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.

  • ReVanced@lemmy.antemeridiem.xyz
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    1 year ago

    I am not aware of Reddit experimenting with blocking mobile browsers. However, it’s important to note that information and developments can change over time.

    To get the most accurate and up-to-date information about Reddit’s policies or any potential changes related to blocking mobile browsers, I recommend checking official Reddit announcements, news articles, or Reddit community discussions that might provide insights into any recent developments. Additionally, you can visit Reddits official website or their support pages for any official statements regarding this matter.

  • Sean-Thomas@beehaw.org
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    1 year ago

    As if it wasn’t bad enough to ask if I want to use the default mobile app every time I go to a Reddit page on mobile. 😕

  • FiskFisk33@lemmy.one
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    1 year ago

    hahah thats ridiculous, removing the last thing that made it actually bearable on mobile, now of all times…

  • hydra@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    They already crippled the mobile site years ago and put login walls from a long while ago, way before the pandemic. old.reddit.com was the only thing that let me skip it. They deserve to die out.

    • laxe@lemmy.ca
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      1 year ago

      I was using i.reddit.com during this period. The default mobile website was completely unusable.

      Of course, they recently removed i.reddit.com, similar to the third party apps. They achieved the desired user growth and are now transitioning into the aggressive monetization phase.

      Good luck making money off of me while I’m using Lemmy instead of Reddit.

  • Manticore@beehaw.org
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    1 year ago

    This… is dumb. Reddit gets traffic from people using it as a secondary search engine to get relevant answers.

    Most people on the Internet view it from mobile. Reddit already makes their mobile experience genuinely awful despite this. Blocking it entirely?

    The herding to their mobile app is so transparent (and DEFINITELY through stick, not carrot) I’m morbidly curious to see what horrible things they planning to put in their app that they know users will loathe, that requires their alternatives to be zero.

  • MJBrune@beehaw.org
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    1 year ago

    The fact they are running experiments on their users without opt-in is disgusting. In what world is that okay? Facebook also ran many psychological experiments on their users like shadow-banning them just to see if they felt more alone without telling people. It’s gross.

  • duncesplayed@lemmy.one
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    1 year ago

    I hate when people use passive voice in these things. It’s such a slimy way to try and avoid responsibility.

    “We have blocked you from using a mobile browser.” is the active voice. It includes a subject (“we”) and a verb (“blocked”). It says that someone made a decision, executed that decision, and is responsible.

    "It looks like … “, " … is currently unavailable” is so fucking weaselly and irresponsible. You are 100% a complete piece of shit if you ever say something like that. You are not responsible enough to handle a Wendy’s drive-through order, let alone a large organization.

      • BeardedGuy@beehaw.org
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        1 year ago

        It’s insane the rate that we’re losing our core social media platforms. I’m off of Facebook, Twitter, and now Reddit… I’m really hoping that this community will help me fill those voids :)

        • GrindingGears@sopuli.xyz
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          1 year ago

          I think social media is a dead stick. I can’t put in words what’s next, but it’s both scarier and more amazing. Whatever it is. But we are basically in 2006/2007 all over again, where everything we are used to is being snatched away from us.

          • BeardedGuy@beehaw.org
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            1 year ago

            I wasn’t too big of a participant in the internet during those years, I’m excited to be able to start growing my list of platforms

        • overlordror@beehaw.org
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          1 year ago

          I really think Lemmy and the Fediverse achieve the original reddit vision better than the VC-funded bullshit reddit has become. I’ve only been in this little fediverse for this weekend and already it feels like the beginnings of reddit did, back in 2008 and 2009.

          • BeardedGuy@beehaw.org
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            1 year ago

            Totally agree with that. I was just checking my Reddit account and it looks like I signed up in 2011, so I’m not sure how much things changed in those first few years, but I love how this site reminds me of the original reddit I knew

      • Killer@beehaw.org
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        1 year ago

        We’re in the enshittification of the internet period they aren’t the first and won’t be the last.

  • hyperfocus@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Their approach here seems inherently broken. People aren’t going to use the app they don’t want to use.

    • overlordror@beehaw.org
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      1 year ago

      15-year reddit veteran here. Spez thinks us old-timers are freeloaders for continuing to prefer old.reddit and the third-party apps. The truth is, that site is dead and what Lemmy offers now is closer to that original vision than current reddit ever will be. Reddit is Dead. Long live Lemmy.

      • domsch@feddit.de
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        1 year ago

        I’ll be honest: I always prefered the “new Reddit” over the old one. With that said, the App sucks balls and it going public (as it always does) killed it within a few days. Now we just hope lemmy catches on and fixes some of the inherent issues with decentralization.

          • domsch@feddit.de
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            1 year ago

            On Desktop, 100% yes. On Mobile, Browsers in general suck pretty hard, and i often much prefer the app. If only for Notifications and recent apps being easier to manage than tabs.

            • gapbetweenus@feddit.de
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              1 year ago

              Makes sense, I’m to lazy for pi-hole or what so ever to be ad free on mobile. But I also hate apps for what could be a website, so I used old reddit on mobile.

              • Limeade@beehaw.org
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                1 year ago

                I use Blokada 5 to block ads on my phone and it works pretty well. That version is free, but Blokada 6 is their subscription based blocker which is why I specify the number. I have no experience with 6.

                I usually hate apps for websites, but old Reddit is too hard to read on my phone so I used third party apps.

                • gapbetweenus@feddit.de
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                  1 year ago

                  I just don’t use heavy ad websites like youtube on mobile. And yeah old reddit is hard to read - but they kind of solved the problem now.

            • TenNinetythree@vlemmy.net
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              1 year ago

              On mobile, browsers provide critical accessibility. Notifications are actually a reason for me not to use apps. I don’t want to be notified all the time about everything.

      • SterlingVapor@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        It’s seriously disturbing from a mental health perspective. They’re doing exactly the same things Facebook did that made it most damaging

        The app always gives you something, it will add filler (in the form of front-page content) to your feed, changing the reward schedule and (very literally) training you to doom scroll longer with fewer posts you actually care about. It also gives the opportunity to shove something controversial in your face, which drives outrage based engagement

        It also always gives you messages - if you didn’t get actual replies, it gives you sub suggestions or puts random posts in your notifications to try to get you back in the app

        They also been doing A/B testing to try to maximize in-app time

        It’s a literal recipe for addiction

        • sichtbar@feddit.de
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          1 year ago

          They want you to experience reddit the way THEY want you to, not how YOU decide to. Put it like it is: predatory.

          Enabling paging in Apollo to stop myself from doomscrolling was a huge thing for me. Reaching the end of a page was a reminder and I could actively decide if I want to go further down the procrastination route or not. Guess what option is not available neither on web or the official app…