This is the main reason I completely ditched Reddit, if you use the new Reddit interface instead of the old one (old.reddit.com), you’ll see a constant request being made to “https://www.reddit.com/svc/shreddit/events” (open your DevTools > Network tab, can’t see on Firefox idk why).

The problem is, if you add this to your Ublock Origin filters the website won’t load properly, that’s why uBO team didn’t block it already.

You’ll notice this request isn’t only being made from a interval but also when you do basically any action in the site, like pausing or resuming a video (send timestamps of when did you pause or resumed).

It sends other kind of data like what subjects you’re seeing when closed a tab or the related subjects of a post you click, this all can be used to trace a perfect profile of you and things you like.

You can avoid that by using the old.reddit but it still has the same kind of tracker, even tho you can block it here without major issues.

By my analysis, old Reddit interface does the same but to a random URL path that always starts with “reddit.com/api/something”. Ex.: reddit.com/api/friends So you can block anything that starts with “www.reddit.com/api” in your custom filters (after all you’re using old.reddit.com), then you’re mostly free from Reddit trackers (more or less). Side effect is, you won’t be able to use the chat in the old interface.

  • Pamasich@kbin.earth
    2·
    12 days ago

    I’m a bit confused here. API calls aren’t trackers. It’s how the frontend communicates with the backend. Of course Shreddit wouldn’t work if you blocked them, Reddit doesn’t live on your PC. I’m actually surprised Old Reddit still works with them blocked. Are you sure it actually works works, or does it just look like it’s working locally? If you save a post for example, does it stay saved if you close the window and open it again?

    Edit: Yeah, just tested it: even on Old Reddit, saving, for example, doesn’t work if you block reddit.com/api/*. Voting looks like it works, but if you reload the page, your vote is gone. Because it only ever existed client-side.