You might run into trouble if you try to browse Reddit posts without logging in on your phone. Some Reddit users have reported seeing a new pop-up when visiting the website on mobile that prompts you to download the app to keep reading.
The social media platform said it’s running a test on a “small subset” of users who frequent the site on mobile browsers while logged out.
Multiple Reddit users have shared a prompt they encountered that says, “get the app to keep using Reddit.” I wasn’t able to replicate this message after deleting the Reddit app from my phone and poking around on the web version. Those who encounter the prompt while using their mobile web browser may be able to log in to continue without installing the app.
A Reddit spokesperson told CNET the company is running a test to see whether users find the app more satisfying than a mobile browser.
“These users are already familiar with Reddit, and we’ve seen that the experience is much better for them in the app,” according to a statement from Reddit. “The app offers a more personalized experience, and users can more easily find communities that match their interests.”
Redditors who noted the change expressed frustration with having to be routed to an app just to browse something that was otherwise visible as a website in a web browser. “This is a website,” one user said. “I do not want to use an app to view your website.” Others suggested possible workarounds, like having the site display as a desktop site.
Running into a prompt to log in or download an app isn’t uncommon when using social media platforms. LinkedIn curbs my anonymous snooping, so I’ve resorted to screen recording to share TikToks with some friends who’ve avoided the app.
During a quarterly earnings call last week, Reddit CEO Steve Huffman said that logged-in users spend more time on the platform than logged-out users, due to personalization.
“Seeing more users in the app, more users logging in, more users getting the personalization faster, drives engagement and, then, therefore, monetization,” Huffman said, according to a transcript of the call. “Again, all roads lead to basically the same strategy, which is: Help users find content that’s relevant to them and come back to the app more often.”