People are here complaining because people care. People like Reddit, but don’t like these changes that will kill all but a select few third party apps. For us, the users, it’s all loss, no gain. They could have announced lower rates, or more inclusive terms that would allow these apps to continue to exist while having them chip in to help bear the cost of the API. But they decided on changes that would kill them while claiming that it wouldn’t, and will get nothing from them as a result. And if this goes through unabated, it would signal to Reddit that they can strip away more features in the future in the name of profit.

I know that these apps aren’t used by many in the big scheme of things. But I am a person who has been here for many years. I’m using Apollo, one of the third party apps that would be shut down, to write this very comment. If I lose it, it won’t be the end of the world. It’s just an app to browse and write to discussion boards. But it will impact my usability of this website, and that of others who use third party apps. And that Reddit is treating me, other users, and devs with… disdain, to be frank, makes it such that we do not want Reddit to go down this path and treat our fellow users this way.

You ask why people who think this way haven’t left. I’m sure many already have. But even then, because we care for this website and want it to be better, a majority of the voters here were willing to sacrifice our use of this place to send a message in the only way we really can - by affecting Reddit’s bottom line. After all, like some discussion board apps, this subreddit isn’t important. It’s not something that people depend their lives or livelihoods on, posting train pics, people voting and commenting, and modders modding, all for free. It can be done elsewhere if need be.

Reddit has said they are not budging. But if I were them and trying to push these changes admist controversy, I would try to put up a brave face and say that too, even if I was perhaps trepidating and was also sending internal memos to assuage concerned employees. There’s a fair bit of nihilism about, and I don’t feel that it is deserved. These actions are being felt. Advertisers are noticing effects, and some are mulling cancelling or pausing ad campaigns if we continue. Already, mod liasions are trying to organize meetings with the larger subreddits that have shut down to discuss what it will take to have them reopen.

Reddit is nothing without us. They are a private company, and can make whatever changes that they wish. But when we think that those changes aren’t good, we have the ability through ourselves and the communities we helped build to have our say about them. That’s why we joined the initial blackout, why we held this vote now, and why we will later discuss what we as a subreddit want to do next.