an ad just becomes a “promoted post” then nothing can circumvent it easily.
I think this is a good compromise where the APIs required to make a full client will still exist years from now - because I genuinely worry that with reddits recent direction that won’t always be the case in the future - and Reddit can get their ad revenue.
Comment by TheRealestLarryDavid at 19/04/2023 at 04:17 UTC
19 upvotes, 1 direct replies
there's way more to the ad than just "seeing it". it's the interaction with it that matters and that also needs to be implemented which will make the experience as shit as it is in the main app. considering I don't use it because of ads, I will quickly quit any app that decides to serve them because FUCK ADS
Comment by 8_800_555_35_35 at 19/04/2023 at 03:49 UTC
12 upvotes, 1 direct replies
That'd be smart, but they'll just see they're missing out on too much client-side data-farming to do that.
Comment by OmgImAlexis at 19/04/2023 at 08:20 UTC
3 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Which chat? Lol they’ve changed it yet again..
Comment by PartyLength671 at 19/04/2023 at 17:24 UTC
2 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Very reasonable suggestion, but seems they have already made up their minds on “encouraging” people onto the official app and off third party apps. Sadly, I have little faith they will reconsider.
Comment by BraxForAll at 19/04/2023 at 16:31 UTC
1 upvotes, 0 direct replies
You make a reasonable and sensible recommendation. Too bad that the admins have already decided and will just ignore any criticism or changes to their plan. They just don't care.