Reddit To End RSS Feeds As AI Data Deals Drive Tighter…

Reddit is preparing to shut down RSS feeds across its platform, ending a long-standing way for users and third-party applications to follow updates from communities without relying on Reddit’s main interface.

The company announced the RSS change Wednesday as part of a broader series of updates affecting moderators, developers, and access to Reddit’s platform. Reddit said RSS support will officially end on November 13, 2026.

Reddit attributed the decision to growing misuse of the technology, describing RSS as a “common surface for large-scale scraping and automated abuse.”

“We know RSS has been a beloved part of the open web for a long time, and we’re grateful to everyone who used it to stay connected to Reddit,” the company said in its announcement. Reddit also confirmed that its public API is scheduled to shut down in March 2027.

Reddit RSS Shutdown Ends A Longstanding Open Web Tool

RSS, short for Really Simple Syndication or Rich Site Summary, provides a standardized way for websites to distribute frequently updated content. Users can subscribe to feeds through news readers and other applications rather than visiting individual websites to check for new posts.

The technology became especially popular during the blogging era. Google Reader was once among the most widely used RSS services before Google discontinued it in 2013, leaving services such as Feedly and independent RSS applications to serve users who continued relying on the format.

Reddit's decision comes as the company places greater emphasis on controlling access to the vast amount of user-generated content published across its communities.

The company's data has also become part of its commercial business. In its second-quarter 2026 results, Reddit reported that “other revenue,” which covers revenue outside advertising, increased 24% year over year to $43 million.

Reddit Recommends Discord Relay For Moderator Workflows

The RSS shutdown could particularly affect moderators who use feeds to monitor activity and trigger alerts for their communities.

For those workflows, Reddit is recommending the Discord Relay Devvit app. The company advised moderators and their teams to review their existing configurations and migrate before the November 13 shutdown to prevent interruptions.

Reddit acknowledged, however, that Discord Relay does not provide a replacement for RSS feeds used outside moderator communities.

The proposed change has already drawn concerns from some Reddit moderators and users. Earlier this year, Reddit indicated that it was preparing to discontinue RSS, prompting users in Reddit communities dedicated to moderation and RSS to discuss the potential impact on their workflows and how they access content.

Reddit Public API Shutdown Set For March 2027

The RSS announcement is part of a larger shift in how Reddit provides access to its platform. The company also confirmed that public API access will end in March 2027.

The change is expected to affect applications and services that currently rely on the public API to access Reddit conversations programmatically. That includes social listening tools, research applications, and some AI products.

AI assistants that currently use Reddit content through the public API will need commercial arrangements with Reddit to continue accessing the company's data after public API access ends.

Reddit also announced updates involving its Rules Hub, AutoModerator and its classic text-focused interface, commonly known as Old Reddit.

Old Reddit Access To Face New Restrictions

Reddit said it is “adding safeguards” to Old Reddit because of “abusive scraping and automated traffic.”

Under the planned changes, access to Old Reddit will be limited to logged-in users who have used the interface within the previous six months. Reddit initially referred to a 90-day period but changed that window to six months when the announcement was published.

The company also reminded developers operating approved third-party applications and bots that they must register their projects before January 12, 2027.

Reddit said developers who fail to register by that deadline will have their API access removed.