this post was submitted on 17 Feb 2024
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[–] [email protected] 113 points 10 months ago (1 children)

This is what the 3rd party access to API was really all about.

When API access was allowed , all reddit content was effectively free: They needed to ban 3rd party apps so they could sell the accumulated content. I expect using content to train AI also factors into it.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Is it? Because when you build a bot and just scrape Reddit I don't think you can just use the content to train AI, just like the New York Times. The API change was definitely to sell more ads and get a higher IPO, but I don't think it was because of AI.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Am I crazy or are you arguing the same point? Scraping is not the same as API access. They closed off the API to everyone for dubious reasons so they can sell that content (both for ads and AI training)... Right??

[–] [email protected] 0 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

No you're not, the post was editted. The original one said it was all because of AI, the entire reason for the API change was to sell to AI companies.

Edit, now I'm in doubt, because if you edit a post that is shown somehow right?

Edit2, just to be clear my point is that Reddit content was never free, before and after the API change. It's easier to get the content with a decent API, sure. But it was never free, just like the lawsuit the NY Times started.