As quoted from the linked post.

It looks like you’re part of one of our experiments. The logged-in mobile web experience is currently unavailable for a portion of users. To access the site you can log on via desktop, the mobile apps, or wait for the experiment to conclude.

This is separate from the API issue. This will actually BLOCK you from even viewing reddit on your phone without using the official app.

Archive.org link in case the post is removed.

https://web.archive.org/web/20230611224026/https://old.reddit.com/r/help/comments/135tly1/helpdid_reddit_just_destroy_mobile_browser_access/jim40zg/

  • shellsharks@fedia.io
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    1 year ago

    Jeez. The speed at which I’ve gone from “man it sucks that Apollo is shutting down but I still really enjoy Reddit and will suffer the first-party client” to “wow, Reddit is really trying to destroy their service and it’s probably best I don’t invest any more time there” is insane… going to draft up some thoughts and a probable farewell message for my frequented subs and followers there. End of an era.

  • BreakNeckJim@sh.itjust.works
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    1 year ago

    It’s unbelievable how’s user hostile all of these major site have become. I deleted my 11 year old Reddit account today and while it hurt a little it’s important that we send a message and not use Reddit at least until they repeal this bullshit.

    • NataliePortland@beehaw.org
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      1 year ago

      Same! I deleted my 10 year account. Kinda not even sad. It was going downhill for a while now. But hey I just created my own instance for gardeners called thegarden.land so now I have a new home to grow roots and thrive!

      • makeitso@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        I’m pretty sure I’m going to delete my three year and ten year accounts and just walk away for good. Honestly I was a little sad all day today, because I have a few hobbies I’m really crazy about and the cooking, baking, gemstone, and gardening communities have felt like home for a long time…but just using lemmy for a tiny little bit, I’m actually really excited! I’m having a much simpler experience here that’s refreshing. I like the content I’m reading.

  • sintamo@beehaw.org
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    1 year ago

    It’s one thing to test a new idea or a UX tweak or similar on a small portion of users - but just turning off a key way to access your service is so just so weird to me. How many of Reddit’s decisions at this point are some version of, “hey, how angry do they get? What can we get away with?”

    • overlordror@beehaw.org
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      1 year ago

      People need to understand that this is about tracking your eyeballs. Reddit viewed on a webpage does not provide the metadata they want. What metadata does the app provide? Things you wouldn’t think about wanting as a human, but the aggregate is very valuable.

      Stuff like how long did you watch that video Ad? Where did you click on screen and at what time? What content were you viewing and what course of action did you take to get there? Web viewing only shows the landing page you arrived on reddit from and the exit page that took you away from reddit. Performing these actions in the app provides metadata cookie crumbs like a trail of roach shit to every single thing you’ve done on reddit in micro activities.

      • darkkite@lemmy.ml
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        1 year ago

        I’m not sure. I’ve worked at companies using amplitude and hotjar that can record all click event and sessions on web

          • BitOneZero@beehaw.org
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            1 year ago

            That’s probably a big part. Web browsers can do ad blocking. Within the official Reddit app that’s way more difficult.

          • 42triangles@beehaw.org
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            1 year ago

            Users can block those on desktop without issue. On mobile it’s a bit harder so most people I know don’t even if they use ublock or something on their PCs/laptops (though that is of course only anecdotal).

            So if anything if that was the issue they should’ve shut off support for the desktop version LOL /s

  • m_g@sh.itjust.works
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    1 year ago

    Honestly this is so absurd it’s funny. Peak business brain to think that people in 2023 are willing to download an app and register an account to simply access content.

  • Tempiz@sh.itjust.works
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    1 year ago

    Not surprised. They need to milk every last drop of revenue from their users free content for the upcoming IPO.

  • Master@beehaw.org
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    1 year ago

    Honestly, mobile browing (even using old.reddit) has been garbage for years because they detect your mobile OS and constantly try to push their app on you. Click on link, do you want to open in mobile app? let me open the playstore for you. And then you also get limited comments. To see more comments open in mobile app… You could do a case study in how to alienate your customers into leaving your platform on just mobile browsing reddit.

  • Pekka@feddit.nl
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    1 year ago

    They already made the mobile site practically unusable by constantly reminding you to use the app. The mobile browsing experience was just terrible. They can just show the same adds in the mobile browser…

    • Troy@lemmy.ca
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      1 year ago

      Ironically, I’d just set my browser to desktop mode, and use the old reddit desktop interface. The more they modernized, the more entrenched I become.

    • spoonful@beehaw.org
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      1 year ago

      Reddit had so much community favor too. The whole awards thing was born from people wanting support the website. If they really struggle to make money could have rolled out an optional subscription or something with a message that everyone would have fallen for. The incompetence is incredible.

    • Ghostalmedia@beehaw.org
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      1 year ago

      Reddit has amazing SEO, and it looks like Spez is now hell bent on destroying that as well.

      What a fucking incompetent moron. Google hates when people put roadblocks over mobile web experiences. Over the past 5-ish years they’ve down ranking sites that obstruct m.web.

    • Petri@lemmy.ml
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      1 year ago

      Something like 12 years I used Reddit, but they really nailed the coffin lid shut now.

  • Wrathofcon@beehaw.org
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    1 year ago

    Are they legally allowed to just do that? Just shadow ban certain users temporarily for an ‘experiment’?

    If so… Why is that legally allowed??