Reddit is preparing to move towards a primarily logged-in user experience, requiring visitors to sign in before accessing most of its content. The proposed change is aimed at reducing unauthorised data scraping and strengthening the platform’s ability to manage access to its user-generated content. The announcement was made by CEO Steve Huffman on October 29, 2026, following a decline in search engine referral traffic that he attributed to Google’s AI-powered search features.
The development comes as changes in online search behaviour begin affecting how users discover websites and digital platforms. AI-powered search features increasingly provide direct answers to questions, allowing users to access information without necessarily visiting the original websites where the information was published.
Huffman said Reddit had experienced a decline of more than one million search engine referrals on average each week during October. The company is particularly concerned about the reduction in visitors arriving through search engines without signing into their accounts.
In the United States, Reddit’s daily active unique users (DAUq) stood at 50.7 million, down 2% year-over-year. Globally, the platform reported 130.3 million daily active unique users during the third quarter of 2026, representing a 12% increase year-over-year.
Huffman warned that if the decline in search referrals continued, Reddit’s total daily active unique visitors could fall by a low double-digit percentage in the fourth quarter from its current base of approximately 130 million. Following the announcement, Reddit shares declined more than 9% in extended trading, according to the Reuters report.
The company plans to begin testing the logged-in-only browsing experience in selected markets outside the United States during the fourth quarter of 2026. The tests will help Reddit assess how the change affects users before considering a wider implementation.
The proposed shift would significantly change Reddit’s existing browsing model, which has allowed visitors to access most of its content without creating an account for approximately two decades.
Huffman said more than 80% of Reddit’s monetisation comes from signed-in users. The company believes that focusing on logged-in visitors will help improve advertising relevance, personalisation and user engagement.
Signed-in users also provide the platform with additional information about their interests and activities, allowing Reddit to personalise content recommendations and advertising. The company is also working on product improvements, including increased video content and better personalisation.
However, the proposed changes come as Reddit continues to manage relationships with artificial intelligence companies that use its user-generated discussions as training and reference material.
Reddit licenses its content to OpenAI and Google’s parent company, Alphabet. At the same time, it has filed lawsuits against Anthropic, Perplexity AI and three data-scraping companies, accusing them of collecting its platform data without authorisation.
Huffman said Reddit would continue licensing its content through commercial agreements while maintaining safeguards to protect its users and business interests.
The company’s third-quarter financial performance remained strong despite concerns about search traffic. Reddit reported revenue of $895 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2026, representing a 53% increase year-over-year. The figure exceeded analysts’ average estimate of $878.4 million.
Advertising revenue increased 54% to $847 million, while other revenue, which includes its data-licensing business, rose 35% to $48 million. Net income reached $283 million during the quarter.
For the fourth quarter, Reddit forecast revenue between $1 billion and $1.03 billion. It also expects adjusted EBITDA of between $480 million and $510 million.The planned transition towards a logged-in experience reflects Reddit’s efforts to reduce its dependence on external search traffic while maintaining control over its content, improving monetisation and expanding its direct relationship with users.
