Technology

Reddit to Test Login‑Only Access in Select Markets

By Jay Peters

Reddit announced it will begin requiring users to log in to access the site. CEO Steve Huffman said the change will start in selected markets outside the United States in the coming months, with no firm timeline for a full rollout. The move comes after the company has faced issues with scraping and automated traffic, leading to lawsuits and product changes such as limiting access to Old Reddit. Huffman explained that the login requirement aims to improve user experience, protect data, and enable more relevant advertising. He noted that most unauthorized access occurs through logged‑out sessions, and that the company will still pursue data licensing deals, including those with OpenAI and Google in 2024. Huffman added that Reddit does not need to know a user’s identity, only that they are logged in. The announcement coincided with the release of Reddit’s Q3 2026 earnings, where the company reported a significant drop in search traffic, particularly from logged‑out users, while app and logged‑in daily active unique users accounted for over 80% of monetization.