Reddit Closes RSS Service to Prevent Bot Scraping

hallway between glass-panel doors — Nastuh Abootalebi / Unsplash

Reddit has announced the closure of its RSS service, citing security concerns that allow bots to engage in large-scale scraping of data. This change is part of a broader overhaul of its data distribution infrastructure. Reddit will discontinue support for RSS on November 13, 2026, requiring users to access data through its Developer Platform instead.

The company explained that the RSS feed was being exploited for extensive data extraction, prompting the decision to shift to a more secure method of data access. In addition to the RSS closure, Reddit will also transition its Data API access for bots and external applications to the Developer Platform. Developers will need to register by January 12, 2017, to gain access.

Currently, over 14,000 applications have already registered on the Developer Platform. Recently, Reddit has increased its focus on monetizing its data, taking legal action to shut down free data extraction methods that do not compensate the platform.

This move aligns with Reddit's strategic shift towards generating revenue from its data while tightening controls over how that data is accessed and utilized.