Concerns that Reddit might block Google’s access to its content have surfaced recently following a new report. However, Reddit is now refuting these claims, asserting that there will be no changes to its current practices.
Last week, The Washington Post published an article suggesting that Reddit could potentially require users to log in before granting access to its content. This measure would be enforced if Reddit fails to reach an agreement with generative AI companies for data access.
Nevertheless, Reddit’s spokesperson, Courtney Geesey-Dorr, has debunked the report, declaring it false. Geesey-Dorr explicitly stated, “Nothing is changing.”
The implementation of such a business strategy by Reddit could pose challenges for Google. It might result in Reddit’s content being excluded from Google search results.
It’s important to note that the report doesn’t exclusively pertain to Reddit; it also concerns more than 535 news outlets seeking to restrict generative AI companies’ access to their websites. The concern arises from the fact that generative AI relies on data for training, leading companies like OpenAI and Microsoft to scrape websites for valuable data to enhance their AI systems.
Earlier this year, Reddit faced user protests due to alterations that adversely impacted third-party applications. During this period, over 7,000 subreddits temporarily suspended their activities. If Reddit were to implement a login policy in the future, it’s possible that accessing Reddit content via Google may lead to private community pages, akin to the experience during the earlier protests.
