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.
They can fingerprint you and trace a profile about your personality, this can be used for a lot of things.
Imagine if they know exactly what are your tastes, you don’t see ads, ok, you were able to block every unwanted visual interference. But imagine a new platform appears, you access it and by your IP, e-mail, phone number or even nickname they know it’s you before you registering there.
Reddit sell all your data for this new platform, the new platform can show you some sweet content that matches exactly you taste, you’ll think “this is awesome, everything I like is here”, it’ll make you access it more often, contribute to it, later they add paywalls, mandatory ads, then you know… You’ve being manipulated already. You can’t live without it and will be force to accept their terms.
They can do that already, since you’re logged-in on their platform.
They can’t, the information you get server-side is limited compared to client-side. They might know what sub I follow and where I like to interact, but that’s not enough compared to sending constant information of everything you do. If it was enough, they wouldn’t need to track people client-side, right?
You realize they can track every page you view right? Literally any content you view inherently has to be pulled from their server, and they can track that. Killing off the API endpoints used to do things like vote or post doesn’t somehow turn off their tracking.
I think you didn’t understand, this api isn’t necessary to the site work properly, your upvotes and downvotes will still work as intendeed.
You must block:
www.reddit.com/api/*notreddit.com/api/*Then you’ll see everything works fine on old.reddit.com. Except the chat.
Client-side is just some ad-tracker plugins usually lazily added in a bucket. But they do have a easier time identifying that it’s you if you’re logged-in.
thats why they recently have been upping thier detection of anti-detect browsers(not tor) to detect and ban the users that hide thier fingerprints, canvas, time zones, ip spoofing, and your device components.
Do you think they don’t already have this information? I’m genuinely asking what you’re trying to block from reddit that isn’t already out there.
if a creepy stranger walks in on you while you’re changing, this doesn’t mean that you should simply let them watch you change from now on. If anything, you should get a lock on your door to prevent it from happening again.
Pasting my other comment here: