Reddit mandates login for accessing old.reddit.com to curb automated traffic

Login Requirement Introduction

Reddit announced it will implement a login requirement for users wishing to access old.reddit.com. This decision will take effect over the next month, according to a Reddit employee known as boat-botany.

Reason for the Change

The primary goal of this change is to combat abusive scraping and automated traffic that affects how users and moderators interact with the platform.

Abusive activity is defined as any behavior violating Reddit's rules against disrupting normal activity or creating non-compliant applications.

Implications for Users

Many longtime Reddit users who prefer the old interface might be inconvenienced by this requirement, as it restricts access to logged-in users only.

The transition may impact how some users engage with content on Reddit, especially those who valued browsing without the need for an account.

Challenges with Traffic Management

The shift aims to allow Reddit to collect more signals to identify accounts that may be engaging in abusive behaviors. Boat-botany noted that the nature of malicious traffic is constantly evolving, making it difficult to preemptively block abusive access.