Reddit will require users to log in to access old.reddit.com within the next month, employee boat-botany announced on the platform. The change targets abusive scraping and automated traffic that exploit the legacy interface's simpler architecture.

The login requirement stems from old.reddit.com serving as a major source of policy-violating automated activity. Unlike the newer interface, Old Reddit lacks modern security features that help detect and block malicious bots. Reddit defines abusive behavior as activity interfering with normal platform use or violating API rules.

Longtime moderators and users who prefer old.reddit.com's familiar layout now face mandatory authentication. Some users value anonymous browsing for privacy reasons, making this change particularly frustrating for the community that originally embraced Reddit's open-access culture.

Reddit faces a constant cat-and-mouse battle with evolving scraping methods, and Old Reddit's outdated security stack makes it an easier target. The company hopes login requirements will provide better signal to identify and block rule-breaking accounts before they disrupt the platform.