Reddit's Old Site Fades: AI Scraping Fight Continues

Reddit is phasing out access to its 21-year-old "Old Reddit" desktop interface as part of an ongoing battle against AI scraping. Starting in the next few months, logged-in users will require recent usage of the classic layout within the past six months to continue accessing it. This means new accounts will be entirely excluded from Old Reddit, and infrequent users will also lose access.

These changes are a direct response to Old Reddit being identified as a "significant source" of AI data scraping. The company previously restricted access to logged-in users and reported a reduction in automated abuse due to these measures. While a vocal user base prefers the old design, Reddit's CEO has expressed a desire to potentially recreate its UI on a modern foundation.

This initiative is part of broader efforts by Reddit to control data access and combat scraping. Previous actions included API changes affecting third-party clients and a planned discontinuation of RSS feed support by November 13, 2026, citing similar concerns about large-scale scraping. These cumulative steps indicate a strategic shift towards a more controlled platform environment.