Reddit has signalled that it plans significant "changes" to old.reddit.com, the legacy desktop interface favoured by many long-time users for its simpler layout and lack of algorithmic feed recommendations. While stopping short of confirming a shutdown, the company said the moves are intended to curb abusive scraping, spamming and automated traffic, suggesting the classic site's future is increasingly uncertain after 21 years of operation.

In the short term, Reddit will keep requiring users to log in to access Old Reddit, having introduced that restriction in late July, and will migrate critical bots and moderator tools to its modern platform. A company spokesperson told Ars Technica that Reddit is "exploring different options" with no firm timeline, while promising to consult moderators and developers. The announcement coincides with Reddit tightening API access, restricting new third-party app requests and pushing developers towards its official Developer Platform, extending curbs first introduced in 2023 that were aimed partly at blocking AI firms from scraping content for free.