Reddit is now blocking your access to its mobile website, forcing users into its app instead: “I just won’t use Reddit anymore”
Reddit has begun blocking some mobile users from accessing its website and forcing them to download the official Reddit app instead. According to a Reddit spokesperson, the company recently started testing this approach with “a small subset of frequent logged-out mobile users” who see a prompt encouraging them to download the app when visiting reddit.com on mobile devices.
The move has drawn significant backlash from the Reddit community, with users describing it as the latest example of the platform’s “enshittification”—a term referring to the gradual degradation of service quality. Critics argue that forcing users to the app represents a heavy-handed monetization strategy that prioritizes the company’s business interests over user convenience.
Reddit’s rationale centers on driving adoption of its official app, which typically generates more engagement metrics and provides better opportunities for targeted advertising and data collection compared to the mobile web experience. The company positions this as a test rather than a permanent policy change, though the initial reception suggests significant user resistance to the practice.
The blocking strategy reflects broader tensions in the social media industry around user control, platform accessibility, and monetization priorities.