Reddit API protest continues on r/place as users hit out at CEO

Protests against recent Reddit API changes have continued with the launch of r/place as users spam the canvas with “F*ck Spez.”

Back in early June 2023, Reddit revealed changes to their API that would eventually see the end of most third-party apps due to the high cost of keeping them up and running.

It prompted a protest against the platform rather quickly, with many showing their distaste towards Reddit CEO Steve Huffman, who goes by ‘u/spez’ on the site.

While the initial protest has slowly died down, the launch of r/place on July 20, 2023, gave users a chance to hit out at the platform yet again.

Users spam r/place with comments about Spez

Every year, r/place opens up a constantly changing canvas that allows subreddits and users to share things they are passionate about, whether it be their favorite community or something that pays tribute to a fallen streamer.

Shortly after the launch of the open canvas for 2023, users quickly began sharing their disdain for Reddit’s CEO and the site’s recent API changes.

Users have been spamming “F*ck Spez” in various corners of the canvas, and another group of users added a large message about third-party apps.

“Never forget what was stolen from us! r/save3rdpartyapps,” it reads. We’ve managed to get a screenshot of several messages – but keep in mind that the canvas is constantly changing.

These are all on the canvas as we are writing this article.

At the top of the canvas alongside a German flag, users have added the phrase “u/spez ist ein hurensohn,” which, when translated, means “Spez is a son of a b*tch” in English.

The biggest third-party app to lose access to the API, Apollo, shut down on June 30, 2023. Just hours before it closed, creator Christian Selig wrote a eulogy on his subreddit hitting out at Reddit.

Reddit has yet to address the comments being placed on r/place, but we’ll be sure to update you if they do.