Reddit plans to require users to log in to access more of its content, with tests planned in selected markets outside the United States in the coming months.
Co-founder and chief executive officer Steve Huffman, known on the platform as u/spez, outlined the changes in a post titled “About that login screen.”
For the past two decades, Reddit has allowed visitors to browse nearly all of its content without signing in. An account is needed to participate through activities such as voting, commenting and joining communities.
“We’re going to evolve Reddit to being a primarily logged-in experience,” Huffman wrote.
The company has yet to determine which parts of Reddit will require a login. Huffman said keeping the front page accessible to logged-out visitors remains important, along with allowing people to view posts reached through search engines or shared links.
Reddit has not identified the test markets or confirmed whether the Philippines will be included.
Huffman said the change would help users find relevant communities and discussions through personalization, while allowing Reddit to deliver more relevant advertisements and adapt to emerging regulations.
He also said most unauthorized access to Reddit’s data, including scraping, happens through its logged-out services.
Reddit will continue licensing its data through commercial agreements that allow it to set conditions on how the information is used and presented, he added.
On privacy, Huffman said the new requirements would not require users to provide their real names or identities.
The company is also bringing back a rebuilt incognito mode in its app. The read-only feature will allow browsing and searches without affecting a user’s logged-in account, he said.
Users can also opt out of personalization.
Huffman said Reddit would assess the tests’ effects on user experience, its business and the wider platform before deciding the extent of the login requirements.
